Netflix viewers have only a few days left to watch Small Things Like These, the critically acclaimed period drama starring Cillian Murphy that has been praised by audiences as a modern masterpiece.

The film was added to the streaming platform earlier this year, but Netflix has now marked it as “leaving soon.” According to the service, October 27, 2026, is the last day to watch it. It remains unclear whether the film will move to another streaming platform after its departure.

Adapted from Claire Keegan’s award-winning novella of the same name, the 2024 film offers a restrained but deeply affecting portrait of a dark chapter in Irish history. Although its release coincided with the enormous attention surrounding Murphy’s Oscar-winning performance in Oppenheimer, this quieter period drama has earned considerable recognition in its own right.

A Story Rooted in a Painful Chapter of Irish History

Set in Ireland in the weeks leading up to Christmas 1985, the film follows Bill Furlong, a devoted father and coal merchant played by Murphy. While going about his daily work, he uncovers disturbing secrets surrounding a local convent and is forced to confront uncomfortable truths about the community around him.

The story draws on the history of Ireland’s Magdalene laundries, institutions operated by Roman Catholic organisations from the 1820s until 1996. These establishments were intended to reform women considered to have fallen outside society’s moral expectations. Their history remains a deeply troubling part of Ireland’s past.

Keegan’s original novella brought renewed attention to this history through the experience of an ordinary man confronting the consequences of institutional cruelty and a community’s silence. The book was shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize and the Rathbones Folio Prize, while winning the 2022 Orwell Prize for Political Fiction.

Rather than relying on spectacle, the film builds its emotional impact through quiet tension and Bill’s growing awareness of what is happening around him.

Cillian Murphy’s Performance Wins Over Viewers

Despite its difficult subject matter and deliberately measured pace, Small Things Like These has received strong responses from critics and audiences. Murphy’s understated lead performance has been a particular highlight, with the film holding a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes, according to the source article.

Viewers have praised its cinematography, soundtrack, casting and direction, with some arguing that the adaptation stands alongside Keegan’s original work. Others have acknowledged that its slower storytelling may not appeal to everyone, but still consider the performances and emotional weight well worth experiencing.

One viewer described the film as absorbing yet disturbing, praising Murphy’s restrained performance and saying the ending left them wanting more. Another highlighted how the cast brings Keegan’s story to life, calling the film poignant from beginning to end.

The reactions reflect the film’s particular strength: it tells a painful story without losing sight of the ordinary people caught within it.

Last Chance to Watch on Netflix

With Netflix listing Small Things Like These as “leaving soon,” viewers have until October 27, 2026, to watch the film on the platform, according to the original report.

There has been no confirmed announcement about whether it will become available on another streaming service after that date.

For anyone who missed the film when it arrived in cinemas in 2024, its upcoming departure offers an opportunity to discover a thoughtful historical drama led by one of Ireland’s most acclaimed actors.

Small Things Like These is currently streaming on Netflix until October 27, 2026.