Starring: Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan, Josie Walker, Jude Hill, Lewis McAskie, Lara McDonnell, Olive Tennant, Gerard Horan, Turlough Convery, Vanessa Ifediora, Conor MacNeill, Drew Dillon, Victor Alli, Gerard McCarthy, John Sessions
Review: A semi-autobiographical film based on true events from Kenneth Branagh's childhood, Belfast chronicles the life of a working class family and their 9-year-old son Buddy (Jude Hill) during the tumult of the late 1960s in the Northern Ireland capital.
Belfast is a coming-of-age drama written and directed by Kenneth Branagh as sort of an ode to his hometown. I loved this film for its brilliant acting and writing, as well as its ability to tell an uplifting story despite its tragic consequences. This film has received critical acclaim, garnering a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, in addition to 6 other Oscar nominations. The film centers around 9-year-old Buddy, who is loosely based on Branagh himself. I love the innocence that Buddy represents. The film opens with a powerful scene where Buddy is using a trash can lid as a shield, while impersonating some sort of superhero with his friends. Minutes later, The Troubles bring riots to the very same street we see Buddy playing on, as Buddy's Ma (Caitríona Balfe) uses the very same trash can lid to shield herself and her son from hurling rocks. This sets the tone for the rest of the film, as The Troubles were obviously a very tumultuous time in Northern Irish history.
Buddy inevitably becomes a foil for all of this animosity, as he seemingly doesn't understand the volatility around him, instead preoccupying himself with his school work and mustering the courage to ask his crush to be his partner on a project. Caught in the middle of The Troubles, to no fault of their own, is Buddy's family. Buddy is a Protestant and the local Protestant hellion, Billy Clanton (Colin Morgan), attempts to recruit Buddy's Pa (Jamie Dornan) to join "the cause." The beauty of all of this is that Buddy's family, despite their Protestant values, find The Troubles to be completely unnecessary. Pa wants no part of "the cause" instead opting to teach his son about accepting other people's differences regardless of religion, race, etc. Pa's sole motivation is keeping his family safe in the country that they so deeply love. This love begs the ultimate question: "Do we stay or do we leave?" When does the mounting threat that has no end in sight outweigh the heartache of separation?
The writing and directing were fantastic. I loved Branagh's transition from the bright and beautiful present day Belfast to the gray, melancholic depiction throughout 1969. Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, and Ciarán Hinds put in great acting performances. The former two are great in illustrating the stresses involved with living in this time in Northern Irish history. The latter two provide a calming presence as Buddy's Pop and Granny. Through it all, Branagh masterfully tells a story that is uplifting and bittersweet in spite of its setting being on the brink of Civil War. Belfast ends up being incredibly relatable, as Buddy's family deals with familial issues that many families also endure, albeit in rather extreme circumstances.
This film moves quickly with a runtime just north of 90 minutes, which is a welcome sight compared to some other cumbersome Oscar buzzworthy films. I can't recommend this film enough, and I think it's absolutely worthy of all the praise it has been receiving. Cinephiles absolutely have to give Kenneth Branagh's love letter to his home a serious watch. Do not miss the boat on Belfast!
Fun Fact: Various members of the production were actually born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. These members include writer-director Kenneth Branagh, Jamie Dornan (Pa), Ciarán Hinds (Pop), and Josie Walker (Auntie Violet).