 |
| From left: Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Jude Hill, and Lewis McAskie in "Belfast" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
When it comes to film directors, one of the most fascinating things that they can do with their work is reveal to their audiences events from their lives that influenced them to become visual storytellers. With films like Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma,” Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir,” and Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari,” each of these movies provides the viewer with a powerful look into these filmmakers’ pasts and perspectives on life itself.
Writer-director Kenneth Branagh can now be added to this roster with his drama, “Belfast,” a heartwarming and poignant exploration of his childhood in the titular city.
The story takes place from August 1969 to early 1970 and follows Buddy (Jude Hill), a young boy in a working-class family who lives in Belfast with this mother (Caitríona Balfe), father (Jamie Dornan), and brother (Lewis McAskie). As the conflict between Protestants and Catholics reaches a breaking point, Buddy’s parents will soon have to make a choice as to whether they should stay in their hometown, or find a safer life somewhere else.
Hill gives a spirited breakout performance of a child who has a deep love for his neighborhood and the bonds he’s made. Hill shows us a character who’s seen violence in the streets, but is still able to hold onto the innocence and fun of childhood. Between his interactions with his family, friends, and neighbors, Hill presents an outgoing and inquisitive individual. This is a performance that shows an astounding amount of natural talent in Hill, exhibiting the maturity within a character who has to grow up quicker than he might have anticipated.
Balfe portrays a mother who’s torn between wanting a better life for her family and wanting to stay in the home that’s been a part of them. She shows the sternness of a parent who’s trying to protect her children and instill values in them. Between running a household and taking care of her children while their father is away, Balfe exhibits her character’s strength in making sure their children don’t get into danger. With the work that Balfe does, we always see her character’s internal conflict as she tries to figure out what’s best for her family, and Balfe’s emotional performance won’t leave you anything less than riveted.
As Buddy’s soft-spoken father, Dornan shows a character who doesn’t wish to confront anyone, but will put up his fists to defend his family if any threat comes near them. He gives his character an air of someone who has built up years of hard work to help provide for his family and will do what he can to make sure that a roof is kept over their heads. However, Dornan’s character isn’t all about seriousness, as one of the most upbeat scenes of the film is when he sings Robert Knight’s “Everlasting Love” to his wife at a party, a sequence that shows a moment of lightheartedness that this couple deserves after experiencing the hardships that’ve come before.
Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds offer humorous performances as Buddy’s grandparents. Whether it be to offer Buddy advice or a laugh, Dench and Hinds are joyful to watch, offering a warmth to all of their scenes and making you feel optimistic in the tumultuous situations unfolding in their streets.
The screenplay by Branagh is a semi-autobiographical view of the years that he lived in Belfast, and it develops a story where you can feel the personal connection that Branagh has to that city, all while showing the deep love that he has for his family. He imbues the movie with the perfect amount of historical context to help us understand what’s happening around Buddy’s family, while also showing how the Protestant/Catholic conflicts are impacting his family in its direct way. Whether it’s a poignant discussion between Buddy’s mom and dad on a bus, or Buddy becoming distressed when his parents reveal the possibility of moving, we see the emotional stress that’s placed on the family as they contemplate what to do. However, between these scenes are uplifting moments where we see the family enjoying themselves, be it opening presents on Christmas morning or visiting a cinema to see “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” and it’s in moments like these where we see the solace that these characters find in each other, helping them get through the difficulties of what’s happening outside of their home.
The cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos, who’s a frequent collaborator of Branagh’s, offers beautiful black-and-white camerawork that highlights the feeling of going back in time to this era. The movie’s first few minutes are in color, showing a present-day Belfast. Then, the film transitions to black and white as we go back to 1969. This is a fascinating use of black and white because, during the scenes where Buddy goes to a theater or a cinema, the images on the theater screen within the film, or the performers on the stage, are presented in color as Buddy and his family watch them. It’s a heartwarming view of how such entertainments allowed them to escape for a while into something else, as well as an example of how film and stage influenced Branagh to become the immense talent that he is today.
From the opening scene, Branagh shows the harshness of the conflict between the Protestants and Catholics, making you feel the rumble in the streets as the opposing sides clash while the bystanders rush to safety. Right away, we’re made aware of the dangers that are present, but this story isn’t just about the conflict. Outside of this, Branagh displays a loving view of the happiness that could be found in his childhood home in the moments between the chaos, creating a portrait of nostalgia that refrains from becoming overly sentimental, but is still heartwarming.
Through Branagh’s celebration of his family and native land, “Belfast” is a testament to how, whether you stay in or leave the home that you’ve come to know and love, you’ll always carry it with you, no matter what.
Grade: A
No comments:
Post a Comment