Belfast

A very solid if unremarkable coming of age film set during the Irish troubles of 1969.

This movie was very reminiscent of the 1987 film "Hope and Glory," only that film was much better. In fact, this movie reminded me a lot of the kinds of films that came out in the late 80s and throughout the 90s, accomplished and pleasing Oscar bait movies that gave not especially sophisticated adult film audiences products that were good and substantial enough to make them feel like they were seeing something important but safe enough to never make them feel challenged or threatened.

For me, what gave "Belfast" its heart was not the central story about a little boy and the parents who want to give him a better life than war-torn Ireland allows, but rather the side story about the enduring love between his grandparents, played by Ciaran Hinds and Judi Dench. The best scenes in the movie were the ones featuring those two, and Dench's scene at the end is the one that lingered with me most. I was thrilled to pieces when both of them were recognized with Academy Award nominations.

Grade: A-

Kenneth Branagh delivers a beautiful, heartfelt film about a family in 1969 Belfast. Branagh's love for the town of Belfast is palpable. The cast is superb--especially, Caitriona Balfe, whose portrayal as a wife and mother, torn between staying in her native Belfast as religious and political violence escalates or moving to England for her family's safety, is heartbreaking.

Greetings again from the darkness. Despite Irish ancestry, during my childhood, Ireland was vaguely described as a place to avoid due to the Northern Ireland Conflict (also known as The Troubles). In contrast, the childhood of writer-director Kenneth Branagh was smack dab in the middle of this political and religious mess. This autobiographical project is a sentimental look back at his youth and the connection to his career as a filmmaker. This is very attractive and appealing filmmaking, and one that acknowledges the violent atmosphere without dwelling on it.

An opening aerial view of present day Belfast shipyards in full color abruptly transitions back to black and white 1969. A young boy plays and skips cheerfully as he makes his way through the apparently idyllic neighborhood. The pleasantries are shattered and give way to the frenzied fear and havoc created by an approaching angry mob. The native Protestants' goal is to push out all Catholics from the area. The happy young boy we first see is Buddy (played by newcomer Jude Hill), the stand-in for Branagh as a child. While watching, we must keep in mind that we are seeing things unfold through Buddy's eyes - which are actually the eyes of a middle-aged director looking back on his upbringing. This explains the sentimentality and nostalgia, two aspects handled exceedingly well.

Buddy and his older brother Will (Lewis McAskie) live with their parents Ma (Caitriona Balfe, FORD V FERRARI, "Outlander") and Pa (Jamie Dornan, "The Fall"), and are close with Granny (Oscar winner Judi Dench) and Pop (Ciaran Hinds, one of the finest supporting actors working today). Pa spends much of his time away in London working as a carpenter, leaving Ma parenting diligently to create normalcy for the boys during tumultuous times. An added stress is the financial woes Ma and Pa face over tax debt. Granny and Pop are an endearing elderly couple still very much in love, despite their constant needling and bickering.

As things escalate, the division over religion becomes more prevalent. Although he attempts to stay out of the fracas, Pa is faced with the "either with us or against us" decision - something he avoids as long as possible. Ma is obsessed with keeping her boys on the straight and narrow, despite their naivety and the many forces pulling them away. The family finds its emotional escape at the local cinema, which treats us to clips of bikini-clad Raquel Welch in ONE MILLION YEARS BC; Grace Kelly and Gary Cooper facing off with a similar 'stay or go' dilemma in HIGH NOON; John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart and Lee Marvin in THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE; and Dick Van Dyke in his flying car from CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG. The sense of awe and wonder is laid on a bit thick for effect, but it helps us connect young Buddy with present day Branagh.

It's quite a family dilemma. How do you decide to pack up and leave the only town you've ever called home, and when do you make that decision? When does the danger and turmoil pose too much to risk for your kids? There is a fun scene that provides young Buddy a lesson on how to answer, "Are you Protestant or Catholic?" It plays comically but has a serious undertone. Speaking of Buddy, newcomer Jude Hall in his feature film debut, uses his sparkling eyes and an engaging smile to light up the screen. His adolescent pining for Catherine (Olive Tennant), the smart girl in his class, is worthy of the price of admission. All of the actors are terrific, and in addition to young Mr. Hall, it's Caitriona Balfe (as Ma) whose performance really stands out. Award considerations should be in her future.

Filmmaker Branagh has assembled a crew of frequent collaborators, including cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos, who works wonders with the monochromatic scheme. The soundtrack is chock full of Van Morrison songs - it is Ireland, after all, and the overall feeling is that this is a film Branagh needed to make in order to deal with his childhood prior to his family relocating to England. By not avoiding The Troubles, yet not focusing on it, Branagh has told his story in a personal way that should be relatable to many. It's a terrific film.

BELFAST opens in theaters on November 12, 2021.

To some it would come as a surprise that Kenneth Branagh is from Northern Ireland.

He never hid the fact that his family moved to Britain once the Troubles started in the late 1960s.

Once they arrived Branagh had to modify his Irish accent to fit in.

The semi autobiographical Belfast expands on the forces that drove Branagh's parents to take the momentous step to move away from their homeland.

Starting off in colour, it moves into black and white. Buddy is playing with other children in his neighbourhood. It is 1969 and both Protestants and Catholics live on the same street.

Suddenly shocking violence erupts, a Protestant mob wants to force the Catholics out.

In this turmoil, Buddy's dad who works as a carpenter in London contemplates moving to the mainland. Not helped by the financial woes over a tax demand.

For Buddy it also means leaving behind his grandparents and the girl he fancies at school.

For his dad, he is being pressurized to choose sides. It is no coincidence that one of the movies the family watches at the cinema is High Noon.

The Troubles is now mainly consigned to history. I speak to my children in the past tense as to my experience of growing up during the IRA bombing campaign ranging from the 1970s to the 1990s.

There was always a danger that visiting a city centre in the mainland during Christmas meant the risk of some kind of car bomb suddenly going off. In fact there was a day when I was stuck in a traffic jam meaning I was delayed getting to a place that was earlier blown up by an IRA bomb.

Belfast has been called nostalgic, having a thin plot. It is life affirming but does not shy away from the turmoil. It is framed in a child's viewpoint, wonderfully played by Jude Hill.

The events of the film are still relevant. Brexit has placed dangers on the Good Friday Agreement. The present Tory government is cynically playing fast and loose with it. The impact of the Troubles must never be forgotten.

Greetings from Lithuania.

"Belfast" (2021) is a wonderful movie written and directed by Kenneth Branagh. Clearly inspired on this person's childhood, this movie is not about religious disputes or anything like that. Its a movie about one men's memories about his childhood. What things look to him at the moment is what we see true his eye. And despite living on a different place and time me myself in my childhood i could easily relate to it because everyone remember their grandfather and grandmother for being ones heroes and etc. Their first best friends, their moms and dads and their inner backyard as being center of the world. At the end of this wonderful movie i remembered "Tokyo Story" (1953) because of its similar feeling and ideas it gave to me.

Overall, perfectly paced at running time 1 h 35 min "Belfast" is one of the best movies i saw in some time. Directing and writing were probably best Kenneth Branagh has ever done. Acting was amazing by everyone and cinematography and art design really place one in that place and time. Great movie.