Belfast

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 BELFAST [2021]


Starring: Catriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Ciaran Hinds & Jude Hill


Direction & Screenplay by Kenneth Branagh


Language: English


I’m going to start this film off by saying that this film was ROBBED of the Oscar for the Best Picture category (no hate to CODA, but this movie was better). It is rare to see any black and white film in theatres today, and I am glad to see that they are making a return. Normally, black and white films put me straight to sleep: sometimes augmented visuals and colours are needed to compensate for mediocre performances. However, this movie was compelling, and the acting performances were completely first rate. (On that note, Catriona Balfe was also ROBBED of an Oscar nomination).


Firstly, what resonated with me the most was the setting in which the film was set. The backdrop of violence and uncertainty meant that the viewer is always on edge, a feeling that is simultaneously anxiety inducing and thrilling. Not to mention that the troubles is a conflict I know so little about: it was interesting to see an artistic impression of a historical event before actually learning about it. 


As I said in the introduction, I often need flashy visuals and colour imagery to compensate for performances that are underwhelming. This ABSOLUTELY wasn’t the case in this production. The black and white imagery made the film more poignant. Seeing that black and white imagery, representing the turbulent past of Ireland, was so fascinating when compared to the opening scenes showing Belfast full of colour and light. 


Now onto the performances. This may be a film with the most consistently high quality performances across the cast. I don’t think that there was one weak link at all. Catriona Balfe was excellent at portraying a conflicted mother, torn between her duty to her family and her country and her longing to escape for freedom. Jamie Dornan, who I have not really seen outside the realm of Fifty Shades of Grey, was also great! He brought the conflict of family loyalty and freedom to fruition. The relationship between the mother and father was so beautifully written: it was such a complex subject matter that was so intrinsically moving.


Not to mention the performances of Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds, which were equally good. The relationship between these two and the main lead, played by Jude Hill, brought another touching layer to the movie. Speaking of Jude Hill, WOW! He was great. The movie was set through his perspective, and for me this was very effective as that meant that the plot was simplified. With no prior knowledge of the conflict, this meant that the movie was easier to follow for me. For somebody who was eleven when the movie was filmed, he was able to effectively play a significant role in a film that combines such dark themes. The ability to have that much maturity at such a young age is nothing short of impressive.  9/10

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