Nov 10

Nov 10 'Belfast' film review: Kenneth Branagh crafts a resonant, personal memoir

Violent conflict in Irish streets and the strains of marriage are viewed through the innocent lens of a child in the coming-of-age drama 'Belfast' (opening in theaters nationwide Nov. 12).

In short: Director Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical film chronicles the life of a working class couple (Caitríona Balfe and Jamie Dornan) and their young son Buddy's (Jude Hill) childhood during The Troubles in the late 1960s. Also stars Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds.

'Belfast' captures the essence of daily life for those thrust into the frontline of the bloody Northern Ireland conflict - and this alone separates ‘Belfast’ from other period films set against a violent backdrop. Other films have depicted the intense violence of the decades-long conflict from the perspective of one of the sides, whereas 'Belfast' centers its focus on those caught in the crossfire just trying to live their lives. The film rings with a deeply personal undercurrent, as if composed from memories and moments that have stuck with Branagh. At times the film appears as if storyboarded from family photos and crisp memories burned into memory. This is a film about the city and its people - the innocent who didn't take a side between the nationalists and the loyalists, yet whose lives were turned upside down by the threat of increasing and seemingly indiscriminate violence.

Yes this is a film about a specific boy growing up during a specific crisis, but what truly elevates 'Belfast' to Best Picture contender is how universal and accessible this story and these characters feel. The script is pretty light on the particulars of "The Troubles" - and this this because the story is told through the eyes of young Buddy. No 8 or 9 year old child could wrap his head around all the political upheaval of "The Troubles" - but he has a firm grasp on the fundamental chaos of riots in the streets and escalating tension as his neighborhood becomes a warzone. This film is the city of Belfast in late 1969 as seen through the eyes of a child experiencing his first childhood crush - while also being forced to see the turmoil in the streets and inside his own home.

And it's a small detail that's easy to overlook, but Buddy is the only main character who actually has a name - his mother and father are simply "Ma" and "Pa" and his loving grandparents are "Granny" and "Pop." This could be the story of so many young refugees trying to make sense of the upended world, as their own Ma and Pa make sacrifices for the family, even as they wonder if a "better life" is even possible at home anymore. 'Belfast' is simultaneously deeply rooted in a specific historic event affecting a specific people - and yet also a universally understood story of everyday people hoping to build a better tomorrow.

Strip away the plot elements specific to "The Troubles" and even the struggles of a domestic couple, the underlying heart of 'Belfast' is the notion of identity. Were it not for the financial and sociopolitical pressures of their day, Ma and Pa would have happily lived out a middle class existence in the same neighborhood they have known all their lives. It's only these outside forces that compel them to consider a life outside their familiar Belfast neighborhood - the only home Buddy and one of his parents has ever known. For people whose identity is closely tied their friends, family and neighborhood the idea of leaving home is terrifying.

Woven through this tapestry of childhood memories and bloody riots is yet another layer: ‘Belfast’ is a love letter to mothers. Caitríona Balfe shines as a beleaguered wife trying to raise a son essentially on her own. As the couple try to dig themselves out of debt, Pa (Dornan) is forced to take a job faraway in London, leaving the married Ma essentially a single mother raising Buddy virtually on her own in Belfast. Balfe's performance embraces the sacrifices and strains Ma endures as a mother and wife - and in depicting her struggles, Branagh gives credit to every mother who has given so much of themselves to their household. While the film is sympathetic to the well-meaning and charming Pa, it's Ma who bears the brunt of the stress of keeping the family together and the internal conflict between her home and keeping her family together.

Final verdict: Branagh's reflective film universally taps into the bittersweet nostalgia of childhood and the sacrifices parents make for their families. 'Belfast' is an essential film of 2021 and one of the year's most moving and poignant stories.