Movie Review: ‘Belfast’

Review by James Lindorf

Whether you preferred one of his many Shakespearian roles, his interpretation of super-sleuth Hercule Poirot, or as Harry Potter’s resident blowhard Gilderoy Lockhart, Sir Kenneth Branagh has been an important part of the film industry for 40 years. In that time, Branagh has shown his talent extends behind the camera and has directed 23 projects and written nine. Branagh is best known for bringing 400-year-old pieces of work to life on the big screen. So it may be a bit of a surprise that when he stopped looking for a story to adapt and decided to tell a variation of his story, he would create his masterpiece. “Belfast” is a celebration of life and the love, hate, and imagination that makes it a terrifying and splendid thing. Thanks to Focus Features, “Belfast” will have a wide theatrical release beginning on November 12th.

The city of Belfast was one of Ireland’s biggest ports and is infamously known as the birthplace of the Titanic. In 1921 when the country split into Ireland and Northern Ireland, it became the capital of the six northern counties that remained in the United Kingdom. In 1969 there was no better place to live in the eyes of 9-year-old Buddy (Jude Hill). In his little neighborhood, everyone knew and looked out for him. He was safe to let his imagination run wild while slaying dragons with a wooden sword and a trash can lid as a shield. With dozens of other kids in the area, there was always a football match he could join.

Life for Buddy is pretty simple; his school and church are within walking distance from the home he shares with his Ma (Caitríona Balfe, Outlander) and older brother Will (Lewis McAskie). His Pa (Jamie Dornan, Fifty Shades franchise) works construction outside of London and can only come home every other weekend. Buddy also has an aunt, a couple of cousins, his Granny (Judi Dench) and Pop (Ciarán Hinds), and fellow student and first love Catherine (Olive Tennant), all living nearby. One mid-August afternoon, his small neighborhood is caught in the escalating violence between Protestant and Catholics. This event that would be remembered as The Troubles is the first crack in the innocence of Buddy’s childhood. His stable and loving life at home and in the community may be shaken, but love, laughter, and the magic of movies remain.

“Belfast” has the longest, but still enjoyable, 97-minute run time of any movie I can remember. Branagh builds tension throughout the film with escalating threats of violence and the occasional realization of it. Branagh releases some of the pressure between those outbursts through moments of childish wide-eyed optimism and genuine family joy. But he never lets you relax entirely before the tension starts to mount again. It is hard not to speculate about who will be a victim and how bad the outcome will be. By the time we reach the climax, you wish you could be Dark Helmet and pull the movie off the shelf and see what will happen then, now, because what is happening now is nerve-wracking. If you are looking for a deep exploration of The Troubles and how it affected the country, you need to look elsewhere. They are used as a backdrop and a source of conflict in the story of one particular boy.

It is hard to find much at fault with “Belfast.” The acting is fantastic across the board, especially from young Jude Hill. The story is about a kid, but that doesn’t mean it is a simple task, and he excels in every moment. “Belfast” has the best depictions of puppy love or a first crush since Vada and Thomas J in “My Girl” 30 years ago. The score by Van Morrison can get your blood pressure up or get you rocking along. The cinematography by long-time Branagh collaborator Haris Zambarloukos is beautiful. It stretches the capabilities of black and white to its limits. In contrast with the rest of the film, when the family is in the audience for “One Million Years B.C.,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” or even a local production of “A Christmas Carol,” the presentations are shown in vibrant colors. The editing by BAFTA award-winning editor Úna Ní Dhonghaíle is on point for all but two scenes, and the fault with that lies more with the director than Una.

Buddy is a very emotionally intelligent kid and handles most situations as well as any parents could dream. That is what makes one scene where he has a complete meltdown so jarring. Ma and Pa have discussed moving away from Belfast and the violence in front of and with Buddy. Buddy then discussed it calmly with his grandfather. A scene or two later, when the subject is mentioned again, he loses all control of his emotions. If we had time to see this building, it would have made sense, but it feels like something is missing as delivered. Then there is a monolog delivered by a disheveled and emotional Judi Dench that is so on the nose I thought I might need a tissue. It is the only time the movie feels so desperate to drive its emotions home. It stands out even more because it is followed by a closeup of Judi Dench’s bowed head seen through the blurred glass of a window as she weeps. That visual is so much more potent in its silence than the multiple lines she just delivered.

“Belfast” is being touted as a frontrunner for many Oscars, and it is easy to see why. It is a splendid, nearly perfect film, and I look forward to seeing how many statues it takes home. “Belfast” is a 4.5 out of 5 and one I can’t wait to see again.

Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Producer: Kenneth Branagh, Laura Berwick, Becca Kovacik, Tamar Thomas
Writer: Kenneth Branagh
Release Date: November 12th
Runtime: 1h 37m
Distributor: Focus Features