Belfast (Kenneth Branagh, 2021) wr. Kenneth Branagh; Jude Hill, Judi Dench
<<A boy and his working-class Belfast family experience the tumultuous late 1960s.>>
An excellent film, in the tradition of British working-class films of the 1960s from directors like Mike Leigh.
It starts and ends in colour with views of modern Belfast to make the point that the b/w film in between is a history of a past time. The people we see in shades of grey are seen by each other at this time as black or white, Protestant and Catholic.
At the centre of the story are the childhood Romeo and Juliet, one from each group. Near the end, the little boy asks his father if he has a future with the girl. The film hopes so.
Branagh either combed Derry to find Jude Hill, and/or was very lucky, because the kid can act. (Either that or he was born to play the part.) He's in every scene, and steals them all, even from Judi Dench (still working at 86).
There is one aspect of the film that is almost a deal-breaker for me: the music. It's done by a guy who is shouting - whenever and whatever he 'sings' - LISTEN TO ME I AM VAN MORRISON.
Garry Gillard | reviews | New: 27 December, 2021 | Now: 29 February, 2024