Belfast is the terrific return once more of the talents of Kenneth Branagh to the world of the big screen, this time with an autobiographical ode to his past written and directed by himself, chronicling the period prior to his family moving over to England during the troubles period. Despite opening with a horribly un-cinematic Belfast tourism board montage of the city modern day in colour, the film is a black and white period piece largely told from the point of view of a child, and for the most part really is an effective little film. Focussed and sentimental in all the right ways, only pushing things a touch too far on a few occasions. However overall one can’t help but feel that the film is a mild and safe affair with little astounding about it.
Jude Hill, our lead child, is a bundle of joy and energy and takes us through the film with an ideal centre piece performance, however more than anything else, more than the fine writing or the then and again intriguing direction, the reason this film succeeds at all is due to the performances of the rest of the family, beyond Hill. Catriona Balfe and Jamie Dorman are the most beautiful and attractive couple we have seen on screen in some time and their chemistry, love and care and delightful truth centres the film in a reality and a passion. Balfe in particular has the emotional brunt of the climatic decision making scene and gives us an Oscar clip sure-fire thing through her teary emotional words. Dorman too here is giving us his most charismatic turn on screen yet, without a piece of apparatus in his hand. Ciaran Hinds and Judi Dench too give us startlingly truthful and touching turns as Hill’s grandparents, delivering multiple of the aged wisdom sucker punches that can’t help but make you feel all warm and cosy inside with your own family nostalgia. With its inspired music choices and overall sentimentality Belfast really is above anything else, warm and cosy fare. However of course, perhaps not that much more than that.
Overall Branagh has done with this
film something that his others have seriously missed, a sense of intimacy.
Branagh of course self-appointed himself as the modern Olivier and made thus
marvellous epic Shakespeare film adaptations, however has ended up bringing
this epic sensibility to ridiculous levels for films that don’t need them. I
chiefly think of the absurd re-placement of the final drawing room Poirot
run-down in Murder on the Orient Express to
an icy tunnel outside for absolutely no reason beyond it perhaps looking better
visually - either way it did not. Belfast
is intimate and short and packs a small effective punch rather than outstaying
its welcome. However there is an alternate reality where this film does stray
into the world of overly sentimental blandness. Branagh has talked now multiple
times in interviews how he shot whole sequences of a prologue and epilogue with
him playing a version of himsef/Jude Hill returning to Belfast. Now I will be the
first to make a joke of the previous arrogances of Branagh, but this may very
well be the most humility he’s shown in a project in some time and may very
well have saved the film crossing the line into melodrama that it so closely
treads currently.
A nostalgic 6/10 reminiscence that so frequently gets close to overstepping the many lines it treads into absurdly saccharin emotionality. However Belfast is blissfully brief and features multiple great performances, and some of Branagh’s best direction in his wide-spread and often successful, yet rarely outstanding career. It’s by no means the best of the recent resurgence of the ‘war through a child’s eyes’ sub genre, and there are times where one contemplates whether or not it may end up the worst, but Belfast ultimately comes through with more than a few shining moments.
P.S. I liked Belfast a fair bit, as you just read, however I do find it just a little funny that there’s absolutely no critical discourse about whether or not it’s better than Roma. I mean it’s definitely not, but like I’ve still not seen one person throw it out there as a hot take. If it of course comes to Oscar time however and we are inundated with nominations, and even wins, then all of a sudden a very fervent firestorm will occur. However that could possibly be the most Academy like thing in the world to give Belfast the Oscar over the other far superior black and white memory piece of a child going through a turbulent period in their country’s history. But as I always say, the Oscars never matter, until the movie we want to win wins and suddenly we remember the incredible of joy when all that rooting pays off. I would now once more like to comment Rest In Peace #Manksweep, you were not made for this world. I’m sorry Mr Fincher.
P.P.S. Now I obviously go to the cinema a lot and have hence now seen the trailer for Death on the Nile more than anybody should and despite how dull I found the previous Branagh Poirot affair, I simply can’t wait. Please be big and campy, not just glossy and dull. We can touch upon the world’s most cancelled cast when we get there.
-Thomas Carruthers
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