Belfast Review
Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical feature is a delightful account of childhood misadventure and family bonds.
Branagh’s story begins in 1969. It is a sunny, pleasant evening in Belfast where our main character Buddy (Jude Hill) is playing along with the rest of the neighbourhood children. Soon however, the pleasantness comes to a crashing halt by the sudden rampage of an anti-Catholic riot that tears through this peaceful community. Indeed, the troubles are beginning and with it comes question as to whether Buddy and his family should remain in Belfast at all.
The backdrop of the troubles immerses us in the period, while also setting up a central dilemma for Buddy’s ‘Ma’ (Catriona Balfe) and ‘Pa’ (Jamie Dornan). However, this is not the film’s main focus, emphasised by characters’ disinterest whenever the troubles are mentioned on the news. Where Belfast really shines is when the attention is on Buddy and his everyday problems. At only 11 years old, Jude Hill manages to lead this ensemble piece with both heart and humour that makes Buddy not only believable, but relatable too. Buddy’s childhood problems, juxtaposed to the very real issues facing his family are delightfully funny, while also punctuating the severity of their situation. The rest of cast are equally nuanced, with Ciaran Hinds’ portrayal as ‘Pa’ being especially impressive. Besides from the great Judi Dench, the vast majority of the cast are Irish and from Belfast itself, meaning there are no hockey accents here (take note House of Gucci). While the performances are wonderful, what deepens this character nuance is Branagh’s script, as Branagh has a real knack for making the everyday engrossing. Schooldays, bus journeys, and churchgoing may all seem mundane, but Branagh manages to make these moments endearing, witty and wholly engaging.
Branagh has written these characters based on his own family, which furthers the film’s sentimentality, while adding to the success and reasoning of the film’s brilliant aesthetic. The use of monochrome introduces this idea that we are looking into the past. Characters are placed within literal frames of doors or windows which may be Branagh’s own way of eternalising memories that were never captured. Even images of corner shops, houses and busses are shot as if to resemble still life paintings you might find within a city pub. Cinematographer Harris Zambarloukos, stated, ‘Colour describes people black and white allows you to feel people.’ Indeed, this is where Belfast comes together- in its feeling.
While there is a real heart to Belfast, this disengagement with the political portion of the film does in turn lead to some issues. At times it feels as if Branagh forgets about certain characters and conflicts set up earlier in the film. The lack of any plot involvement throughout the middle act does lead to their reappearance feel rather jarring towards the end. This sours some of the film’s climax as it does rely on a key character conflict that does not really feel genuine and is frankly forgotten by closing act of the film. For a film that is so successful in creating believable character relationships, it is odd that one comes across as rather half-baked.
Even with some small missteps, Belfast is still a wonderful picture. Within such a brief runtime Branagh manages to capture so much humanity and poignancy within the everyday life. Nostalgic in its very being, Belfast is a film that makes us reflect on our own cherished memories and what it means to experience the complexities of life through childhood innocence.