Set in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the late sixties with the ever-growing conflict between Catholics and Protestants, ‘Belfast’ follows the life of young Buddy and his working class family as they try to navigate these issues while maintaining a happy home life.
The tone of the film is all over the place, at some points it feels like a comedy, and then in the next scene it’s something of a thriller. This is deliberate as the audience is seeing life through Buddy’s eyes. Buddy is nine years old, he likes films and football and a girl in his class. Every night he prays to become the best footballer and to marry his classmate. The innocence in this is charmingly realistic. Whilst his neighbours are having their homes destroyed or being attacked in the street, Buddy doesn’t comprehend the severity of any of it.
This would be a woeful attempt at showing his innocence on the screen if it wasn’t for Jude Hill’s acting combined with Kenneth Branagh’s script. Jude Hill is a real treat in this film, what an absolutely brilliant find this actor is. Hill delivered in every scene, bar one at Christmas, but that may be due to poor re-recording and dubbing of lines, otherwise known as ADR. Hill convincingly conveys a wide set of emotions to the audience and delivers his lines perfectly, it feels very much genuine and heartfelt. There is something to be said for the script too though, Branagh has definitely poured a lot of emotion and care when writing this film. The dialogue is charming yet believable.
All the characters feel complete with different personalities and clear motivations, not a single character feels homogenised. The affable dialogue between Pop and Granny, played by Dame Judi Dench, and Ciarán Hinds, is beautiful and shows the deep connection they have with one another. As with a lot of people’s grandparents, Buddy looks at his Granny and Pop like his second set of parents, often more lenient and “fun”. Pop helps Buddy with his girl problems, and Granny gives him a little money to get some sweets, even though he isn’t allowed.
The performances throughout the film are superb and only go to show how impressive Hill is to stand shoulder to shoulder with these veteran actors and actresses. A special mention though must go to Caitriona Balfe who plays Ma, Buddy’s mother. She’s absolutely brilliant in the role of a conflicted mother and wife, bringing such palpable raw emotion to her performance, she leaves her heart on screen.
The look of the film is wildly inconsistent, some scenes, especially early on, look very amateurish and poorly shot. The use of low cameras looking up feels very cheap and inauthentic, but as the film progresses it seems to become more traditionally shot. There are some beautiful scenic shots and some impressive tracking shots, however the most impactful shot is when Buddy is in the cinemas with his Granny. The reflection in her glasses of the colour from the cinema screen is exquisitely done, just so simple but so gorgeous.
‘Belfast’ is a very warm and sweet cup of tea on a cold rainy night. There are better ways to get warm, and the amount of sweetness is a little bit sickly, but it makes you feel better so who cares.
The final scene is subtly built up throughout the film and it is just a raw emotional explosion, a shotgun shell to the chest of relief, joy, sadness, and longing. One of the finest closing scenes in recent cinema history.
9/10
