I did not know what to expect going into this movie; I didn’t even know Kneecap was a real Belfast hip-hop trio that raps in the Irish language. However, by the end of it, I switched to YouTube to start on a Kneecap musical rabbit-hole.
Directed by Rich Peppiatt, this biopic follows the beginning of the trio’s rise to success and the generational trauma that propels them to not only sing in their native language but to uphold Irish culture and identity in a post-colonized world. As the film opens, our first narrator, Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh), lets us know this won’t be your typical historical drama. Instead, this will be an epic about three men rediscovering and reconnecting with what was taken from them through unapologetic F THE SYSTEM sounds. This epic will be told through hilarious banter and escapades, energetic absurdity and against the backdrop of the fight for Irish freedom as they fight a silent, over-powered government set on erasing Irish identity and history.
The cultural revolution is equipped with the internet and all the rage of the apathetic kids of a defeated generation, a generation still using old tactics to take down an oppressor that has already won. This dilemma is told beautifully and tragically through Arló Ó Caireallàin (Michael Fassbender) and Dolores (Simone Kirby), the parents of Mòglai Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin). At the hands of his father’s own generational revolution, he has left his family in a devastating position that set the trajectory of his son’s life and the breakdown of his wife. Despite it’s hilarious storytelling, the reality of their circumstance is another reminder of how The Troubles and British pursuit of power has successfully decimated every aspect the of Irish lineage. Much like the indigenous populations, the fight for justice and liberation never ends and, in return, their kids suffer and all of their generational existence is marked with the same pursuit of healing.
This film deserves an Oscar because of the incredible performances and the engaging way it teaches the uninformed audiences (like me) about Irish history and the painful impact it has left behind. The movie also deserves an Oscar for its unique storytelling; it’s visual, fast, and colourful, the tone makes you feel the attitudes of the time.
I highly recommend watching this film and, once you are done, head over to Spotify or YouTube and listen to Kneecap, their music makes you feel like you can do anything.
Kneecap is in theatres now.
