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Belfast

Belfast: The Movie We Need Right Now

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I was late on the Belfast train.

Oh, I’d heard it was great. I was at TIFF but missed its screening. I had heard from many how lovable the film truly was. With potential Oscars in its sights, the film has remained a constant in conversations for Best Picture since its release. But there’s absolutely no way that Branagh could have predicted how appropriate the film would become, given global circumstances.

No one could have.

Written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, Belfast is the semi-autobiographical tale of his upbringing in Ireland. Transporting the viewer back to the tumultuous riots of 1969, Belfast is told through the eyes of Buddy (Jude Hill), a 9-year-old boy who is trying to make sense of the world. Living in a poverty-stricken area that’s torn between the Catholics and Protestants, Buddy’s father, Pa (Jamie Dornan) work overseas in England in order to support the family. Meanwhile, his Ma (Caitriona Balfe) takes care of Buddy and his brother as they attempt to figure out what’s next for their family.

Branagh’s story of division and rebellion through the eyes of a child is infused with an undeniable blend of joy and sadness that immediately draws the viewer into the story. Yet, despite the fact that the story takes place in Ireland in the late 60s, there’s something so current about Belfast. Whether it’s the invasion of Ukraine or division of US politics in recent years, Belfast connects deeply with the heart of conflict and oppression while still offering a glimmer of hope. 

Frankly, it’s a remarkable balancing act within the script. 

Without ever losing the traumatic effects of issues such as oppression or poverty, Branagh still manages to highlight the innocence of childhood. In other words, whereas most films of this type highlight the brokenness of the era, Branagh chooses instead to balance it with the infectious joy of growing up. To Buddy, the world around him is simply the way things are. What matters most to him are his parents, playing in the street and the girl next door. (It’s telling that the scariest moments for him involve conversations about leaving Belfast or getting into trouble for stealing a piece of Turkish Delight.) There’s a beauty within this that serves as a reminder that life springs up in the midst of our suffering, especially through our children. This may be a world of black and white (literally) yet Buddy’s world still has splashes of colour. 

Buddy doesn’t understand the depth of what’s going on around him but he does try to piece it together. Filtering his understanding of the world through his love of pop culture, everything about this world feels like it becomes clearer when seen through his eyes. (It is no coincidence that the final confrontation feels like it could have been developed from High Noon.) While the fight rages around him, all that Buddy sees (or wants to see) is the love of his family. As such, there’s an honesty about this film that acknowledges the innocence of Branagh’s childhood but also has a reflectiveness from his adulthood as well.

In terms of its home video release, Belfast is surprisingly enticing. On the surface, the film doesn’t dazzle by its inclusion of the traditional deleted scenes and featurettes. However, what’s most exciting is the fact that, not only does it feature an alternate ending that focuses on Branagh’s return to his hometown (as Buddy), but most importantly (and I cannot stress this enough) there’s a director’s commentary. Honestly, I can’t remember that last disc I’ve seen with a quality commentary attached but Branagh is more than willing to delve into his film with charm. As such, this may be a film that actually benefits from its proper home video release by providing the necessary tools to gain more perspective on the film.

While there are no guarantees whether its name will be called on Oscar night, there is little question that Belfast is one of the best films of the year. Popping with life and love, this is a story of hope at a time when we need it most. Yes, trauma is real. Yes, pain is overwhelming. But love still finds a way.

And that is why this is the film that we need right now.

Belfast is available on VOD, Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday, March 1st, 2022.

Belfast – Hometown memories

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“There are no roads to Shangri-la from our parts of Belfast.”

In Belfast, Kenneth Branagh, who wrote and directed, creates a fictionalized version of his childhood. It is a film built on the nostalgia of youth with a background of the violence of the sectarian struggles of Northern Ireland. It is a blend of an homage to the city of his birth, a paean to family, and a memorial to the lives changed and lost in that time. (The closing dedication of the film is “For those who stayed, for those who left, and for those who were lost.”)

Jude Hill stars as “Buddy” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

Buddy (Jude Hill), a nine year old boy, lives with his parents (Caitíona Balfe and Jamie Dornan) and brother in a predominantly Protestant neighborhood in 1969. His Pa works as a joiner on projects in England, coming home for occasional weekends. His Ma keeps things running at home, dealing with the debt they’ve accumulated. The family has lived their lives on that street. He is surrounded by cousins and his grandparents (Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds). It is a family filled with love, even if there are rough patches to get through. It seems like a wonderful place.

The film opens with an idyllic day in the street, with the children running and playing in various ways. There are the joyous sounds of song and laughter. But then suddenly a mob appears with rocks and Molotov cocktails, and starts destroying the neighborhood. The scene quickly becomes chaotic with frightened parents and children trying to get to safety. Soon the street is walled off. Vigilantes patrol the streets. One young man demands that everyone must contribute “cash or commitment” to the Protestant cause. Buddy’s Pa wants nothing to do with the divisive situation. Instead, he is trying to convince Ma that they should emigrate—bringing brochures for Sydney and Vancouver. In time, Pa gets an offer that would have them move to England permanently.

Caitriona Balfe (left) stars as “Ma” and Jamie Dornan (right) stars as “Pa” in director Sir Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

But this is all told through Buddy’s eyes. He overhears these discussions about leaving Belfast, but wants nothing to do with the idea. All he knows (and all Ma has known) is these few blocks. He also sees the world through the films he watches at the cinema and on TV. The films on TV are often classic westerns. We see as he watches The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and High Noon. High Noon seems especially appropriate because it is a story of leaving to avoid violence or standing up to that violence. It is very much the situation that Buddy sees Pa facing. And in a key scene we see Pa as Billy sees him: the marshal facing an evil mob.

The film has an interesting look: a darker, richer version of black and white than we are used to. There are also splashes of color when Buddy goes to the cinema to see One Million Years, B.C. and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. We see the memories of that time and place as a mixture of light and dark. It is the unreal world of the cinema that is full of color. The film is also filled with the songs of another Belfast native, Van Morrison.

(L to R) Jamie Dornan as “Pa”, Ciarán Hinds as “Pop”, Jude Hill as “Buddy”, and Judi Dench as “Granny” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

There is an interesting sign at the end of the street Buddy lives on. Painted on the side of a house row it reads, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” It comes from 1 Timothy 1:15 (AV). The presence of those words in this film is both a reminder and a critique of the religious foundations of The Troubles. The film doesn’t identify either side as “sinners”. However, we understand that Jesus came to save them all—both Catholic and Protestants.

Yet in spite of all that is going on, for Buddy, this is the place he loves—filled with people he loves—and will always love. Even after leaving to a different life, this is the place, even with all the difficulties, that has defined him. It’s taken Branaugh fifty years to find a way to tell his story this way.

(L to R) Caitriona Balfe as “Ma”, Jamie Dornan as “Pa”, Judi Dench as “Granny”, Jude Hill as “Buddy”, and Lewis McAskie as “Will” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

Belfast is in general release.

Photos courtesy of Focus Features.