​FILMS

brooklyn

2015 review number 153:

Brooklyn: (Drama/Romance): 73 out of 100: Nick Hornby is an acclaimed English novelist and screenwriter who has had hits with movies like Wild, An Education, About a Boy and High Fidelity. He continues the winning formula with Brooklyn which has been based on Colm Tóibín's novel of the same name. Although Hornby has written an endearing screenplay, there are elements of the narrative which prevented this from being a masterpiece.

 

Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) is a young Irish lass who immigrates to the US in search of a better life. Her aspirations involve studying to become an accomplished bookkeeper. She leaves behind her mother to be looked after by her older sister Rose (Fiona Glascott). Arrangements have been made by Rose to enlist the help of Father Flood (Jim Broadbent) to find accommodation for Eilis in Brooklyn. A respectable boarding house run by Mrs. Kehoe (Julie Walters) becomes her residence. She meets an Italian boy named Tony (Emory Cohen) but tragedy strikes back home in Ireland. Before Eilis returns home, she marries Tony to consummate their love. Back home in Ireland, she meets a rugby player named Jim Farrell (Domhnall Gleeson) and she finds herself torn between staying with Jim in Ireland and returning to her new home in Brooklyn to be with her husband.

 

Ronan was a child star who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Atonement in 2007. If her performance in this film is anything to go by, she will have an illustrious career as an adult. She lights up the screen with her luminous blue eyes and wonderful acting. It's easy to see why she is pursued by the two main male characters. Cohen has the more exciting role out of the two suitors as he demonstrates his occasionally feisty yet charming nature. Gleeson does his best with a rather bland character and it's difficult to believe that Eilis would fall for him when she is seemingly happy with Tony. Veteran actors in Broadbent and Walters add the finishing touches to a well-acted film.

 

There's a couple of narrative glitches which make the viewer question the decisions some characters make. If Tony loves Eilis so much, why didn't he just pick up the phone to talk to her when she was in Ireland? Instead he resorts to writing letters which remain unopened while Eilis is gravitating towards Jim. Before Eilis leaves for Ireland, she confesses her undying love to Tony. Jim is such a boring twit that any empathy that has been developed for Eilis is negated by her actions while she is in Ireland.

 

The film is visually beautiful. We are transported back to the 1950s and the production design along with the costumes ensure that the era has been well-represented. The music score by Michael Brook defines the melodrama and features lush orchestrations.

 

If you like romantic movies, you will enjoy Brooklyn. It's not overly soppy either, ensuring that your emotions are not being milked. One thing is guaranteed, you will walk out of the cinema with a wealth of knowledge of relationships between friends, family and lovers after seeing this movie.

 

Starring Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent

(111 minutes)

Parental advice: Coarse language, adult themes and sex scene

Additional scene during or after credits: No

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ekxPFTZm1Y (Movie trailer)

(Reviewed on Tuesday 13th October, 2015)

 

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