Belfast (2021, PG-13)

Moving along to Best Picture nominee #7. This period family tale comes care of Kenneth Branagh, the first actor to give me a window into Shakespeare. He provides a different kind of window here, one looking at life in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

In the late ‘60s, young Buddy lives with his parents, brother, and grandparents in Belfast. His main concerns are that of most boys his age: playing football with his friends, collecting Hot Wheels, and pondering how to get himself seated near his crush in class. But around him, the streets are a powder keg as thugs intimidate and menace the Catholic families in their mostly-Protestant neighborhood. Buddy looks to his family for help and protection while he tries to make sense of the world around him.

Belfast is both written and directed by Branagh, who received Oscar nods for both. The film is inspired by his own childhood, and you can feel the personal touch in the care he takes with the details. Whether it’s the warmth and camaraderie of a friendly street suddenly erupting into violence, the fly-on-the-wall feel of Buddy eavesdropping on his parents’ conversations about the political unrest and their own financial troubles, or the popular music and movies of the day that get threaded into the narrative, each scene feels lived-in and honest.

As characters, Buddy and the members of his family all pop onscreen. Buddy is very much framed as an innocent against his violent backdrop—Catholicism doesn’t sound so bad to him, since he’s heard that you can sin as much as you want and then be forgiven with a simple confession—but he’s also a curious boy who witnesses a lot and tries to live proactively. His schemes range from endearing to misguided, and his confusions and questions carry a blunt simplicity in the face of complex problems. His parents are both imperfect people trying to do their best under difficult circumstances, and their individual methods for doing that can put them at odds. Buddy’s older brother may want little to do with him, but his grandparents cherish him, and their affection is by turns protective, mischievous, and encouraging.

The performances are largely subtle but effective. Our Oscar nominees here are Ciarán Hinds and Judi Dench as Buddy’s grandparents, both up for supporting categories. Of course, both of them are very good and I like their characters a lot, but personally, I’m not sure if the demands of their particular roles warrant the nominations. If I was going to single out a performer here, it’d probably be Caitríona Balfe as Buddy’s determined, put-upon mom. Jamie Dornan plays well off of her as Buddy’s dad, and everyone does a fine job shepherding young Jude Hill, who gives a charming, guileless performance as Buddy. While there’s a general sense of this being an everyfamily, each character still feels specific, as do their interconnected relationships with one another.

Warnings

Violence, language, mild sensuality, drinking/smoking, and strong thematic elements.