Belfast is the new film from Kenneth Branagh. It is based on his early life growing up in Belfast in the late 60s/70s during the Troubles. It stars Jude Hill as the main character Buddy, as well as Jamie Dornan, Catriona Balfe, Ciaran Hinds and Judi Dench.
Belfast is the kind of film no one is really going to hate. It’s a feel good movie, in which the main child character has a deep love for going to the movies. I hate to use the term ‘Oscar bait’, but this is the kind of film Academy voters are going to eat up. It would be my early prediction for taking home the Best Picture prize.
I’m in the camp that I like it, but I don’t love it. I like the use of black and white, with a few flashes of colour, I think that works really well. The acting in it is all really good, particularly from Jamie Dornan, who is one of those actors I think is very good, but always seems to be in bad films for some reason (like Michael Fassbender).
Overall, I think the film is just a bit pedestrian and doesn’t really have that much to say about this period in time beyond, wasn’t your childhood nice? And there’s a certain level to which that’s watchable and doesn’t make it a bad film, it just for me means it doesn’t get above the fine level and certainly means it doesn’t deserve being lauded as the best film of the year. But honestly to get Best Picture all you need is for everyone to like you rather than some love you and some not like you and Belfast definitely ticks that box. 3 Stars.
Movie Night 