Belfast marks Kenneth Branagh return to the big screen, giving an experience that reminds us just why cinema is such an incredible platform for community and understanding. Shot in stunning black-and-white and based on Branagh’s own struggles growing up, Belfast draws us back into the tumultuous 1960s in Northern Ireland.
★★★★✰
Often films shot in black-and-white give that overly-“Hollywoodised” feel, like Oscar bait waiting for awards to fall at their feet. Yet Belfast manages to poetically shine love and loss through its monochrome lens. Set amongst the landscape of Branagh’s gritty youth, Belfast explores the experience of living through The Troubles and the trauma felt by a single street in the country. Drawing in on such a small community, we follow the life of Buddy, a young innocent child played by newcomer Jude Hill. Captivating heartbreaking, Belfast forces you to understand the value of laughter against the backdrop of an intensifying world.
Splashes of colour heighten moments of hope for young Buddy—a fictional semi-autobiographical stand-in for Branagh—taking us away from the torment of the streets and into a brighter world only visible through the eyes of the buoyant youth. Hill’s performance is spectacular, and for a first film, we can only expect greater things from the young star. Buddy’s liveliness and raw emotion are what truly connects us to Belfast’s narrative, as his youthhood offers a viewpoint that contrasts with the issues his family is facing. When the youth encounters the horrors of The Troubles, his coarse reaction hits you like a brick. Men line the streets with flaming torches, blowing up nearby cars and throwing bricks into innocent houses. Families are threatened to state their religion or lay in bed at night, afraid of what might happen to them when they close their eyes.
Belfast draws its audience straight into the action and holds attention throughout. From its opening scene of destruction and disaster to its narrative moments of despair and terror – Buddy’s love of life is steady throughout. His positive connection with school, his classroom “crush”, and his charismatic grandparents (played by the wonderful Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds) all merge as elements that remind us of how children would have perceived their youth during this terrifying time. Whilst Buddy’s life goes on, his parents struggle to keep their heads above water. Buddy’s mother, played strikingly by Caitriona Balfe, is left to raise the youth as his father (Jamie Dornan) is away earning money to keep the family out of troubled waters. Although the family find themselves with little to be joyous about, Buddy’s surroundings exude warmth and strained positivity. Dench and Hinds offer light relief from the film’s heavy narrative, with witty retorts that bring a chuckle to the audience and deepen our connections with the family.
Belfast is a melancholic display of Branagh’s hometown, yet one which truly connects you to the events on screen. Location is key in Belfast, as the city is painted to be the narrative’s central point—its beating heart. Haris Zambarloukos’ cinematography, particularly for the film’s opening credits, gives us a stunning visual journey through the modern streets of Belfast before we are quickly dropped back in time to the ‘60s. Trips to the cinema for Buddy portray literal escapism for the youth and bring us to think of the methods we try to escape our own struggles. Ken Hughes’ 1968 classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang connects with Buddy’s magical fantasies, juxtaposing greatly with the harshness of the world just outside the theatre doors. It is clear that childhood naivety is translated as hope for Branagh, as Buddy’s mother, father, grandparents and friends feed off his warm soul.
Belfast is tender yet raw, showing the highs and lows of a childhood experienced by many. Where Branagh has often struggled to connect to his audience, his latest cinema experience moves far from this, telling a story with as much heart as he possibly can. With stellar performances and beautiful visuals, the Belfast team had better prepare themselves for awards season.
The Verdict
Branagh’s latest film oozes with sentiment to his youth, bringing a heartfelt story to the big screen that leaves audiences with a greater understanding of troubles felt by many. Belfast blends hope and compassion to showcase reality in a truly stunning form.
Words by Katie Evans
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