The Troubles. Such a simple description of events in Northern Ireland that shook the nation to its core. Kenneth Branagh, born In Belfast right before ‘The Troubles’ began, experienced life devolving into chaos in a once close-knit community from the innocent eyes of a child. As the writer and director of Universal’s ‘Belfast’, Kenneth Branagh has recreated his experience and gathered a formidable cast to portray his vision on the big screen.

Jude Hill, the centre point of the film, had the monumental task of playing Buddy, a 9-year-old boy, soaking in the world around him with life lessons from multiple generations at the tail end of 1969. His parents, played by Caitriona Balfe and Jamie Dornan, both rise to the occasion as two halves of a marriage being torn by commitments and idles, both with good intentions yet conflicting solutions. The icing on the proverbial cake, however, came from two of the most sincere performances by Buddy’s Grandparents, namely Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds. Jude Hill was able to float between each family member, catching them out in an unwanted light as they broke down, or roping his Granny and Pop into a ploy to help him get noticed at school.

The entire film was a nod to the cinematography of old, from the way each shot was framed or the artistic choice of a black and white finish. Quite often you will organically feel the pull of a different era with stagnant frames allowing longer takes with the actors engaging with one another to evoke emotional pull rather than a myriad of cuts and edits. That is not to say that the entire film was this way, as there was more than one modern take of editing involved, especially during the sweeping camera work during one of the riots in the film. It was a commendable experience that allowed any given moment to highlight the atmosphere of the dinky little homes and the close-knit community built around them.

Given the dramatic side of events plaguing Ireland, with the street wars between the Protestants and the dwindling Catholic residents that could have engulfed the movie, a more powerful message was able to ring through about acceptance, love, and commitment to a family’s values. Buddy’s parents are divided on moving on from their home with both having the interest of the children at heart, while their own parents wish for them to be able to move on without the dreaded guilt that follows. Meanwhile, the innocence of a child, not understanding the bigger picture, provided ample opportunity to allow other characters to open up about their experiences in a thought-provoking manner.

While sometimes getting bogged down during scenes that carried on and left me feeling that they took time away from another moment that could have been fleshed out, the film was broken up by background television, theatre, and musical scores to reflect the story beats of the movie. Buddy was often watching now classical movies that were the only sections of the film painted in colour. His escapism in the movies and plays breathed life into the hopes and dreams of himself and would bleed over to his family who were dragged along for the ride. Van Morrison was also able to influence the movie with his own music to help bolster the score, having been born and raised in

Belfast, it seemed like a match made in heaven. Many moments were ripe for a collection of violins to emphasize the emotional beats, yet the strength it took to not fall into such an easy trap and let the viewers decide was another brilliant piece of work.

An exceptional cast married to a wonderful idea of showing the heart of Belfast, gated with barbed wire and roaming soldiers, comes together for an emotional and thought-provoking film. I dare say this will become a classic in due time, if only for the pleasure of seeing this group of talented individuals together one more time, with each person able to absolutely steal a scene.

Written by: Shane Fletcher