Belfast
★ ★★★
At first glance, it seems like a lot of my film community is trashing this film. I can completely understand how Belfast can be seen as an Oscar-bait checklist. It may seem to be utilizing a very tragic movement to elicit false emotion, but similar to Jo Jo Rabbit, I think the contradiction of sentiment is justified by the perspective of the child protagonist. It's an understatement to say that this pandemic has been tough, but I guarantee that my children have a completely different perspective. Yes, they may remember some tough times, but I think they will most likely remember the stupid videos we made during quarantine or the numerous hikes we took in state parks because everything else was closed. Belfast may be a warped outlook on religious strife, but I think that is what a coming-of-age tale is.
Belfast tells a personal story of a conflict that I had very little knowledge of. I thought that Kenneth Branagh's vision was beautiful and you can feel what a personal project this was to him. The black and white cinematography is crisp perfection and I was particularly struck by his framing. For a village that is sparse, Branagh uses rare objects to frame his characters into positions that enhance the emotions of his scenes. The supporting characters of Buddy's world are particularly strong and Branagh is able to pull out very powerful performances with his resonant dialogue.
I don't think that it's a bad thing that Belfast brings life to tragedy. It's the little moments of joy with our family that get us through the hard times. I love when you can feel the director's passion behind the material. You can feel how personal this story is to Branagh and I think a lot can be learned from both his triumph and pain.
