Brooklyn review: Quaint and stylish, yet dull and obvious, Brooklyn plays it safe for the majority of its run time.
Brooklyn review
Remember when immigration was fun? These days it’s all job stealing, smartphone owning, crazy religious fanatics invading our countries under the guise of refugees escaping war. There was a time though that it seemed as though countries were welcoming others. In fact, there was an entire country that needed to be populated known as the USA. So forward thinking Italians and Irish made the journey across the sea to start life in the new world.
Brooklyn never plays up to its more innocent view of immigrants. It’s more of a subtle reminder that is more focused on telling its romance story. Sadly though, it’s a rather hackneyed and trite affair that really does nothing memorable or worthwhile. It’s view of immigrants may be subtle, but this is probably just because director John Crowley hadn’t considered that element of the film.
Brooklyn review
We follow Eilis Lacey (Soairse Ronan), as she moves away from her family in Ireland to start a life in America. She’s supported by landlady Mrs. Kehoe (Julie Walters) and family friend and priest Father Flood (Jim Broadbent). She works hard at her job and meets a lovely young Italian man (Michael Zegan). Life is great, but then she must return home and decide which life is really for her. It’s simple, and too simple, and it’s only a satisfying climax that makes the film worthwhile
Crowley gave us the astonishing Boy A once upon a time, so it’s surprising to see how ham-fisted the direction is here. When Eilis first arrives in America, she walks through a door at customs and is swamped in a bright light. It’s this obvious sort of visual tell, along with very clunky and predictable dialogue, that makes this a forced and hard watch to stomach at times. It contains very little of the charm or wit that writer Nick Hornby is known for, but the quaint humour may be sufficient for those with a gentler taste in comedy.
The cast are mostly strong, with Ronan being both strong and vulnerable, while male characters are shown as romantic leads without grisly and rough intentions. It was rather refrshing to see two potential love interests, with neither being a slimy creep or an obvious choice over the other. It was this inner conflict that made the film enjoyable in its last 20-30 minutes. A film that really could have had two endings, and reiterates that there isn’t just one person out there as a significant other, but that relationships just take commitment and work.
Brooklyn Review
In terms of looks and period recreation, Brooklyn is certainly a visual feast with attention to detail making the setting come alive. True, certain techniques are incorporated to possibly blur the edges where the budget couldn’t quite stretch, but as the actors keep your attention you’ll barely notice the cut corners.
Quaint and stylish, yet dull and obvious, Brooklyn plays it safe for the majority of its run time. The end may be a mature and considered finale, but it isn’t quite enough to justify the direct to TV quality of the writing that precedes it.
Brooklyn review by Luke Ryan Baldock, October, 2015.
Brooklyn plays at the BFI London Film Festival, before being released in the UK on November 6th, 2015 and in the US on November 4th.
