Brooklyn (Cinema Screening)

(spoiler free)

Brooklyn seemed like the kind of film that I would usually avoid. From the trailers I’d placed it alongside other romance films from the year such as The Longest Ride and The Age of Adaline. I’d opted to give it a miss but when the five star reviews started flying out and even Oscar chat began I decided that I better check it out.

I’m very glad that I didn’t let this film pass by me as it was actually an absolute treat. The films I had associated with Brooklyn couldn’t be further from its quality and it is much more than a soppy romance. The film centres on Saoirse Ronan’s character Eilis and her struggle to make something of her life. As a result the film, as I’ve said features much more than romance. Brooklyn has much drama to it and an appropraite amount of comedy which really complemented the other elements. The romance itself was very watchable which was refreshing as I usually find this kind of thing quite a pain to watch. However here I was genuinely interested in Eilis’ relationships and I wanted things to work out for her. The combination of the drama, romance and comedy worked effortlessly together and meant that the film kept a good pace.

The romance element worked so well due to the brilliant writing that was on show here. Firstly we care about our main character but not just that we also care about those she meets too. The well written characters and drama are brought to life by the wonderful cast who do a fine job of mastering accents and performing their parts. The leading lady Saoirse Ronan was great in this role. The only notable performance of hers that I’ve seen in the past was that of her role in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. It was hard to judge her in that film as she plays a typically off the wall Anderson character and not in a main role, however in Brooklyn she was a joy to watch. Emory Cohen is brillaint as Tony, Eilis’ love interest – I’ve never seen this guy act before but he impressed me here and I thought he gave a fantastically seamless performance. There are some more well known names attached to the film too; Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters and Domhnall Gleeson. All of these performers as is to be expected took to their roles with considerable ease and offered much talent. Every character was well placed and contributed to the film in which every way they were supposed to.

Brooklyn ended up being far more than a simple romance film but instead is a very enjoyable film about a young Irish girl who fights to make something of her life. Journeying with her is a very entertaining experience and the charming characters she meets along the way only enhance this experience. The film is emotional when necessary but it never lingers too long in this territory making sure not to damage it’s pace. With a wonderful cast performing some superbly written characters Brooklyn is a delightful period drama which should have a wide appeal. It comes highly recommended from me.

Rating – 9/10