Belfast , a semi- autobiographical film by Director Kenneth Branagh , opens with a glorious summer’s day in August 1969 being enjoyed by all the residents of a working class street before abruptly and violently introducing us to how the “Troubles” started for them and what it would come to mean for this community.
Filmed mainly in black and white (how most people still watched TV in 69) it gives us a deeper feel for the bleakness and hardship that the troubles brought for this group of people and we view it all through the lens of 9 year old called Buddy (Jude Hill). Completely new to acting Jude plays a young protestant boy adapting to the new normal but struggling to grasp how and why he needs to be able to differentiate between a Catholic and a Protestant.
We follow Buddy as he navigates sectarianism, domestic family strife and school full of innocence, naivety and enthusiasm. He loves his trips out to the cinema and Theatre with his family, the scenes of which are all shown in colour and serve to emphasise the escapism that such outings would have represented.
Family and the strength it brings are at the heart of this story and Buddy’s parents played by Jamie Dornan and Catriona Balfe and Grandparents Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds show real chemistry, working incredibly well together to deliver, leaving us with a touching and moving film that will also make you smile.
Punctuated throughout by a classic sound track from Van Morrison it creates the perfect background for this Northern Irish Family’s story as they wrestle with the increasing destabilisation and violence in the community and the heart wrenching decision of whether to stay or leave.
