I went to see "Belfast" yesterday at the movie theatre. It was the first time I had been to a theatre since Jan. or Feb. of 2020. That may be the longest stretch I've been away from watching the big screen in 30 or more years.
"Belfast" is an interesting take on the Troubles, which started in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1969. The film is shown primarily from the perspective of Buddy, a nine-year-old Protestant. He's quite smart, and happens to have a crush on the smartest girl in his class, who happens to be Catholic. Buddy is part of a family that includes an older brother, a mother and father, a grandfather and grandmother, and scores of cousins. At times, the movie switches to perspectives of the evolving Troubles by his mother, his father, one of his older female cousins, and his grandparents.
It's a feel-good movie, with lots of music by Van Morrison, and one nice scene involving Robert Knight's Everlasting Love.
The film works well when depicting the confusion that the kids have to what is taking place with the Troubles, and also with the anguish that Buddy's parents have over whether to leave the city that has been their home for most of their lives.
While the film tries to show aspects of the ugly part of the Troubles, if you're looking for a real documentary or docudrama of how horrible things were in 1969 in Belfast, you're likely to be disappointed.
Jude Hill does an amazing job as Buddy. Caitriona Balfe showed a lot of depth of emotions as his mother. Ciaran Hinds was very believable as his grandfather, and Judi Dench did a nice job as his grandmother.
As mentioned above, it's a feel-good movie. You'll walk out of the theatre feeling good (about an ugly series of events in Irish history), which is a plus. That said, it's not as though missing the film, or waiting until it were on TV, would be a big deal. I'd give it 3 stars out of 4, and that might be a tad generous.
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