Belfast - 💥💥💥💥

Director: Kenneth Branagh 

Writer: Kenneth Branagh

Release Date: 21st January 2022

Hot Rating: 💥💥💥💥

Kenneth Branagh looks to his childhood as inspiration for his new film, Belfast, which treads a fine line between autobiographical nostalgia and history. Set during the troubles in Northern Ireland, the film follows small boy Buddy as he navigates everyday family and school life. Visually shrouded in black and white cinematography, the subject matter is much more vibrant and complex in the way that it shows this war torn city from the perspective of a child. There’s humour and joy, sadness and loss and even a first love. It’s a heart-warming concoction of humanity that, while openly sentimental, is also vivid in its retelling of Irish history. Veteran actors Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds are partially to thank for this authenticity; as Buddy's grandparents, they are the bridge between the film’s historical overtones and emotional core, capturing kindness but also despair in their worldly experiences. One of Branagh's best. 

Image: YouTube