Title - Belfast
Production - TKBC, Focus Features
Starring - Jude Hill, Caitriona Balfe, Ciaran Hinds, Judy Dench, Jamie Dornan, Lewis McAskie, Lara McDonnell
Writer - Kenneth Branagh
Director - Kenneth Branagh
Release - 12 November 2021
Director Kenneth Branagh and cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos and editor Una Ni Dhonghaile has just shown how a movie can be artistic and photogenic without being detrimental to the storytelling and pacing of the movie.
Every shot here was a masterpiece if it was a still, a poetry in motion if it had movement. And the use of black-and-white plus the light and dark composition of each frame was beautifully astounding.
And then came the story itself. Set in the backdrop of a civil war in Belfast, it tells a story of a family making the tough decision of whether to move away or not. But the wonderful characters played by one of the best ensemble of the year brought the story to emotional heights. I cried and smiled and laughed in a matter of seconds apart.
Jude Hill was a revelation. As such a young boy it is clear he is meant to be in front of cameras. He was the heart of the story, while Ciaran Hinds the soul. Every exchange these two had crescendo towards the end when young Hill went over to Hinds for a hug. A simple scene but when shot by the brilliance of Branagh, without a single line, in black and white, just that gesture alone spoke volumes.
And the closeup of Judy Dench at the end was a heart breaker. Dench yet again delivered a performance to be remembered. And this should be a break out role for Caitriona Balfe, who should receive an Oscar nomination alongside Dench and Hinds. Even Jamie Dornan can be argued for one.
This was yet another great achievement from Branagh, whose film should nab him the top two categories this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment