Difficult to find the right tone.
Kenneth Branagh found a wonderful young actor (Jude Hill) to play his younger self in his semi-autobiographical “Belfast”. However, he never manages to integrate his family’s story into the Northern Ireland conflict also known as “The Troubles”. Not in the way that Mexico City resonated during a similar time period in Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma”.
Beautifully Acted
Filmed in gorgeous black-and-white, Branagh, nevertheless gets wonderful performances from Caitriona Balfe and Jamie Dornan as his mom and dad and Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds as his grandparents. Unfortunately, every thirty minutes, Branagh interrupts the flow with yet another montage accompanied by Van Morrison’s greatest hits.
Worth seeing for the acting.
Oscar nominated for Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Song, and Best Sound.
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