Belfast

Director: Kenneth Branagh Kenneth Branagh

Overview

It is 1969 and 9-year-old Buddy (Jude Hill) finds his peaceful life disturbed as a national conflict is starting to brew in Northern Ireland: unionists and loyalists?mostly Protestants?want the country to remain within the United Kingdom, while nationalists and republicans?mostly Catholics?are campaigning for the country to join a united Ireland. As the tension between these two opposing forces escalates, he and his family must decide whether to stay, or move somewhere safe. Written and directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/01/2022
UPC:	0191329215036
Original Release:	2021
Source:	Universal Studios
Language:	English
Sales rank:	1,067

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Jude Hill	Buddy
Lewis McAskie	Will
Jamie Dornan	Pa
Judi Dench	Granny
Ciarán Hinds	Pop
Josie Walker	Auntie Violet
Freya Yates	Cousin Frances
Nessa Eriksson	Cousin Vanessa
Charlie Barnard	Cousin Charlie
Frankie Hastings	Auntie Mary
Máiréad Tyers	Auntie Eileen
Caolan McCarthy	Uncle Sammie
Michael Maloney	Frankie West
Lara McDonnell	Moira
Chris McCurry	Mr Stewart
Rachel Feeney	Mrs Ford
Elly Condron	Mrs Kavanagh
Drew Dillon	Mr Kavanagh
Olivia Flanagan	Mary Kavanagh
Samuel Menhinick	Paddy Kavanagh
Jimmy O'Dee	Rioter
Leonard Buckley	Mickey Clanton
Estelle Cousins	Darlene Clanton
Scott Gutteridge	Fancy Clanton
Turlough Convery	Minister
Bill Branagh	Young Bill
Gerard Horan	Mackie
Colin Morgan	Billy Clanton
Victor Alli	Soldier
Conor MacNeill	McLaury
Kit Rakusen	Billy Clanton Jr
Serrana Su-Ling Bliss	Sharon Nicholas
Sid Sagar	Mr. Singh
John Sessions	Joseph Tomelty as Marley
Vanessa Ifediora	Miss Lewis
Mark Hadfield	George Malpass as Scrooge
Olive Tennant	Catherine
Thea Achillea	Girl Sweeping
Claire Ashton	Neighbour
Oliver Savell	Ronnie Boyd
Orla McDonagh	Karen Lambert
Scarlett Nunes	Moira's Friend
Robin Day	Actor
Ross O'Donnellan	Walter (Policeman)
Matthew Blaney	Rent Man
Zak Holland	Belfast Rioter
Joyce Branagh	Supermarket Manager
Harold Wilson	Actor
Van Morrison	Composer

Technical Credits

Lucy Bevan	Casting
Emily Brockman	Casting
Kenneth Branagh	Director

Editorial Reviews

Kenneth Branagh's latest feature Belfast is a departure from his more recent novel based films (Murder on the Orient Express, Artemis Fowl). Belfast is a picture that looks longingly and delicately at the past during a time of turmoil and takes the viewer through these endearing and tumultuous moments through the eyes of a child. Early in the movie we are introduced to Buddy (Jude Hill), a child growing up in Belfast on close-knit street. Within the first few minutes of the movie, there is a bit of a needle-drop moment. After a lighthearted look down the street, complete with kids playing soccer and banter among the inhabitants of the street, a riot storms down the street destroying the homes of Catholic residents. This set of events during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, setting the tone for the rest of the movie. Throughout, Buddy's parents (Caitriona Balfe and Jamie Dornan) try to navigate this new landscape that seemed to change their life overnight and find a way to best raise Buddy and his brother Will (Lewis McAskie). Another major conflict is the fact that since Buddy's family is protestant, they keep feeling pressure from the Protestant group to join the riots, or they too will face violence. The choice to make this movie in black and white is a rather bold one. To quote Director Peter Bogdanovich, "Orson Welles says every performance looks better in black and white. It's the fact that you don't see blue eyes and blond hair. You focus on the performance, not the look of the people. And it enables you to capture the period better." To me, this applies to this film because there are times when there are explosions, and there are times that are very hectic, but with the absence of color, the emotion and expressions of the actors shine through them. Plus, the use of black and white gives the viewer a sense that they're looking at someone's memory (Branaugh has stated that the film is semi-autobiographical). With that in mind, there are many scenes in which the characters are watching movies from around that time, and one can only assume they are movies that Branagh found influential in his career of filmmaking. Adding Dame Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds to this film as Buddy's grandparents is a fantastic touch as their presence rang as an escape from the turmoil of the The Troubles and the conflicts that he faces at home. Belfe and Dornan also turned in great performances as parents who are trying to hold on tightly to their community, family and way of life while dealing with the pressure to conform and hurt people that they love dearly and get out of financial disarray due to poor money management. Jude Hill in his debut role is stellar. He proves himself to be able to really deliver in those tender moments, has great comedic timing, and has an all-around great performance. While some could interpret this movie as being "Oscar bait," Branagh writes and directs this look at his own past through that doesn't have the nostalgic frills, but depicts it in a way that is tender, yet also real.