Review of BELFAST: Mulling on a Move

March 2022

It was August 15, 1969, 9-year old Buddy (Jude Hill) was playing on the streets of his neighborhood. Suddenly, a Protestant extremist mob caused a mass riot, specifically attacking the houses of Catholics, whom they want nothing to do with. Buddy's Protestant family lived in harmony with their Catholic neighbors, but a local leader Billy Clanton (Colin Morgan) kept pressuring Buddy's Pa (Jamie Dornan) to join their cause, or else.

Buddy's Pa had to work outside Belfast over in London as a joiner to pay off major debts, and was away most of the week.  So it was up to Buddy's Ma (Caitriona Balfe) to take care of Buddy and his older brother Will (Lewis McAskie). They lived with his paternal grandparents Pop (Ciaran Hinds) and Granny (Judi Dench). The unstable peace and order forced Buddy's Pa to entertain thoughts of bringing his family out of Belfast to live in London with him. 

Buddy still went to school, trying his best to get good grades so he could sit beside his big crush, Catherine (Olive Tennant). He also hung around with his older cousin Moira (Lara McDonnell) who would get him into trouble. He enjoyed watching movies with his family, in the theater or on TV. Buddy spent a lot of his time with his grandparents, especially his Pop who would help him with his Maths homework, as well as advising him about girls.  

This is only Jude Hill's first feature film and here he was in the lead role, but you'd never suspect that he was a newcomer at all. He was a very natural actor, and he came up with a fresh and likable performance of this smart yet cheeky boy, nothing felt put on. Balfe, Dornan, Dench and especially Hinds (as the Pop we all wish we had) all gave nuanced portrayals of their loving characters, just as how a kid would remember them.

This film was very much an aural experience as well as visual. Aside from the irresistible lilt of all their Irish accents, the musical soundtrack was also very much an integral aspect of this film. Aside from the songs of Belfast-born Van Morrison, there were also songs from films like "How to Handle a Woman" (from "Camelot"), "High Noon" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." Jamie Dornan's version of "Everlasting Love" was especially rousing. 

Kenneth Branagh wrote this screenplay based true-to-life events in his own life growing up in Belfast, and you can clearly see how little Buddy could be how Kenneth was as a child. He bookended his passion project with scenes of modern-day Belfast shot in full color, then shifted to black and white for the rest of the film while telling about the events of 1969. The charm and tension of those times were beautifully captured onscreen. 9/10.