The Trouble with Troubles

Pa: “Be good. And if you can’t be good. . .”
Buddy: “Be careful!”

Kenneth Branagh’s most personal film to date, 2021’s Belfast, which he writes, directs and produces, is heavily inspired by his own childhood experiences growing up in Northern Ireland – a tumultuous time to say the least.

With newcomer Jude Hill playing his childhood stand-in (referred to as Buddy throughout), he is just what you’d expect – a creative dreamer more than willing to battle large dragons and the like, this wide-eyed ragamuffin absorbs every last experience. . . but is most entranced when watching movies on television or in red velvet seat-filled theatres.

Introducing us to the city of Belfast, Branagh opens with a colourful depiction of the locale present-day, only for a magical upward pan taking us back to 1969 – switching to mesmeric black and white. That is it for the colour, except for majestic flashes while Buddy absorbs the movies and stage plays he takes in (think One Million Years B.C., Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, or “A Christmas Carol” for the latter).

Opening the narrative with a magnificent scene that depicts innocent adventures evolving in a child’s mind, it is then juxtaposed against a jarring moment of political and religious strife (an early moment in the infamous Northern Irish conflict known as The Troubles). Turning this once peaceful working class neighbourhood of Protestants and Catholics into a mob filled war-ground, it places this blond child slap dab in the middle of it all.

Cared for by his loving if oft frustrated mother (Caitriona Balfe) and frequently gone father (Jamie Dornan) – he only comes home a few days a month from his job in London, he shares a room with his older brother Will (Lewis McAskie). He also cherishes his time spent with his lovingly bickering grandparents (Ciarán Hinds and Judi Dench) – the former, a tinkerer with bad lungs, the latter, a doting caretaker. Buddy also chums around with his older cousin, Moira (Lara McDonnell) – an exuberant lass who gets a little too emboldened by the feral mobs roving the streets.

Soon, their Catholic neighbours are moving out, immovable structures are being installed to protect streets, local citizens are patrolling 24/7 to keep the peace, and the military are called in when major occurrences pop up. Branagh doesn’t shy away from moments big or small, yet all is told from the perspective of his nine year old fictionalized self. Buddy has to deal with his first crush (to a Catholic, no less), must work on his math, focus on his passion for movies, wrap his head around religious homily, and struggle to resist his cousin’s negative influence, all while attempting to absorb his parents’ financial problems, their discussions about leaving Belfast for good (his Ma is vehemently against it, while his Pa is wholly for it), his grandfather’s increasingly poor health, and the powder keg that quickly encroaches on their little abode. . . sometimes in the name of Billy (Colin Morgan) – a low level thug who has grabbed power and is attempting to bully families into the Catholic punishing cause.

Woven with much care, there is not an exceedingly strong narrative structure, instead going for the whimsical flow of a childlike perspective. Music from the movies within the movie play over the action, an example being the ever powerful Tex Ritter High Noon theme song, “Do Not Forsake Me” – beautifully highlighting just how influenced Buddy has been by westerns and their themes – good versus evil, honour and courage in the face of danger, the last stand, and so on. And, for keen eyed viewers, you may notice Buddy reading a Thor comic as well as there being an Agatha Christie Christmas present – sly references to Branagh’s past directorial history.

Painted with an artistic brush, the camera twirls three hundred and sixty degrees, provides unique angles (an almost vignette style ebbs through the piece from time to time), while the entire motion picture proves once again the utter power of black and white imagery – impressive when considering Branagh shot almost the entire piece with only natural light. All of these previously mentioned details enlivened the impressively built set (that feels so unbelievably real) – the whole story taking place in just a couple of Belfast blocks.

Nominated for seven Academy Awards (including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, and Supporting Actor and Actress for Hinds and Dench), Belfast hits so many emotional places – harkening us back to our own childhoods, it also emotes love and joy, sadness and loss, while in several ways it highlights the divisive strife that can be found in our present climate. . . but perhaps most importantly, its message is clear – create a loving family and treat all people with respect and this world can be an amazing place. Lastly, it is also worth noting that iconic musician Van Morrison has ten songs featured in the feature. So, don’t move away from this intimate drama, it could be your new ‘buddy’ film.