Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters
Description: Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) is an Irish immigrant in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a romance with Tony (Emory Cohen). When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within.
Review: “Brooklyn” didn’t win any Oscars, but with three nominations in the major categories, it did stand out. With her Irish background, the New York-based Saoirse Ronan seems to have been born to play Eilis Lacey in the film adaptation of Colm Tóibín’s novel on emigration. The quiet and unworldly girl grows up in a conservative Irish village, where she lives with her lonely sister and mother. Not long after her bitchy boss complains about daughters leaving their mothers behind, she gets the chance to go to New York and build a new life. Once on the boat to the continent, Eilis loses her sense of home and ends up in a duel between promising America and her heritage in Ireland, personified by the two potential life partners Tony Fiorello and Jim Farrell. One a simple plumber from Brooklyn, the other a wealthy man with a bright future who is left a big country house by his parents.
On the surface, “Brooklyn” seems to be a romantic film about a girl who has to choose between lovers on either side of the ocean, but essentially it’s about a new start, maturing and the choice between an uncertain future and a safe past. Emory Cohen plays Tony, a jovial New Yorker who fully surrenders to Eilis. Domhnall Gleeson is the more conservative yet trusted Irish boy who never left his country. Both have a credible chemistry with Eilis, but also face a much greater choice in her life.
The way “Brooklyn” is filmed, is subdued. Romantic and humorous scenes are subtle and regularly appeal to the imagination by implying rather than explaining. For example, Eilis struggles to change clothes on an American beach before she later confidently shows her New York bathing suit to her Irish friends. The arguments here are short and the visual jokes quick, but the situations say enough about Eilis.
In general, the controlled tone offers a rustic charm compared to the frenzy of modern love stories. Saoirse Ronan knows how to deal with this and plays her role convincingly: introverted and susceptible when she is overwhelmed by a completely new world. Then to be much more steadfast in her success or, on the contrary, vulnerable in the tear-jerking moments that feel sincere and never melodramatic. The supporting actors also fit perfectly into their surroundings of sober Ireland and proud America, where Eilis is always trapped.
This contrast is further accentuated by the impressive cinematography, set design and costume design. New York in the 1950s looks amazing. Compared to the somewhat grey Ireland, New York brings pastel colors and lively and picturesque streets. They form a seductive world for the young Eilis.
“Brooklyn” is a thematically strong drama, especially thanks to the nuanced interplay of a balanced cast and the beautiful production design. The romantic story cleverly conveys the feeling of emigration, has an impressive protagonist with Saoirse Ronan and carefully depicts the two places that tear the heart of Eilis apart. A beautiful fairytale story about homesickness.
Rating: 4,5/ 5
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