As awards season
draws closer, more and more films with Oscar hopes start crawling out from the
woodwork. There is bound to a period piece somewhere along the line, but not
usually in the same vein as Brooklyn. While many period pieces are more
dramatic or biographical, this steps into the romantic side with one toe in the
dramatic hardships of immigrants coming to America. It balanced wonderfully and
it all centers around one young woman and her growth along the way.
In the 1950s
Brooklyn, an Irish immigrant named Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) falls for an
Italian plumber, Tony Fiorello (Emory Cohen). Her homesickness begins to fade
until tragedy strikes at home and she is compelled to travel back to Ireland.
While there her love is questioned as she spends more and more time with Jim
Farrell (Domhnall Gleeson).
There is something
to be said about a period piece that doesn’t rely on its period too much. Brooklyn
is about the characters and the relationships between these very real feeling
individuals. The emotion is there and can be completely relatable to anyone who
has been away from home for an extended period of time.
Brooklyn is
delightful for anyone viewing it and this is in large part to the incredibly
likeable performances of Emory Cohen, as the loving Italian man who just wants
to be with Eilis, and Domhnall Gleeson, as the ever-charming man who Eilis is
drawn to in her homeland. There is also plenty of room for veterans like Jim Broadbent as Father Flood or Julie Walters as the hilarious Mrs. Kehoe. But the real standout is Saoirse Ronan. The young
actress gives a performance that relies heavily on subtlety to make the
audience care about Eilis. Her performance is understated and elegant and
certainly warrants some award conversation.
Adapted from Colm
Tólbin’s novel of the same name by screenwriter Nick Hornby, Brooklyn is a gorgeous film to look at while maintaining a classic love story packed with
emotions. All this must be credited to director John Crowley. Using close-ups of Ronan and just the right shots, Crowley knows how
to capture the subtle inner turmoil throughout Eilis’ journey.
Overall Brooklyn is
a beautifully emotional and compassionate piece of filmmaking. It’s setting is
gorgeous, but the film is clearly not reliant on it, crafting it’s own timeless
story around the period. It’s a near perfect film with my only criticism being
it’s slightly abrupt ending, but the journey to that point is wonderful through
its simple and familiar story. (9.5/10)
So what did you think of Brooklyn? Have you seen it and what's your favorite romantic film of all time? Comment below and let me know and as always return to I Am Sam for weekly reviews.
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