Brooklyn [DVD] [2015]

Is it too late to amend my Top 10 Movies of 2015? This little film finally showed up “at a theater near me” and so I took it in. The film features the excellent Saoirse Ronan (“Hanna” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel”) who got her first Oscar nom for 2007’s “Atonement.” She plays Eillis Lacey, an Irish lass of about 20. With the urging of her older sister Rose (Fiona Glascott, “House of Shadows”), she’s heading off for America, where she will settle in with other Irish emigres in Brooklyn. Director John Crowley (“Closed Circuit”) had me from the beginning. As the departing Eillis is waving goodbye to Rose and their mother, Mary (Jane Brennan), the camera closes in on the faces of the families on shore. Panning the camera to the left, we see others whose faces project the sadness of family members heading off to a new life across the Atlantic. Eillis isn’t sure about it all, but Rose has insisted she will find a better life there. Once she arrives, Eillis settles in at a boarding house run by Mrs. Keogh, (Julie Walters), thanks to Father Flood (Jim Broadbent). The landlady is a hoot as are the other tenants. Much different than I expected. She’s morally sensible but has no problem with the young women seeking a man. It seems a little off-putting in today’s world, but the ideal life in the early 1950’s was a man, a woman and children. Each of the ladies have small scenes at the nightly dinner table and rather than turn them into run-of-the-mill meanies or misfits, Crowley and screenwriter Nick Hornby give each a personality. It is really quite refreshing. As Eillis begins to adapt and moves on past her loneliness and regret, she meets Tony (Emory Cohen, “The Place Beyond the Pines”), a young Italian plumber, at a church dance. In a beautiful turn by Cohen, Tony is the perfect marrying type. He’s handsome, he’s polite, he has a job, and he’s ambitious. Everything seems to be working out. Even Eillis’s clerk job at a high end department store is going well. She’s taking night classes in bookkeeping and hopes to become an accountant, like her sister. Plans are interrupted however as events in her home country require a trip back. Once there, Eillis meets some old friends and eventually Jim Farrell (Domhnall Gleeson), another well-meaning bachelor from a wealthy family. They become friends quickly. Eillis is even given a part time job in her chosen field. What to do? Stay in Ireland or go back to Tony and New York. Frankly, the choice is difficult and Ms. Ronan handles the scenes brilliantly. I’m guessing she won’t win the Oscar this year, but if she does, I won’t be shocked…or disappointed. She’s in almost every scene and she’s terrific, as is the movie. Highly recommended.

I think it is the simplicity of the story and the straightforward and superb acting that make this a "winner." This DVD/BluRay/movie tells the story of a young woman who emigrates to the US from Ireland in order to "have a better life." Her family has decided that for her and has connected her with a Priest here who will help her "make her way." He finds lodging for her at a boarding house for young ladies like herself--supervised by a "good woman" and he has paved the way for a job for her. And the story unfolds from there. So it is a story about leaving home and moving far away with little to no preparation for such a major life change. She finds a "fella," a "good man," and she has some big challenges to navigate and some big decisions to make. All the actors are superb, especially Saoirse Ronan and Emory Cohen, her Italian "fella." Ms. Ronan has a very special quality about her which I cannot describe. I saw that same quality in her role in the movie Atonement, where she was a much younger person. Mr. Cohen kept reminding me of a cross between a young Johnny Depp and a young Frank Sinatra--such charm--"adorable," really. Jim Broadbent plays the Catholic Priest who is her mentor--and all I can say is that if I were Catholic, I would love it if he were my Priest. Very caring, very "human," and a very good mentor. Julie Waters plays the owner of the boarding house where Eilis lives and Domnall Gleeson plays another "love interest." They both add their own special "charm" to this lovely film. I went to see this movie twice while it was playing in the movie houses, and then I bought it because I like to watch my favorite movies many times.

On Oscar night I was rooting for either Mad Max: Fury Road or Brooklyn to win the Best Picture category (a few weeks later, I saw Bridge of Spies, another worthy contender; sadly, Todd Haynes brilliant Carol wasn't nominated). Brooklyn is a simple, universal tale, beautifully told. It's fairly straightforward and maybe a bit old-fashioned -- a story appealing not solely to immigrants, but to anyone who has ever lived in a new place where they felt themselves a bit of an outsider while trying to adapt to new surroundings. It's also a great story about growing up and finding your place in the world, making career decisions and considering marriage possibilities. The romance portion of the film might be a bit formulaic, but it's also completely charming thanks to the actors involved. Saoirse Ronan does an excellent job winning over the audience in a star-making role which should make her a household name. I wasn't a big fan of hers from Atonement, an excessively-praised, ironically-titled film that I actively disliked. Roles in Neil Jordan's vampire tale Byzantium and Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel helped to win me over and her endearing portrayal in this film has made me a fan. The Blu-ray extras include the trailer, deleted scenes, director commentary and about 21 minutes of EPK style interviews with cast and crew. The beautiful film and a solid video/audio transfer are reason enough to pick this up. I highly recommend Brooklyn, a film that you'd probably have to be a grumpy cynic not to love.

Brooklyn is gorgeous and moving and all things warm and fuzzy without ever devolving into a Hallmark channel original. From the moment the film opens on a doe-eyed and innocent Saoirse Ronan working feverishly in a convenience shop in the early 1950's I was hooked by the effortless quality of the inviting atmosphere director John Crowley (Boy A, Closed Circuit) establishes. Even when a character as horrible as Ronan's prickly boss is present she can't dampen the mood of the eternally vibrant tone that radiates off this thing like a campfire in early fall. This immediate sense of safe familiarity allows for the rather objective-less story adapted from Colm Toibin's novel by Nick Hornby (About A Boy) to feel all the more profound and affecting as it unravels. While nothing that happens in Brooklyn will make you think too critically or give you a sense of accomplishment it is more a relaxing and comforting experience of a movie. It exists simply to make you feel something. Whether that something is overly sentimental or not will depend on your own mentality, but for the sake of my gullible and rather naive mind it was a perfectly cooked and plated dessert that made me feel cozy to the point of almost feeling gluttonous. Brooklyn gives and gives and never fails to keep you in line with it's simple narrative and somewhat complex emotional roller coaster that is complimented by its ability to paint its scenarios as simply as it can. Cheers to simplicity, to pleasantries and to being sappy; sometimes, it's all you need.

A FOX Studio opening followed by pans of a “quaint” Irish town of the early 1950’s leads the audience into a beautiful story of a young Irish woman’s emergence and into the light of eventual happiness she finds in America. It’s nice to reacquaint yourself with the clothing styles, cars and even the postage stamps of the early 1950’s period. Eilis(ch)[Saoirse Ronan] is amenable, smart, quick-witted and complaisant, and this sunny story of love is competently directed, beautifully-acted and tastefully accompanied by a gorgeous sound-track that’s perfectly fitted to each scene. The story easily seduces and draws the viewer emotionally into its narrative. Perfectly casted, the films acting performance was extra-ordinary – there is an incredible air of calmness, sincerity and a special wit that’s brought to the screen and the story draws out the character of intimacy in a very meaningful way. The films camera crew and cinematographer made beautiful use of natural and practical lighting which really connects with the viewer. It is a splendid, touching and memorable view that will easily draw you back for more just a 2nd view.

To put it simply, Brooklyn is a beautiful period drama and rich piece of romantic storytelling that boasts great performances by Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, and Domhnall Gleeson. The film has already generated a good deal of awards season buzz and deservedly so, as it brings its story of a simple young immigrant to life in a stirring and sensitive fashion – without ever being pretentious or insincere, in the process. Those who are willing to give this unabashedly old-fashioned drama a chance and see it in theaters should find themselves well-rewarded for their efforts. Plus, Saoirse Ronan said during an interview that she had to learn a specific Irish accent from nearly twenty minutes away from her hometown in Ireland. That shows to me that she's fully devoted to her character in the film and it shows greatly through her stellar performance. Overall, my final verdict 4.8/5 Stars!

Dignity...that is the theme that kept me thinking throughout the film. The dignity of the main actress and she tries to struggle with her feelings for her family as she leaves for new shores in America. The dignity of the two men who are dating her - and they are searching for love - not just a good time with a girl. The dignity of work and of her efforts at accounting school. The dignity of her sister who let her younger sibling make the jump to a new land rather than herself. The dignity of the Irish workers - now unemployed - who gather together at Christmas and revisit their feelings for their old homeland. The dignity of the priest who helps the young woman.

Matt Heiser’s review published on Letterboxd : Brooklyn does everything right. Despite it's romantic core, it never does the predictable thing. The characters feel like they could be real people making actual decisions. A great coming-of-age film, up there with The Diary of a Teenage Girl and Girlhood as the best coming-of-age films of the year. The fact that that all three are from young women's point of views along with 2/3 of them being directed by women is a great sign of great work getting the chance to be appreciated. Saoirse Ronan is amazingly good, and Emory Cohen is a very solid romantic interest, and they make a sweet couple.