Caitriona Balfe | Screenlife Reviews

There’s something to be said for the power of a good crowd-pleaser. Those films that know exactly what they’re doing to give you an enjoyable time, even if there are some hardships along the way. Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast is exactly that type of film; an intensely personal and equally uplifting look into the writer-director’s upbringing amidst the Troubles during the late 60’s in Ireland and what happens when the unbridled imagination of a young child is forced to contend with the harrowing real world events transpiring around him. With a stellar debut from the incredibly endearing young Jude Hill and an outstanding supporting cast, Belfast is one of the most satisfying films of the year, guaranteed to leave you with a huge grin plastered across your face.

When his street is unceremoniously torn asunder by a riot instigated by Protestants to scare Catholics out of Belfast, young Buddy (Hill) begins to worry about the safety of his family within their small community. With his mind set at ease by his Ma (Caitríona Balfe) and Pa (Jamie Dornan), Buddy can go back to focussing on his everyday life: working up the courage to admit his feelings for his school crush, spending time with his Granny (Judi Dench) and Pop (Ciarán Hinds) and deciding what film to watch next at the cinema. But he soon begins to realise that things might not be as rosy as his parents suggest, as mounting financial and safety concerns force them to consider the prospect of leaving Ireland for England, whilst his grandparents are forced to confront their own medical issues. Meanwhile the threat of violence looms increasingly large over the small family as local gangster Billy Clanton (Colin Morgan) looks to take advantage of Pa and the riots become more frequent.

Kenneth Branagh has done a lot in his career but Belfast might just be his best, most intimate work to date. There isn’t a single beat that doesn’t feel completely necessary to telling the heartwarming story of Buddy and his family, whether that be the terrifying riot scenes that feel colossal in scale to the youngster or the fairly innocuous shoplifting that Buddy hilariously finds himself embroiled in. As a slice-of-life examination of this time period and the ground level struggles of the people living in it, Belfast feels incredibly well realised, striking a careful balancing act in tone between the childlike wonder Buddy views the world through – idolising the adults around him and their seemingly perfect life within the close-knit community – and the sad reality that these same adults are constantly struggling to get ahead in life.

While it may seem to be light on a driving narrative force – and the black and white gimmick doesn’t do much other than highlight a few especially beautiful shots – the rollercoaster ride of emotions the audience experiences following this family that can never seem to win is never not affecting, equally devastating and elating when it needs to be. That’s helped a great deal by the Van Morrison songs that soundtrack the film – himself from Belfast – which add another layer of authenticity and heart to the affair, joyously triumphant when Buddy is and quietly solemn when the moment calls for it.

Newcomer Jude Hill is the perfect vessel to explore this distinct viewpoint of a childhood robbed of its innocence, forced to contend with matters beyond his years. He brings such a youthful exuberance to the role that it is impossible not to get enraptured in Buddy’s day-to-day activities; feeling just as devastated as he does when he misses out on a chance to talk to his crush or terrified when he finds himself caught in trouble. There’s also a significant amount of comedy Hill brings to the role through what seems at times like ad-lib; hilarious off-the-cuff remarks that more often than not will have you in stitches at the strange, often alarmingly truthful ways children view the world around them.

Surrounding Hill is a bevy of Irish talent (and the great Judi Dench) who all deliver powerful, moving performances as adults in various degrees of trouble trying to present a united and calm front to this impressionable child in their midst. Ciarán Hinds is particularly effective in his role as Buddy’s grandfather, always with a potent life lesson on hand and a cheery demeanour despite his troubles; a role model for Buddy to lean on as the fate of his own future becomes unsure.

It may not push the coming-of-age genre into any unexplored directions but Belfast is still the best film of Kenneth Branagh’s career; an extremely well directed, triumphant celebration of Belfast and its people that is impossible not to fall in love with. Jude Hill is the perfect protagonist to explore this difficult time in Irish history, approaching the conflict with an innocence that is slowly eaten away as the reality of the situation dawns upon him and Branagh strikes the perfect balance in tone, never lingering on these heavy moments for too long before returning to the fun and folly of Buddy’s youth. After the bomb that was Branagh’s last film Artemis Fowl, this is a huge leap in the right direction, hopefully towards the top of many awards podiums.

Belfast stars Jude Hill, Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan, Lewis McAskie & Judi Dench – In American cinemas now and Australian cinemas February 3rd.

10/10

Like the racers at Le Mans, director James Mangold can’t be stopped. Following up one of the most well received superhero films of all time in Logan was never going to be an easy task, but he’s done it with his latest racing feature Ford v Ferrari. A thrilling tale of two men and the lengths they will go to to achieve their dreams, this is engrossing, engaging cinema at its finest and undoubtedly one of the best films of the year. Every aspect of the film blends together perfectly: the performances of Matt Damon and Christian Bale and the entire cast, the score by Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders, the tension filled race scenes and the airtight story all coalescing to create one pure adrenaline shot of a movie that should not be missed.

Don’t be fooled by the title, this is first and foremost a character study of two men: former racer turned car salesman (and the first American to win the 24 hours endurance race at Le Mans in France) Carroll Shelby (Damon) and down-on-his-luck British racer Ken Miles (Bale), who Carroll has his eyes set on to drive in the 1966 Le Mans championship. The racing comes second to the deep dive we take into these two men’s psyche’s; both damaged from their past and from different worlds but who share a unified passion and goal in their love for racing and desire to be the best and chase that perfect lap. Damon and Bale are pitch perfect in their respective roles and their chemistry is electric. Their friendship is the heart of the film and they sell it wonderfully, coming to understand and value each other more and more as the race looms closer. Each party is tested in their own way, whilst the other witnesses the lengths their friend will go to in order to chase this dream. This slow reveal of just how important this race is to both men in turn influences the audience, as you find yourself becoming more and more engrossed in the story as each new obstacle on the way to Le Mans is overcome. It’s an extremely effective and subtle way of making you care and by the end of the film you’ll likely find yourself on tenterhooks as the race unfolds, as you know full well what is at stake for Shelby and Miles.

As complex as these two characters are they are also a ton of fun, with both men getting to chew the scenery in different ways. Damon gives his best Texan accent here as the loud, proud Shelby, who succeeds as a car salesman by charming clients with stories of his racing heydays, which he longs to return to after being forced to retire due to heart issues. He plays these loud, braggadocios beats of Shelby with supreme confidence but it’s the quieter moments with Shelby that really allow Damon to explore the character, and he does this extremely well, whether it be through a simple facial expression or the tone in his voice on a quiet telephone call. He’s constantly forced to make hard decisions and is torn between his own self-preservation and putting it all on the line to win and it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Damon doing justice to the role. Bale as Ken Miles alternates between a quiet, reserved man – the opposite of Shelby – and a powder-keg, ready to explode at a moment’s notice at whoever draws his ire and insults his skills with a car. It’s a more obvious range than Damon’s and while he may seem like the more predictable, easy to read character, Miles harbours some real trauma and self-doubt – struggling with the choice to chase his dream or give it up to provide for his family – which Bale portrays in a variety of subtle ways. It’s rare that a movie these days allows you to learn about the character in real time with the other people in the film and it’s a welcome choice, helping you to invest yourself more in the plot and in Miles.

The supporting cast is all excellent and every character’s involvement in the plot is specifically tied to Miles and Shelby (whether serving as obstacles or inspirations), never distracting from the task at hand and further narrowing the film’s laser focus to these two men and the race to come, tightening the tension as we come to realise how many other people’s fates are tied to Miles and Shelby’s mission to win Le Mans. Caitriona Balfe excels as Mollie, the tough-as-nails wife of of Ken and the only one able to really keep him in line, whilst running the household in his absence. Balfe makes her presence known when she’s on screen, commanding the scene as she does all she can do to ensure her husband fulfils his destiny. Similarly, the character of Ken is further fleshed out through his relationship with son Peter, played by Noah Jupe. Jupe is fine in the role, playing a boy who completely idolises his dad, but who also recognises the extreme risks associated with the race and is torn between his desire to see his father win and to keep him safe. The scenes between Peter and Ken are some of the most heartfelt and help to flesh out the character of Ken, giving him something to lose but also a reason to succeed. Rounding out the cast is a bevy of Ford employees who both help and hinder the two men as they approach the race, including Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas and Tracy Letts. Lucas is at his dastardly best here as Leo Beebe, a Ford executive who is vehemently opposed to the decision to have Miles race the first Ford race car and who goes out of his way to make sure it doesn’t happen. It’s a character that you love to hate and Lucas hams it up in all the best ways, creating someone who audiences purely loathe, but who also has understandable motives.

On a technical level Ford v Ferrari is a masterclass in filmmaking; with Mangold utilising every trick and technique up his sleeves to ensure that every element of the film is there to enhance the story being told. This is perhaps no better demonstrated than in the racing scenes, with quick cuts between shots of the cars , point of view shots from the driver’s seat and reaction shots of the people outside the car helping to sell the speed and intensity of the races. The quieter moments are equally well assembled; shot gorgeously and with purpose – a particular scene between Ken and his son is shot against a gorgeous sunset, setting the tone for the emotional exchange to come. It’s this kind of attention to detail that goes that extra mile (sorry) to envelope you in these two men’s story and it makes the whole affair an absolute joy to watch. Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders’ score elevates the film to another level, adding to the quieter moments and capturing the electric intensity of the races, which Mangold makes even more impactful by fading the score in and out so that when it comes in booming you feel it and the music almost feels earned after the heart-stopping scenes preceding it.

Ford v Ferrari is a special film. A near perfect blend of classic moviemaking skills that perfectly captures the spirit of 60’s Americana and racing; the inherently simple premise disguises so much more, at the centre of which is a wonderfully deep and realised friendship between these two men and a story of chasing your dreams no matter what. This is a film that will stick with you long after you leave the cinema: it’s blend of heart, action and humour never disappointing and keeping you glued to the screen. The best film of the year so far in every way, a Skywalker is going to have to rise pretty high to clear the bar Mangold has set in order to overtake Ford v Ferrari.

Ford v Ferrari stars Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Caitriona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Noah Jupe, Josh Lucas & Tracy Letts – In cinemas now.