Jamie Dornan | 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

Directing duo Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson have been slowly changing the sci-fi landscape with their unique brand of low-budget, mind-bending horror that alters reality and creates chaos out of the otherwise ordinary. Synchronic – their fourth feature – marks their most bold, assured work to date, a shift into the mainstream that will likely act as their calling card to wider audiences, thanks to the star power of leads Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan. Built around a heady premise that is far more accessible than their earlier work, Synchronic is no less mind-boggling due to an abundance of clever camera work, visual effects that make the most of the minuscule budget and an eerie synth-heavy score that drips atmosphere over the whole affair. Rather than act themselves (as Benson and Moorhead have done before), the film is bolstered by the presence of Dornan and especially Mackie, whose performance gives the film a secondary dramatic layer that only serves to up the stakes of the sci-fi story at the centre.

Mackie and Dornan play paramedics Steve and Dennis, lifelong best friends and colleagues who arrive as first responders to a host of strange, unexplainable incidents. A stabbing with an ancient antique pirate sword. A bite from a snake not found anywhere near New Orleans. A brutally dismembered body found at the base of an elevator shaft. The only link between any of these episodes seems to be a new over-the-counter designer drug known as Synchronic. When Steve receives a damning cancer diagnosis and Dennis’ daughter Brianna (Ally Ioannides) mysteriously disappears, the duo’s respective worlds are rocked and the ensuing stress of their situations creates a rift between the previously inseparable friends. Ingesting Synchronic after a chance encounter with its unhinged creator, Steve discovers a wholly transformative experience; one that will test the limits of what his mind perceives as real and which unexpectedly offers a chance at finding Brianna.

To discuss the effects of Synchronic would be to delve into spoiler territory, as Steve’s use of the drug shifts the story into a completely different, more sci-fi leaning direction. It’s a sharp turn from what has come before but one that offers a satisfying conclusion to those earlier events whilst opening up the story to a whole new mystery. The concept explored is well and truly a staple of the genre, but it takes on a more focused, narrow approach in Benson and Moorhead’s hands. The in-world experiments of Steve, who records each use of the drug for us to see, ensures the audience understands all the rules as they are learned by Steve himself, avoiding any overly complex and paradox creating exposition dumps. This narrowing of focus and shedding of complexity allows for Benson and Moorhead to have more fun with the adventures of Steve, rather than having to over-explain his exploits, although this fun is short-lived at times. Steve’s adventures take on a new light in the oeuvre of these type of genre films, given his African-American ethnicity, with an extremely timely yet horrifying reflection of our society in the response from the things he meets; think Get Out but without the passive aggressive subtlety of that film’s villains.

Moorhead continues his streak as cinematographer of the duo’s work here, but with more confidence and flair than ever. His camera work is simply beautiful to behold, with perspectives smoothly shifting from over-the-shoulder to first-person POV shots without skipping a beat, often through long unbroken takes that come to rest on some kind of unspeakable carnage or revelation. Similarly, the frequent use of handheld camera shots keep you locked in for the more stressful, action-heavy scenes, shaking and jittering as you run behind Mackie from danger. It can get a bit jarring and off-putting at times, but Moorhead achieves his objective in making you feel as disoriented as Steve is in these moments. When the film leans into the strange, other-worldly depths of its narrative, accompanied by a terrific score from Jimmy LaValle – all eerie, distorted synths and staccato strings – Moorhead’s camera follows suit, spinning around locations and coming to rest on vast galaxies and dimly lit landmarks of the rich New Orleans cityscape.

By far the biggest step-up from their previous work is the calibre of acting on display. Benson and Moorhead have long been darlings of the indie world, giving up-and-coming talent a start and often acting in their own project to surprisingly good results, but Mackie and Dornan are in a league of their own; fantastic as the tight-knit friends whose relationship threatens to crumble under the weight of their personal issues. Dornan is in fine form as the family man of the duo, who seemingly has it all with a loving wife, newborn daughter and his eldest on the way to college. There are hints that his marriage may be in trouble but it is not until Brianna’s disappearance do the cracks really begin to show and Dennis must come to terms with the fact that by focusing on his daughters he and his wife (Katie Aselton) have avoided addressing their own issues. Watching this otherwise stoic man crumble is heartbreaking, made even worse once he learns of Steve’s predicament and the prospect of losing another person in his life. In what may be his best performance to date, Mackie reveals a depth and nuance that other roles have only hinted at; unnaturally calm and muted compared to his typical energy and bravado as he receives his cancer diagnosis, with the sad realisation that his life is coming to an end giving his quest to find Brianna new meaning and desperation. The loss of his life, in Steve’s mind, will be worth not living his to the fullest if he can give his friend’s daughter another chance at hers.

While not their most complex or mind-bending story, Synchronic may just be Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s most complete package to date. Combining their indie sensibilities and small scale scope with a typically epic genre and the star power of Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan makes for an arresting, visually stunning sci-fi adventure with rich, fleshed out characters that you instantly connect with and feel for in the surprisingly emotional journey. Fans of this specific type of genre (again, we’ve avoided specifics for spoilers) may find that it doesn’t delve as deep as some others in the category, but the lack of complexity allows for the focus to be about these two deeply flawed characters and their struggle to right their own worlds, rather than to unravel decades of frankly confusing sci-fi silliness. With their move into the mainstream Marvel universe already assured with a recent hiring for the upcoming Moon Knight series, here’s hoping we don’t have to wait too long for Benson and Moorhead’s return to the realm of trippy sci-fi horror madness.

Synchronic stars Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Katie Aselton & Ally Ioannides – In Australian cinemas February 11 and available on digital in the US now.