"Brooklyn" Review

Brooklyn is a historical drama film directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby based on the novel of the same name by Colm Toibin. It stars Saoirse Ronan as Eilis, a young woman in 1950s Ireland, during the height of Irish-American immigration, who leaves her cozy but not-so-friendly town for New York City to become an accountant, though she really ends up working a low-level retail job while she takes night classes. While living in her boarding home in Brooklyn missing her mother and sister desperately, Eilis meets a nice Italian boy named Tony (played by Emory Cohen), who she soon falls in love with. After various circumstances lead her back to Ireland, she must choose between her original home she left and the new one she seems to have found.

In terms of acting, story, direction, and overall filmmaking, Brooklyn is a fairly old-fashioned film, focusing on themes tried and true in storytelling - love, home, and belonging. That should not deter you, however. Brooklyn is an absolute gem of a film and is one of my favorites of 2015 so far.

Saoirse Ronan leads a host of note-perfect performances, joined most notably by Emory Cohen and Julie Walters. Walters plays an admittedly small role as Mrs. Keough, the head of Eilis's boarding home, but she owns every second she's on screen and is probably the most consistently funny character in what is a surprisingly very funny movie. Cohen and Ronan are a perfect team together playing young lovers. The chemistry between them is palpable, and the realism and beguiling charm with which we watch their relationship develop is a feat of great acting, writing, and direction. Eilis is a character anyone can get behind, and one that I consistently wanted to see succeed. Ronan plays her with elegance, believability, and subtlety, and it is truly an Oscar-caliber performance, though one that's never showy or overblown.

The film is a visual treat as well. Elaborate costumes and set design make for some wonderfully colorful scenery, and actually provide subtle additions to our understanding of Eilis's development as a character. The grays and whites of winter and bright yellows and oranges of fall and spring light up the screen. Michael Brook's cheerful and very Celtic musical score is also a joy.

The movie's sweetness works toward its sadness in equal measure, though. While being consistently entertaining, surprisingly funny, and unbelievably charming, the movie is emotionally resonant. Eilis feels real, and her struggle, while not huge, is believable and relatable, and her romance is equally so. This is actually what I think is the movie's greatest strength from a storytelling perspective - Eilis's plight is never seen as earth-shattering, and the stakes of her situation are always kept very personal. Her arc, the progression of her romance, and her discovery of "home" is not unfamiliar or particularly flooring, but it's told with such believability and sincerity and performed with such a grounded lack of flashiness that it's difficult not to get lost in its story, and especially in the character of Eilis.

I can find very little, if anything, with this movie to find fault with. This is the closest to A+ I can possibly think of, but I'd really like to see it a second time before giving it that distinction. Either way, Brooklyn is a sweet, entertaining, and emotionally involving romantic drama that is decidedly old-fashioned, but near-perfect in its execution. Its tried-and-true themes, gorgeous setpieces, and outstanding performances make it a brisk, but rewarding watch.

Grade: A

Note: My review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens will FINALLY be up either tomorrow or Monday night.