11/12/21- Belfast (2021) - 5+/6-/10
A child like glaze of sap and saccharine adorn this bittersweet love letter Branagh’s childhood home. It’s not cloyingly sweet, but it definitely gets annoying stuck in your teeth and easy to develop a lackadaisical cinematic tummy ache. It’s the epitome of safe family friendly pseudo-arthouse that might delight but never challenge.
Effective in implanting the point of view of a child, the whimsy and simplicity, and streamlining wiry narratives of a family and the Troubles. Competently shot and executed to bring both a liveliness and entertainment to the meat of what could be a dour story. I thought it was perfectly fine; possibly even an above average realization of a solid story. It just felt a little too stolid, simplistic and tepid for me to embrace.
Hinds excelled, given a magic tricksy dream pa (whatever the magic pixie dream girl equivalent of a grandparent would be - seemingly ornery but terribly likable, sweet, caring, and wise; providing care and life lessons before poignantly departing the film) of a grandpa role. Probably get a best supporting nod for that. Caitríona Balfe’s Ma was the emotional core deftly manifesting every bravery and sorrow on her face. The kid was also amply joyful and expressive.
The bombardment with dim kid astonishment with life, love, and cinema was so on the nose. It actually felt shoved in rather than lived in like a Cinema Paradiso, and made it all come across more 2 dimensional than expansive or aspirational. But I am sure the Academy will revel in it.
This does feel like a vanilla ice cream best picture nominee - not anyone’s favorite but tasty enough to be passable, even though the tootie fruity or mango sorbet might be more exciting but could alienate.
