Review: “Brooklyn” is a Classic Timeless Romance

 

Synopsis: An Irish immigrant lands in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a new romance. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within.

 

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Love and finding yourself is what John Crowley’s Brooklyn is all about. The film is more than just a classic romance, it’s relatable to just about anyone whose ever found themselves in a new place and feeling all alone. It’s the 1950’s and Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) is leaving her native Ireland to embark on a new life journey in America. Leaving her mother and sister behind, Eilis arrives in Brooklyn with little money and a few acquaintances. It’s not until she meets Tony (Emory Cohen) that her life changes and her perspective on her new adopted country changes completely.

 

Brooklyn is one of those rare pleasing films that combines romance and and self-discovery. These two aspects seamlessly transition together. At the core, the movie is about new beginnings. The internal struggle dealing with being alone in a foreign place. The film chronicles Eilis’ path of attempting to let go of the past, while embracing the future. The plot isn’t predictably as it could have been, the plot-line turns that occur are crafted so well that there is a point that Eilis walks the line between charming and sweet to cold and calculated. The depth of the character is multi-layered.

 

Cinematographer Yves Belanger does flawless work with the fantastic portrait-like visuals of 1950’s Brooklyn. The colors are bright and dynamic. The scene shots of the Ireland countryside have a classic feel to them. The depicted parallel between a beach in Ireland and one in New York is fascinating to see and compare. Ireland is open and endless, while the New York one is crowded and constricted. It’s a commentary on the experience Eilis is adjusting to. The simplicity and comfort of Ireland versus the boisterous and overwhelming excitement of America. The costume design by Odile Dicks-Mireaux is timely and elegant. It’s neat to see Eilis adjusting to the clothing style in America, and that bit carries over later in the film when she’s displaying her beach attire and the contrast between her attire and one of her Irish friend turns into a scene worthy of a chuckle.

 

When it comes to acting, Ronan is simply supreme. She brings humor, zest, and charm to this role. Her performance as Eilis is so good that it’s both touching, and at times even aggravating. Emory Cohen gets a bit lost in the shuffle with the Oscar worthy performance of Ronan, but he’s also terrific. The quiet shy charm Tony has is a great complement to the more outspoken Eilis. Watching their romance develop is truly romantic and is certain to bring up some feelings or hopes of finding that one true love in the most unexpected way. The internal conflict she has about her feelings rings true also. Relationships and love is a complex thing, the film illustrates that nicely through its characters.

 

What this movie ultimately accomplishes is it makes you feel. The feelings of fear, loneliness, love, and loss, it’s what makes this movie such a emotionally pleasing roller-coaster. It’s an honest and positive take on a time when the world seemed to be a simpler place to live in, and that’s in part of the film’s beauty. Just as in Age of Adeline it’s refreshing to see a film that’s just purely about people. Authentic relatable stories can be told without needing any violence, guns, and constant profanity. The film’s commentary on being an immigrant in a country that’s one giant melting pot still rings true today as it did in any point. America is still the place where you can change your life for the better, no matter where you come from. Crowley honors the struggle and difficulty that’s endured and he tells it through the eyes of an immigrant.

 

I loved and appreciated this movie for what it is. When a film makes you feel, think, relate, and hope, it accomplishes it’s purpose. There is an Eilis in all of us at some point in our lives. It doesn’t matter where you come from and who you are, the American dream is still attainable today as it was back then. Love has no boundaries, different backgrounds and cultures is what untie us. In the movie Tony utters the phrase, “Home is home,” and that statement truly applies to anyone in a timeless manner.

 

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 111 minutes

Release Date: November 25, 2015

 

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