Brooklyn
What a daunting experience moving on from something could be: you somehow leave all of your attachments behind and then start completely anew in life. Sounds scary, rather painful, and perhaps even hard to imagine, right? Well, yes - mostly because it is, and that too very understandably so. Just the idea of feeling something of this caliber is, after all, a tug to the heart - a feeling full of fear, anxiety, and hopelessness; something which undoubtedly hurts you.
Brooklyn, the newly released masterpiece directed by John Crowley, understands this â and that is why, from the very get-go, it establishes itself in a very powerful and confident manner. By never questioning itself, it remains headstrong throughout its 1 hour 51 minute run and tells us the beautiful story of Eilis Lacey, a sweet and innocent girl, who leaves her family and her small-town village in Ireland to move to America in search of a better life. Forced to relocate not because she wants to, but because the times demand her to do so, she is tormented by homesickness, loneliness and uneasiness: emotions that look like one young girl's conflicts, but are instead the projection of a generation's worth of immigrant's struggles.
While any other film would have lost fluidity at this point trying to decide where it's headed, Brooklyn always remains tight. Adapted from a novel of the same name by the ever-so-wonderful Nick Hornby, it is equipped with a sharp, well-written and well-built narrative; one which is intimate and self-confident. It knows what it wants to say, and it understands that to do so, it needs to revolve around Eilis - which is why she is in almost every scene of the film. This is a treat to us, because it allows Crowley to capture the essence of the chaotic feeling of confusion and uncertainty that the concept of moving-on brings with it, and then use it to create a visual love-letter for every immigrant ever.
Of course, though, none of this would be possible without Saoirse Ronan, the brilliant actress who plays Eilis. The daughter of Irish immigrants herself, Ronan plays Eilis with great zeal. This role is personal to her, and that is evident throughout the film, for she adds an unprecedented amount of charisma to it, allowing Eilis into becoming a much more complex character than she actually is. There really are no doubts that Ronan's influence on Eilis is an essential to this film - and everything, from the subtle touches of numbness on her face to the cracks of fear in her voice, is proof.
Even as the story progresses and Eilis starts settling down, this is visible. Comfortable enough to accept the fact that Brooklyn is now her home, Eilis starts cozying up, finally finding a sense of personal belonging. Soon enough, her life starts brightening up: she makes friends with the girls she is housing with (leading to some hilarious talks on the dinner table that everyoneâs got to look out for), she starts going to night-school to learn accounting, and she even meets a boy. Things become better, easier, cheerier - and the film, with its closeups and its perfectly timed takes, builds up to this pleasant and rather relaxed environment. Ronan adds more energy to Eilis as this happens, and so, when the film closes up on her satisfying blue eyes, her cheery smiles, and her dynamic facial expressions, you feel a sense of security and a sense of solace. Every single scene lasts long enough to warm you up, and to make you feel a pulsing sensation of fulfilment. The colours-palette become warmer and pleasanter as well! Itâs magical.
The scenes of her falling in love, in particular, are the best. As she meets Tony Fiorello, played by Emory Cohen with an astute amount of confidence and insecurity, the film elevates into something incredibly special - after all, seeing them together is a treat, for their romance is genuinely sweet. Look out for their first date, a soothing and content cinematic achievement which sees Eilis talking continuously to a very keen and interested Tony for so long that she forgets to have her food. Itâs a very simple scene, and yet, itâs so adorable and so moving - a powerful, nerve-wrecking and emotional moment which not only makes you, as a viewer, feel good, but also establishes a lot, including how much better Eilis has gotten, and how very understanding Tony is.
And whatâs even better is that while all this happens, the film never turns into a soapy-melodrama. Falling in love with Tony never becomes the defining moment of Eilis's life - it doesn't change her, it doesnât turn her world upside-down, and it doesn't drive her forward - instead, it's just a natural thing that happens to her. This way everything remains real, and the stuff happening stays humane. Even as the film reaches its climax and sees Eilis going back home due to tragedy having struck her life, this reality remains a constant. Tony never becomes a mean-spirited (if I may) dick who forgets about her - he still loves her, he still appreciates her, and he still supports her. This is too brilliant a film for that kind of a cheap trick to happen. Â
Instead, what we get to see is a young girl grow up and go through one of the most bittersweet experiences possible. Being back in Ireland, Eilis is hit with a flood of emotions and nostalgia that makes her question her life and her identity. She, having finally found the better times that she left for, has to realise whatâs more important to her - the future that she has built, or the past that she left behind? And, sadly, itâs not as easy a choice as you might think it is: while Brooklyn might have her friends, her new life, and Tony, Ireland has her family, her traditions, and Jim Farell - this new guy she is slowly falling in love with. Who even can blame her? Jim, played by the irresistibly talented Domnhall Gleeson, is a nice, young and charming lad, who happens to be as appreciative, as supportive, and as understanding of Eilis as Tony.
Caught between two extremely sweet and sensitive guys who are as likeable as each other, Eilis is therefore stuck in a dilemma. To get out of it, she has to come to terms with the fact that things will never be the same ever again, that she can never go back to what her life used to be, and that she has no choice but to move-on. When this moment arrives, itâs a gut-punch, because so many emotions are felt, and because so much happens!
That, itself, is more than enough reason to watch Brooklyn. It is a gorgeous, alluring and delightful tale of time and testament that remains grounded and true to itself. Headed by an actress who knows what she is doing and who is more than capable of carrying this film forward on her own shoulders, it never loses its composure. Always ensuring that you laugh, that you cry, and that you feel human on every step of the way, it really does get the feeling of moving-on right â as someone who had to move between countries for college recently, I can vouch for that fact.
So, give it a try. It deserves that.
