When it comes to describing director John
Crowley’s
adaptation of “Brooklyn” one word rapidly comes to mind: poignant. There
are scores
of movies that have told stories about coming-of-age in
fish-out-of-water
circumstances with a love triangle thrown in for good measure. What sets
“Brooklyn” apart from them is how quickly it manages to draw you in with
its bursts of levity
and shots of sorrow. Anchoring the whiplash of emotions is actress
Saoirse Ronan, who demonstrates an elegant breadth as the film’s leading
lady.
Based on Colm Toibin’s novel of the same name, “Brooklyn” follows
Eilis Lacey (Ronan), a young Irishwoman whose sister has arranged for
her to immigrate to America. Leaving her family, friends and everything
else she’s
ever known behind in her small town to begin a solitary chapter in a
strange place an ocean
away. It's worth noting that throughout the course of the movie, she
never considers bringing her
family to live with her. For Eilis, it's either going to Brooklyn alone
or not at all. Her boat ride over is
unflinchingly portrayed, complete with brutal sea sickness. Those scenes
are
particularly harrowing and sickeningly emphasized to the point of vulgar
excess.
Then the clouds part and she arrives in New York, crossing the threshold
of Ellis
Island to join a brave new world.
If she thought physical sickness was the worst of her
problems, the emotional shock to her system is just as disconcerting. The
yearning for her homeland is overwhelming and almost too much to bear when she
meets Tony (Emory Cohen), a young Italian plumber who sweeps her off her feet.
Caught in the whirlwind of first love, Eilis finds her life blossoming at a
rapid pace and then tragedy strikes, drawing her back to Ireland and forcing
her to choose between the countries she loves.
Having learned of the steep
price she’s paid for her personal progress, newfound romance and educational
ambitions; the decision is tough. By the time she learns of everything she’s
given up to have those things, it’s too late to take any of it back. There is
still an opportunity to change course and in the second half of the movie
that’s exactly what she’s left to wrestle with. Some viewers might consider the
price she’s paid too immense to consider worthwhile and it’s here the movie
asks if having a better job and sharing a romance with the first guy you’ve met
coming off the boat merits missing time you’ll never get back with loved ones.
In movies, it is typical for a character to put everything
and everyone on the back burner for personal gain and in “Brooklyn” that
impulse is very much at play. It’s hard to realize that’s the case when
the
movie’s transpiring because Eilis is presented in such a flattering
light that the
decisions she makes are hard to recognize for what they are. In all
fairness, she’s
not supposed to be a super heroine. She’s just a normal girl trying to
find
her identity and place in the world, a sometimes ugly process. It’s
clear she’s
not trying to be mean spirited or hurtful with her choices as Saoirse
Ronan’s
performance consistently transmits to moving effect.
If Ronan’s turn were not as vivaciously likable as it is, Eilis could have been perceived exactly as mentioned above. She elevates Eilis past a character of pedestrian value and into a compellingly sympathetic figure worthy of sweeping interest. Encapsulating that point is a heartrending scene wherein Eilis learns a devastating revelation. Ronan’s crumbling expression and overwhelming grief stings with a longevity that truly makes one appreciate her as an actress talented beyond her years. She instills the very essence of the film and carries its every scene with a gravity that is profound.
If Ronan’s turn were not as vivaciously likable as it is, Eilis could have been perceived exactly as mentioned above. She elevates Eilis past a character of pedestrian value and into a compellingly sympathetic figure worthy of sweeping interest. Encapsulating that point is a heartrending scene wherein Eilis learns a devastating revelation. Ronan’s crumbling expression and overwhelming grief stings with a longevity that truly makes one appreciate her as an actress talented beyond her years. She instills the very essence of the film and carries its every scene with a gravity that is profound.
“Brooklyn” is not just a coming-of-age tale. There is a love
story, two, if you count the mildly fleshed out love triangle that takes shape
in the latter half and a healthy dose of family drama. When it comes to depicting
the aches and pains of the script’s coming-of-age portion “Brooklyn” thrives.
The same cannot be said for its romantic elements. The practical Eilis’
overnight infatuation with Tony is not satisfying in the least. While he’s a nice guy, you
have to wonder why she is so dead set on giving her heart away to the first one
who shows an interest. Her later realized attraction to Domhnall Gleeson’s
well-to-do Irish bachelor is similarly immature. He’s kind, caring and
considerate; similar to Tony in terms of temperament and she becomes torn
between them rather easily, too effortlessly to assert she’s truly in love with
either. Of course, the triangle's outcome is tritely predictable.
When it comes to illustrating the immigrant experience,
“Brooklyn” offers a sunnier viewpoint than James Gray’s aptly titled 2013 drama
“The Immigrant”, wherein Marion Cotillard’s downtrodden Polish heroine is ruthlessly
exploited for a depressing two hours. By comparison “Brooklyn” is at times a bit too optimistic of a
yarn. Eilis is never shown being threatened or preyed upon in any way, a stretch
of imagination when you consider she’s a naive young lady traveling all alone. A dark reality “The Immigrant” acknowledged.
“Brooklyn” shares a lot in common with that film. Not only do they
feature female protagonists, they also share the commonality of both
characters being sisters. The bond between their respective siblings
provides a narrative spine that pushes both to make differing decisions
and
it’s interesting to consider what they decide and why. When it comes to
marrying the themes of
immigration and love, neither of the aforementioned titles hold a candle
to Ron
Howard’s Irish immigrant opus “Far and Away”; a soaring film that
depicts its heroes reaching for their dreams without having to sacrifice
the people that made them worth envisioning in the first place. Only
adding to the positive differential is that Nicole Kidman's heroine is
an active participant in her destiny, where Cotillard and Ronan's are
mere bystanders.
A lack of musical accompaniment
gives “Brooklyn” a sparse feel and the apparent use of CGI during
inopportune
sequences can be jarring. Of its messages, “home is where the
heart is” is not one of them. The idea that a place makes you and not
the other way around is one
of the story’s main contentions and it's a startling contradiction to
the norm. While its denouement contains little in terms of scripted
tension, Ronan vests viewers with the motivation to care whether Eilis
ends up in
Brooklyn or Ireland, for she is the film's very heart and soul. Rating: 7.5/10