Brooklyn
Fox Searchlight, 20th Century Fox, and Lionsgate
Period piece romances are some of the Academy’s favorite films. Looking at its past history, the Oscars have been nothing but overly kind to contenders who make sweet (or tragic) stories about women and men in period clothing, sharing niceties and publicly only holding hands. It worked for films such as “The English Paitent,” “Sense and Sensibility,” and especially “Shakespeare in Love.” “Brooklyn” continues the tradition of the overtly sweet and cordial romance that has been seen time and time again. Adding the scenic location of coastal Ireland, and the allure of fifties costuming, “Brooklyn,” is mostly about trying to be happy, no matter what the cost. Our main character, Eilis, learns this lesson through the world expanding procedure of falling in love.
When I first read about this film I have to say I was not interested in seeing it. There were many reasons that I would like it: Saoirse Ronan is the lead and she is one of the best young actresses of our current generation. It is a period piece romance, which I have to say is one of the more enjoyable genres for yours truly, and it dealt with immigration in post-war New York City. From the description alone I knew it would be a visual beauty. Still, there was something so bland and altogether lackluster about the look and feel of the film, that I had my reservations about even watching it pre-nomination. When it was nominated for three Academy Awards (for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actress) I was stunned. Best Picture? Really? The film with the fair skinned Irish girl finding love with a lovable but dim Brooklyn man was worth the most prestigious film prize in the country? I’m still a little baffled where the love for this movie stems from.
Fox Searchlight, 20th Century Fox, and Lionsgate
Saoirse Ronan is the best part of this film, so her nomination is at least warranted. Her character deals with intense emotions and situations, and is torn between two worlds that each wants her to pledge her allegiance. Her romance with Tony (Cohen) makes for a great watch. Cohen is young but has already shown his chops in films like “The Place Beyond the Pines,” and “The Gambler.” His career can go nowhere but up, thanks to upcoming roles in “War Machine,” and “Shot Caller.”
While the performances are definitely worth the watch, there’s nothing truly tragic about this film. Yes, her sister dies, but of an undisclosed and unmentioned illness that just comes out of nowhere. This lends to the only obstacle of the film, which is when Eilis goes home to Ireland and realizes she could finally be happy at home. This comes very late in the film and is frankly a boring and convoluted crisis. It’s really a very strange choice, and one that makes Eilis into a rather unlikable character. The very end doesn’t even have her make the right decision, it’s chosen for her, and in doing so she remains unlikable. The ending left me unsatisfied and kind of numb to the entire experience. If someone asks if they should see “Brooklyn,” I will respond in the affirmative, but if they ask whether it deserved the other two nominations, I will not be as kind.
