I knew when I saw that Sundance had given “Brooklyn” three showings at its largest theater, the Eccles, that programmers expected audiences to love it. And they were right. “Brooklyn” is a wonderful period drama and sweeping love story set in the 1950s that follows a young Irish girl who comes to America in search of a better life. In the beginning she is so homesick, she can’t even function at her job. But as time goes on, she meets a young man and falls in love. When a family situation forces her to return to Ireland, she then must choose between staying in her old country and returning to her new life.
This film immediately became my favorite of the festival (surpassing “Unexpected,” which I also enjoyed… see review here). I love the innocence of both the main character and the time period, a rarity in movies now. The character of Eilis (which sounds like “Irish” much of the time) is a sweet, young, naïve girl who finds herself out of place in her new surroundings. She misses home and the life she knew in Ireland.
Saoirse Ronan was fantastic in the role. She adeptly portrays the significant change the character undergoes from a homesick, shy girl who arrives in America to a happy, talkative young lady who becomes confident and poised. Ronan lets you into the character’s fears, and then suddenly her transformation. It happens relatively quickly, as Eilis meets a young man in Brooklyn and comes out of her shell. (Emory Cohen offers a sweet portrayal of the young Italian man.) That love helps her find her own identity, and we begin to see the character grow up and forge her own life – one based on her own choices. Being on her own gives her room to flourish. So it’s a difficult choice for her when she returns to Ireland. Suddenly she can see a life for herself there, too: one with her family and friends and a nice young Irish man (Domhnall Gleeson) whom everyone seems to be pushing her toward.
From the pure, innocent love story that changes Eilis’ life, to the immigrant storyline, this grand period drama takes you back to a different time and place, a time when a large number of immigrants were trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. The story reminds you how scary that must have been, and it emphasizes the challenges foreigners faced in a new, unknown country. But the picture also centers on the dilemma of one young girl. And her choice between new and old, the familiar and the unexpected, is easily relatable. In reality, her decision isn't much different than those we face in modern times. She must decide what it is she wants from life, and what path she will choose to follow.
All the elements of this film worked together in perfect combination: The pacing, tone, story, characters, script, music and beautiful visuals all invoked a wistful old-world setting. But in the end it was the character of Eilis, and Ronan’s tender, thoughtful portrayal, that won my heart.
Fox Searchlight has acquired “Brooklyn” for $9 million. The film is directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby, based on the book by Colm Toibin.
Photos courtesy of the Sundance Film Festival & photographer Kerry Brown.
**Update: "Brooklyn" will be released in theaters on November 4, 2015.
