zorro, they made the correction:
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Steve7216 — 10 years ago(February 06, 2016 06:57 AM)
Brooklyn review:
Saoirse Ronan shines in moving adaptation of Colm Toibin novel
February 7, 2016 - 12:15AM
Craig Mathieson
Film, music and TV critic
BROOKLYN
M, 112 minutes, opens February 11
Director: John Crowley Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent
It wouldn't be inaccurate to describe Brooklyn, a small and astutely observed drama about a young woman's disorientating move from 1950s Ireland to the United States, as a work laced with nostalgia. But John Crowley's film,
built around a remarkably evocative lead performance by the Academy Award-nominated Saoirse Ronan,
doesn't just look back wistfully at the5b4 past, it also transcends the period setting with powerfully timeless questions: Where do I belong? What can I make of my life?
Like so many of her compatriots, Eilis Lacey (Ronan) is leaving her Irish hometown of Enniscorthy to cross the Atlantic. It is 1951 and there is little employment, let alone opportunity, to be had, and it has been decided, as much by her older sister Rose (Fiona Glascott) as Eilis (pronounced Ay-lish), that will she will move to New York. Immigration here isn't a brutal necessity but it's nonetheless stark, and if Eilis feels burdened by expectations, others see her escaping her widowed mother.
At a local dance before her departure, Eilis momentarily pauses by herself, and you realise she is trying to remember this quiet and sometimes drab world, because memories are more important than anything she might pack. Moving to another country is not something lightly done, it is more akin to going into exile communicating by letter with home, not a single relative or acquaintance to call on.
The film observes Eilis' pain upon arrival in Brooklyn, where she fetches up in a boarding house run by the no-nonsense Mrs Keogh (Julie Walters), as homesickness and loneliness crash down upon her like waves, but it never wallows. Eilis is smart and dedicated, working as a department store clerk by day and studying bookkeeping by night with the aid of a kindly parish priest, Father Flood (Jim Broad16d0bent). She sticks it out, and you can't help but be invested in her struggle.
It helps immeasurably that Saoirse Ronan can detail intricate emotional divides with a fleeting acknowledgment and heartfelt gaze. The 21-year-old was always an exceptional child actor, particularly in 2007's Atonement and 2011's Hanna, but the otherworldliness conveyed by pale, piercing eyes has matured into something richer. Many of the moments, good and bad, that Eilis experiences are familiar, but Ronan captures how they felt when first experienced.
That eventually includes the attention of Tony Fiorello (Emory Cohen), an Italian-American plumber who falls in a serious way for Eilis. Played by Cohen with a lovestruck, masculine presence that expands on the innocent edge of Marlon Brando's performances from that era (particularly 1954's On the Waterfront), Tony gives Eilis a focus the first thing they share is just enriching conversation.
At one point they catch a session of Singin' in the Rain, and on the walk home Tony replays Gene Kelly's joy, leaping onto a lamppost. It's a minor moment, a speck in the relationship's formation, and Crowley is wise enough not to emphasise it. The filmmaker, whose last feature was the ho-hum 2013 London thriller Closed Circuit, makes the camera unobtrusive, but he misses very little.
It's only when Eilis is suddenly recalled to Ireland that you appreciate just how much she's grown and changed the yellow dress she wears feels like an act of sedition and that's what attracts an eligible local lad, Jim Farrell (Domhnall Gleeson), to her. Eilis has a glow and maturity that attracts the bashful Jim, and the two countries and their respective suitors make for a tidy but nonetheless compelling choice.
The film walks a fine line in that the conservative 1950s society Eilis lives in is all she knows: she fully expects to meet a man, get married and start a family. Unlike Cate Blanchett's character in Carol, her desire doesn't force her outside the lines. But Eilis never merely gives her assent, and there's a terrific through line of female comrades, from an older cabin mate on the voyage over to her formidable boss (Jessica Pare), who help the expatriate navigate America's unwritten rules.
As he did with 2009's An Education, Nick Hornby has penned a first-rate adaptation, here warm and drily witty. Colm Toibin's novel has been rendered as a deeply felt coming-of-age story, where anguish is as prominent as affection. When Tony takes Eilis out to the fields of Long Island, pitching her on the married life they might lead together, you can see what he's describing as readily as Eilis can. Brooklyn, like Eilis, makes much of her life.
http://tinyurl.com/jd2rqr3 -
Steve7216 — 10 years ago(February 06, 2016 04:54 PM)
CJ JOHNSON REVIEWS BROOKLYN
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
by CJ Johnson
4.5 STARS
Romantic, moving, embracing and thoroughly old-fashioned,
Brooklyn is a gorgeous film centered by a major performance by Saoirse Ronan, who is making no mistakes in fulfilling the promise she showed when she received her first Oscar nomination, for Best Supporting Actress, for Atonement, in 2007, when she was thirteen years old.
Now she's nominated for Best Actress for Brooklyn, and, were Brie Larson not the favorite for Room, it would have to be Ronan's to lose.
She carries this terrific picture, appearing in almost every scene, and at times director John Crowley simply frames her face in full close-up, in silent contemplation, and lets her eyes - and, thus, her inner life - let you know everything you need.
Ronan plays Eilis (pronounced Aylish), a young woman for whom there seem to be no job prospects in he5b4r native Ireland. A priest in America sponsors her to travel there, and she takes a passage to Brooklyn, where she learns to overcome homesickness, learn a profession, and open up her heart to a young man (an amazing turn by Emory Cohen).
There are other performers in the film - Julie Walters is wonderful, just wonderful, as the head of a small boarding house for young women in which Eilis lives, and so-hot-right-not Domhnall Gleeson gives a subtle and dignified performance -
but I cannot over-emphasize the degree to which Ronan bears the weight of this fine movie and is primarily responsible for its success. Just as Crowley, in every way, unashamedly uses the romantic filmmaking language of the fifties, so too does his movie embrace its own nature as an old-school "star vehicle".
It lives or dies on Ronan's performance, and it definitely lives, with energy and beauty and grace.
Nick Hornby has done a brilliant job of adapting Colm Toibin's novel, and all the art departments have done a sterling job in actualizing an Ireland and Brooklyn of the 1950s but also of the romantic mind. A stunner.
http://tinyurl.com/zxvn634 -
Steve7216 — 10 years ago(February 06, 2016 04:55 PM)
CJ JOHNSON REVIEWS BROOKLYN
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
by CJ Johnson
4.5 STARS
Romantic, moving, embracing and thoroughly old-fashioned,
Brooklyn is a gorgeous film centered by a major performance by Saoirse Ronan, who is making no mistakes in fulfilling the promise she showed when she received her first Oscar nomination, for Best Supporting Actress, for Atonement, in 2007, when she was thirteen years old.
Now she's nominated for Best Actress for Brooklyn, and, were Brie Larson not the favorite for Room, it would have to be Ronan's to lose.
She carries this terrific picture, appearing in almost every scene, and at times director John Crowley simply frames her face in full close-up, in silent contemplation, and lets her eyes - and, thus, her inner life - let you know everything you need.
Ronan plays Eilis (pronounced Aylish), a young woman for whom there seem to be no job prospects in her native Ireland. A priest in America sponsors her to travel there, and she takes a passage to Brooklyn, where she learns to overcome homesickness, learn a profession, and open up her heart to a young man (an amazing turn by Emory Cohen).
There are other performers in the film - Julie Walters is wonderful, just wonderful, as the head of a small boarding house for young women in which Eilis lives, and so-hot-right-not Domhnall Gleeson gives a subtle and dignified performance -
but I cannot over-emphasize the degree to which Ronan bears the weight of this fine movie and is primarily responsible for its success. Just as Crowley, in every way, unashamedly uses the romantic filmmaking language of the fifties, so too does his movie embrace its own nature as an old-school "star vehicle".
It lives or dies on Ronan's performance, and it definitely lives, with energy and beauty and grace.
Nick Hornby has done a brilliant job of adapting Colm Toibin's novel, and all the art departments have done a sterling job in actualizing an Ireland and Brooklyn of the 1950s but also of the romantic mind. A stunner.
http://tinyurl.com/zxvn634 -
Steve7216 — 10 years ago(February 16, 2016 07:33 AM)
The Aucklander
Movie Review: Brooklyn
By Katie Shevlin
3:12 PM Tuesday Feb 16, 2016
An adaptation of the novel by Colm Tibn, Brooklyn is the tale of an Irish emigrant girl "away" to America in the 50s.
Opening on a bleak evening in County Wexford, director John Crowley quickly establishes the claustrophobia of small-town Ireland that Eilis Lacey is leaving behind for exciting, bustling Brooklyn.
For the first few months of her American life Eilis battles terrible homesickness, a feeling that is both alleviated and worsened by letters from her sister Rose.
The isolation Eilis feels is palpable and it is a relief for the audience when she meets Tony, an Italian American who allows her to begin letting go of the past and embrace her new surroundings.
When tragedy strikes Eilis is pulled back to Ireland - thanks in no small way to a dose of good old-fashioned Catholic guilt - and must decide between two places and the futures that each could provide.
The cast of Brooklyn is virtually flawless but it is a
sensational
Saoirse Ronan in the lead role who particularly shines, managing to depict a character with both delicate vulnerability and steely resolve.
There is a moment early in the film where the camera rests on Ronan's face for around 30 seconds (an eternity in screen time), during which she remains absolutely captivating - no easy feat for an actor.
Coming a close second is a scene-stealing Julie Walters as the landlady of Eilis' boarding house in New York, perfectly exemplifying unapologetic Irish matter-of-factness, and her deadpan one-liners at the dinner table provide much of the film's humour.
Where Crowley really excels is in drawing the audience into Eilis' internal struggle and his approach imbues the familiar story of immigration with a fresh and original quality.
The result is a profoundly moving period drama that beautifully illustrates the struggle between the part in all of us that is tied to home and the part that wants more from life.
Brooklyn
Directed by John Crowley
http://tinyurl.com/hjxyuf3 -
Steve7216 — 10 years ago(February 16, 2016 06:53 PM)
That was really good. He identifies the two, main strengths of the film as well. Saoirse and the script. Everything else is so good and is fitted together seamlessly, but what elevates Brooklyn are those two elements.
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Steve7216 — 10 years ago(February 21, 2016 04:57 PM)
There are still great tweets every day about Brooklyn and her performance. I stopped posting them for a while partly because there were so many it was hard to keep up. Here are some recent ones:
Clayton VValter @schmvngpctrs 1h1 hour ago
A second viewing of BROOKLYN has confirmed for me that Saoirse Ronan has the best face in the movie business.
^The above guy says he works in the industry and is an aspiring screen writer.
This Charming Flan @keepthemuse 1h1 hour ago
In case you wondered, BROOKLYN is still beautiful, and Saoirse Ronan conveys the whole world with just a few blinks against a still frame.
Lance Mannion @LanceMannion 3h3 hours ago Bronx, NY
More on Brooklyn: Can't even begin to tell you how good Saoirse Ronan is so I'll just settle for saying the entire cast is wonderful.
Dylan Alexander @DylanJAlexander 2h2 hours ago
I absolutely LOVED Brooklyn! Such a beautiful and heart-warming film with an incredible performance by Saoirse Ronan! Highly recommend
Christina Newland @christinalefou 4h4 hours ago
Thinking about Emory Cohen and Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn and how incredibly lovely their romance is.
Taylor L @taylorshayna 18m18 minutes ago
If you haven't seen Brooklyn, do yourself a favor and find a theater playing it and go see it now. So good. #SaoirseRonan #Booklyn
Liam Borrett @LiamBorrett 41m41 minutes ago
Saw BROOKLYN at last today. Outstanding. Get Saoirse Ronan an Oscar NOW.
^This guy describes himself as a theater director and playwright.
The Gregor @Gregor_G 8h8 hours ago
I am still so very moved by having watched the film #Brooklyn yesterday. Truly beautiful storytelling. -
Steve7216 — 10 years ago(February 22, 2016 08:06 PM)
Here is an excerpt from Rob Samuelson of The Sun Times Network written today:
The performances are all excellent, but Saoirse Ronan stands out. She earned a nomination for Actress in a Leading Role for a reason. Hers is a subtle but noticeable physical transformation that dovetails with Eilis internal journey. She begins Eilis American lb68ife by taking small, unsure steps, keeping her head down and hoping not to get in anyones way. She doesnt know what to do with her life, but as she finds her aptitude in night school to become a bookkeeper, she begins to look forward more often.
She makes direct eye contact when talking with people. She learns what she wants and she begins to understand how to get it. The movie is, in part, a grandiose coming-of-age story, but its subtler, more graceful elements, as portrayed by Ronan in particular, are what separate it from other tales of this variety.
For the entire piece:
http://national.suntimes.com/national-entertainment/7/72/2639066/oscars-watch-case-brooklyn/ -
Steve7216 — 10 years ago(March 10, 2016 03:24 AM)
Norwich Cinema: 'Brooklyn' a spellbi5b4nding vision of love, longing
"Brooklyn" actress Saoirse Ronan delivers as astonishing performance in this tale of love."Brooklyn" actress Saoirse Ronan delivers as astonishing performance in this tale of love.
By Jason Sheldon For The Bulletin
Posted Mar. 9, 2016 at 5:10 PM
Norwich Community Cinema's film for March is "Brooklyn," a beautifully rendered romantic drama set in the New York City borough and Southeast Ireland of the early 1950s.
The movie follows Eilis Lacey, played with subtlety and nuance by Saoirse Ronan, a young woman who travels to America for work and education until she finds herself drawn back to her hometown in Ireland.
Throughout the course of her time on both continents, she falls in love with two men, finding herself torn not only in her heart, but by the paths and opportunities that accompany her choices on opposite sides of the ocean.
Ronan is entrancing in her portrayal of Eilis, with many long takes lingering on her delicate features, which express a number of competing emotions, conveying the complexity of her character's feelings and displaying
her prowess as a gifted actress.
Attending a dance early in the film just before her imminent departure for the United States, she looks nostalgic and pained for what she's leaving behind while equally hopeful and determined to tackle the challenges that await her, all in the span of2000 a few cinematic seconds.
Though the landscapes, textiles and architecture of the film are gorgeously detailed, it is Ronan's balance of modest and impassioned presentation of Eilis that truly charms us and charges the film with sensitivity and sensibility.
Brooklyn was nominated for Best Picture, Best Leading Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2016 Academy Awards.
Though it failed to win an Oscar, its acclaim and status as a contender is well-deserved.
There will be baked goods and drinks for purchase as well as bottomless $2 popcorn. You are always welcome to bring your own food and beverages.
We invite you for a relaxing evening to enjoy the striking images and arresting performances as you allow yourself to be absorbed in Eilis's transformative journey in the comfort of our theater.
http://tinyurl.com/zbwsmuw -
Steve7216 — 10 years ago(March 14, 2016 09:47 PM)
This is from a South Jersey paper part of The USA Today network. I'm posting it because I think the title is kind of lovely and true.
Saoirse Ronan fulfills promise in da0'Brooklyn'
AMY LONGSDORF, For the Courier-Post 12:03 a.m. EDT March 15, 2016
Brooklyn (2015, Fox, PG-13, $30) Irish actress Saoirse Ronan fulfills the promise of her early work in Atonement and Hanna with this lovely look at a young woman who emigrates from Ireland to New York in the 1950s. No sooner does Eilis Lacey settle into her new life, which includes a romance with an Italian-American plumber (Emory Cohen), than a family tragedy calls her back home. Its immensely moving to watch Eilis struggle with homesickness and heartbreak on her journey to adulthood. Blessed with on-target turns by veterans Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent, Brooklyn works as both a coming-of-age drama and an old-fashioned romance.
Extras: featurettes. -
Steve7216 — 10 years ago(March 17, 2016 01:01 AM)
It's been so long (January 2015) since Brooklyn had its very first official screening to a general audience at Sundance. I believe the very first tweet I read that evening right after the conclusion of the screening was from Ramin Setoodeh, a man who was then the New York editor of films for Variety. He was promoted a few months ago.
It was a great night because in one of his tweets, he said Saoirse would be going back to the Kodak Theater for her performance.
That same evening, the other tweets were just over the moon about the film and her in particular. It was off to the races!
Here we are now over a year later. Below are just a few recent tweets about the film:
Connor Land @ConnorLand2 1h1 hour ago
Just saw the movie Brooklyn, and it is now one of my all-time favorites. Saoirse Ronan. What a heavyweight.
Leslie beep 3h3 hours ago
Wow. Saoirse Ronan is INCREDIBLE. Brooklyn was the second movie of hers I have watched and I am blown away. What a film. -
jlent — 10 years ago(March 17, 2016 06:01 AM)
The Blu-Ray and DVD are out. Eleven deleted scenes. I particularly like one that highlights racial issues when Dorothy (the store worker Eillis meets her first day on the job in the store lockers) objects to selling nylons designed for5b4 black customers. It might have been a little jarring to insert it in the middle of story. You can see the tale end of it as Eillis is putting up boxes of the nylons and Miss Fortini comes in with Father Flood who has the news of Rose's death.
But get the DVD, it has a wonderful commentary from director Crowley that focuses on the making of the film, what he was after, and discussion of Saoirse's performance. One nice tidbit I learned: The Irish beach Eilis, Jim, Nancy and Nancy's beau go swimming in was the same beach Stephen Spielberg used for the D-Day sequence in Saving Private Ryan. -
Steve7216 — 10 years ago(March 17, 2016 06:13 AM)
That's good info jlent. I bought the Blu-Ray on the 15th and will take the time to look at the film and the extras when my company leaves. Lovely beach.
I'm of the firm belief Brooklyn is an instant classic that'll hold up over time. If you put aside the opinions here, just remember many of the most respected film critics including those in the U.K. loved the film. -
jlent — 10 years ago(March 17, 2016 06:51 AM)
Oh yeah, instant. This was my sixth viewing and still not an ounce of fatigue setting in.
I like how Crowley would explain Saoirse's appeal using the particulars of a scene she was in as we are watching the scene. -
ajoyce212 — 10 years ago(March 20, 2016 07:04 PM)
I received my copy of Brooklyn on Friday (one day late for St. Patrick day) but watched today Sunday. I only saw the movie once in the cinema and really enjoyed my 2nd viewing. What a perfect movie 27 up 27 down no runs, hits, or errors.
Sorry can't help but throw a sports reference in my posts. Blu-Ray extras did not disappoint either. -
JaneThree — 10 years ago(March 28, 2016 07:52 AM)
One of my favorite parts of Brooklyn is that extended close-up at the Irish dance (the one in Ireland, not the one in Brooklyn). It's the sort of extended close-up that can register as a stunt - sort of look what a great actor I am. I won't mention a couple of actors/actresses who come off that way. Saoirse lives in that close-up in a completely natural way. She's the real deal and then some.