There is a moment about halfway through Brooklyn when Saoirse Ronan‘s character is shown as a distant speck in a giant field of green grass, as if lost amongst the lush vegetation. The moment comes soon after she has decided to go visit her mother in Ireland after a loss in the family; though not immediately apparent, it foreshadows her soon-to-come inner conflict, which will make her question where she truly belongs.
Such a gorgeous and symbolic shot is representative of much of Brooklyn, which is far deeper than its relatively straightforward subject matter would imply. Starring Saoirse Ronan in a career-defining role (even more so than her first Academy Award-nominated performance in 2007’s Atonement), it may just be among the finer historical period pieces in recent memory.
Attention to Detail
Taking place in the early 1950s, Brooklyn is about a young girl named Ellis Lacey (Ronan), who was born in Ireland but is soon given an opportunity to live in Brooklyn, New York, with a job and residence already determined. Though at first reluctant to leave her mother and sister, and even more uncertain about her decision after arrival, she eventually settles into a satisfying routine. This is, of course, helped along by the handsome and charismatic Tony Fiorello (Emory Cohen), who meets Ellis at a dance and is instantly smitten.
Soon, though, Ellis is struck with terrible news, and reluctantly travels back to Ireland to be with her family. But what was meant to be just a short visit is soon extended even further, and Ellis soon finds that everything she wishes she once had before leaving Ireland is now right in front of her – including a job, a potential love interest in the form of Jim Farrell (Domhnall Gleeson), and a family that needs her. Now, she is torn between the life she created in New York and the comfortable life she now has fallen into back in Ireland.
Though it’s not particularly difficult to tell what Ellis will ultimately choose (think of the name of the movie, after all), the film sets up such an expansive world on both sides that it’s never really a black-and-white decision. Director John Crowley presents Brooklyn as a dank and dusty place, with little sunlight streaming through the tall buildings, and busy streets filled with endless streams of people. Yet, despite this, there is something captivating about such a vibrant flow of energy, and through Tony’s influence, Ellis finally sees the charm of the city.
Once Ellis goes back to Ireland, though, the contrast is much more obvious. Ireland is a quiet, tranquil place, with smaller, tight-knit communities, amicable people and a much slower pace. At one point, as Ellis is walking onto a relatively empty beach with friends, she mentions how remarkable it is to be able to do so, having become so used to people always being around. It’s a remarkable insight into how the place where we live changes the way we view the world and the things we take for granted.
Personal and Relatable
Ellis herself is also a changed person through her experiences, and her growing maturity into womanhood would be undermined if she were to choose the easy life. Such growth is shown with intimate attention to detail – from Ellis’s switch to bright, form-fitting outfits, to a more prominent use of makeup, to the glowing and positive demeanor in which she speaks and places herself. The clear changes can be seen when she returns to Ireland, knowing that she is not the same person she was when she left.
Recently, I heard in an interview that this was Saoirse Ronan‘s most relatable acting experience, since she is actually from Ireland and grew up only about 20 minutes away from where the film was shot. She also mentions that it was a surreal experience, though, since it hit so close to home.
I have always heard it said that a performance that it is as far from yourself as possible is somehow more impressive than something that is more personal – yet it would seem to me that the more personal role would more readily bring out that raw passion and emotion. It shows in Brooklyn, at any rate; Ronan is a delightful, beaming presence, and her performance is truly the heart and center of the film. She says more in a single moment with her eyes than some actresses struggle an entire movie to say.
Supporting Performances
The cast of Brooklyn is stellar as a whole. Emory Cohen, who plays Tony, is a wonderful presence. His soft-spoken demeanor and sensitive manner are played with just the right amount of elusive charm by Cohen, who equals Ronan at every scene. Some of the banter between them is even reminiscent of a romantic comedy, though screenwriter Nick Hornby thankfully never treads too far into this territory with his dialogue, knowing that it wouldn’t fit the mostly pensive tone of the film.
On the Irish side, one of the stronger performances is by Jim Broadbent as Father Flood, a priest who first helps Ellis along when she comes to live in Brooklyn. And who could miss the lovely Julie Walters, who plays the landlady of the house where Ellis goes to live. Both seasoned veteran actors are a delight on screen. It is perhaps fitting, then, that my biggest gripe is with the younger Domhnall Gleeson, who plays Ellis’s Irish love interest Jim.
Gleeson, who is just winding down an impressive year overall (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Ex Machina, and The Revenant being just a few of his recent titles), is here mostly frigid with his performance, and only seems to exist as a handsome man that serves to make Ellis doubt her decision to return back to New York. It is at least understandable why Gleeson‘s character is underused in such a way, since he is not meant to be the love interest that we wanted Ellis to pick, yet if he was more developed than the choice might have been even more conflicting. Jim seems to only want somebody to stay with him in his soon-to-be empty family home, and Ellis really could be any young girl. In a film with such rich and developed characters, Jim is unfortunately one of its more shallow creations.
The Choices We Make
The inspiring message behind Brooklyn is one that we can all relate to. It is a choice that we all ponder in our early adolescence – do we take the easy street or do we wander down a more difficult path? Luckily for Ellis, the harder path in America is one that she had already traveled down to some extent, so the thought of going further was not a particularly stressful one. If she were to stay in Ireland she would be negating that progress in its entirety.
Why, then, does she take so long to make the choice to return? The answer is simple: her life in Ireland would still be more comfortably easy than the one in New York. It is only when an older boss of hers makes a particularly spiteful accusation that she finally realizes the decision she must make.
I believe, though, that Ellis always would have chosen Brooklyn even without this interference, because it is where she truly belongs. In addition, it is really Tony that she belongs with; though he is not Irish, it is his love and spark for life that really inspired Ellis in the first place. As the old saying goes: home is where the heart is.
Verdict
The final scene of Brooklyn shows Ellis standing against a brick wall on the streets of Brooklyn, with a light shining on her face and a sight of green meadow behind her as she gazes across the street at Tony. In this moment, it appears that she has finally melded her two worlds together, and she looks triumphantly towards her new life ahead of her. It is an endearing cinematic moment and the perfect bookend to a truly wonderful film.
What did you think of Brooklyn? What are some of your favorite historical period pieces?
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.