Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Movie Review, "Brooklyn"

Well I caught this movie on television the other day.  I remembered when it was in the theatre, thinking this could become a "Missy Movie".  So I was excited when I had the opportunity to watch it.  First off... it's kind of a simple story of a girl named Eilis who's leaving Ireland in the early 1950's to come to America, to live in Brooklyn NY.  Brooklyn was a popular place for immigrants from Ireland to come at that time.  She is encouraged to go there by her sister Rose, who talks w/ a catholic priest originally from their small town who now lives in Brooklyn and he agrees to help Eilis.  You see, Rose has found a career in their small town in Ireland as a bookkeeper but can see her sister having to settle for a dull life at a job at a store w/ a tyrant boss with little future for Eiis if she stays in Ireland.  She doesn't want that for Eilis.  So Eilis travels to America by ship, which is an adventure itself, she develops a horrible case of sea-sickness.  When she gets to Brooklyn, she is lucky in some ways as the priest lines up a job and a place to live for her, so in some ways she has it much easier than most immigrants coming to America for the first time,  but that doesn't mean that coming to America is easy.  She is terribly homesick and lonely.   She writes letters to her sister Rose as a way for them to stay connected.  Then one day she meets Tony at an "Irish" dance.  Tony is Italian.  But he tells Rose that he, "likes Irish girls."  Tony is a sweet charmer and quickly becomes Eilis's boyfriend.  They fall hard for each other.  Eilis is the happiest she's ever been since coming to America.  Just when she's settling in to her life in America.  Tragedy strikes back in Ireland, and she has to make the tough decision to return to her home land.  Tony is worried she won't come back so he ask her to marry him, one of the best scenes in the movie is when she says can't I just promise?  He says if you can promise you can do.  So she says yes, and they have a quickie wedding at the justice of the peace.  But they tell no one.  I don't want to give too much more away but I will say this,  this movie while a simple story is rich in characters, my favorite kind of movie.  Everyone is excellent in their roles.  Eilis is played by Saoirse Ronan wonderfully.  At times, she speaks soooo much without saying a word.  I loved her also in The Lovely Bones.  The funny thing was I knew I knew her but couldn't place her the whole movie.  I believe that's a credit to just how good she was in this movie.  I also really liked the actor who played Tony, Emory Cohen.   He was so genuine in the role.  The whole cast is fantastic,  from his spunky little brother to the crotchety store keeper back in Ireland.   Well DONE!  Like I said these simple stories with great characters that are relatable, are my most favorite movies.  I really liked this movie and if you like movies like it, you should definitely watch it!

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