As I have mentioned before, I went down to Columbus, Ohio, to spend Thanksgiving with my sister-in-law Phyllis and her husband Jim. After dinner, they decided to go to the movie theater. Frankly, I was a bit hesitant. I had not been to a movie since before the pandemic. I figured that the theater would be crowded with people... it has been in Thanksgivings past. However, when we arrived the parking lot was nearly empty, and we were the only customers in the lobby. We went to our assigned theater and no one else was there. The three of us had a private showing.
The movie that we saw was "Belfast". It was excellent, and it should be nominated for many Academy Awards next year.
The movie was written and directed by Kenneth Branagh and is semi-autobiographical. It takes place in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, in the late 1960s during the religious violence that plagued the city at that time. It deals with a Protestant family living in a Catholic part of town. They get along well and are liked by their neighbors, but the turmoil puts them in a difficult position... not because of their Catholic neighbors, but because of members of the Protestant paramilitary who expect them to choose sides.
Although the movie does portray some of the violence and ugliness of the conflict, it is primarily a moving family drama. At the center is Buddy, the family's young son. Other than Judi Dench, who plays the grandmother, the actors are not well known to American audiences. However, their performances are all superb. Jude Hill, who makes his acting debut as little Buddy, gives a heart-warming performance, and I would be surprised if he is not nominated for a best-actor Oscar.
I highly recommend "Belfast"... even more so if you can luck out with a private screening!
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