Brooklyn review

Based on a novel by Colm Toibin, Brooklyn charts the journey of a young Irish woman called Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) from her native Enniscorthy to the big streets of Brooklyn, New York. Once there, Eilis suffers from homesickness and struggles to adjust to the fast-paced Brooklynite lifestyle. Her happiness changes for the better, however, when she meets a charming Italian-American man called Tony (Emory Cohen) at a local dance. As their relationship blooms, though, Eilis receives tragic news from Ireland. This forces her to travel back to Enniscorthy and once there she finds her feelings tested by the advances of eligible bachelor Jim (Domhnall Gleeson).

Brooklyn works well on multiple levels. On one end it explores some interesting areas such as the nature of home and the experiences of young migrants coming to America. On the other it contains a touching and unforced love story.

All of this is anchored by some strong performances from its cast with Saoirse Ronan and Emory Cohen giving endearing turns as Eilis and Tony. Also worth mentioning is Julie Walters who appears in a scene-stealing role as Eilis’s landlady Madge Kehoe, a woman whose opinions cover everything from the sinful nature of giddiness to the complexions of her tenants. 

A solid script from Nick Hornby also keeps things ticking along and is complemented by some good directorial work from John Crowley.

Although it doesn't quite reach the heights of other period dramas such as Atonement, Brooklyn still manages to be both beautiful and moving. 

Star Rating: 4/5

Triple 9 review

Triple 9 is the latest film by Australian director John Hillcoat (Lawless, The Road). Set in America’s Deep South, it follows a group of corrupt cops who are employed by the Russian mafia to carry out a dangerous heist operation on a Homeland Security building.

On the other side of the coin are the ‘good’ cops trying to bring them down: these include Casey Affleck’s hard-nosed detective Chris Allen and his uncle, the frequently drug-addled Jeffrey Allen (Woody Harrelson).

Apart from the actors already mentioned, Triple 9 stars an impressive ensemble of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus and Kate Winslet (who plays the wife of a Russian mobster and who adopts exactly the same accent she affected in Steve Jobs.)

With its story of corrupt cops living a double life, Triple 9 brings to mind Martin Scorsese’s The Departed. Like that film, Triple 9 has a wonderfully gritty tone and a story that takes some nicely unexpected turns. It doesn’t, however, have the same narrative smarts as The Departed; nor does it – with the exception of Harrelson’s detective – have any well defined and interesting characters to match the ones in Scorsese’s thriller.

Triple 9 is a competently made film that doesn’t quite live up to its aspirations.

Star Rating: 3/5

Deadpool review

Since his first appearance in 1991, Deadpool has evolved into one of Marvel Comic’s most popular characters. The ‘merc with the mouth’ has become known for his sense of humour and his fourth wall breaking asides to the audience. 

In 2009, these traits were only hinted at when the character made an appearance – as his alter ego Wade Wilson – in the film X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Now what has been promoted as a more faithful interpretation of the character has been brought to the big screen in Deadpool. In the film, Ryan Reynolds plays Wade Wilson, a man diagnosed with late stage cancer. During a meeting with a mysterious man in a bar, Wilson is offered both a cure for his cancer and an opportunity to gain superhuman abilities. He takes up this offer and while the resulting procedures – which are closer to torture than therapy - do grant him amazing healing abilities they also leave him horribly disfigured.

Wanting revenge, Wilson then takes on the alias of ‘deadpool’ and begins to track down Francis (Ed Skrein), the man responsible for his transformation. At the same time, he also tries to find a way to re-connect with his girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), who is unaware of the changes Wilson has undergone.

As a film, Deadpool offers a welcome change from the grimly serious tone of many recent superhero movies. Its irreverence is backed up by some good writing from Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese and some precisely targeted jokes, many of which naturally come at the expense of the X-Men and their most famous member Wolverine.

Solid performances from Ryan Reynolds and Morena Baccarin also hit the mark as do the action sequences which are thrilling but not overdone.

Big bad Francis does seem like an inadequate foe for Reynold's wisecracking antihero, however. While a bigger role for the amusingly sullen X-Men trainee Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hilderbrand) wouldn’t have gone amiss. These are minor criticisms, though, for what is ultimately a hilarious, smart, and immensely re-watchable contribution to the superhero genre.

Star Rating: 4/5

Trumbo review

During the 1940’s, Dalton Trumbo was one of Hollywood’s most respected and highest earning screenwriters. He was also a keen supporter of worker’s rights and was one of many Americans who joined the Communist Party during World War Two. 

After the end of the war, however, and amidst increasingly hostile relations between the US and the Soviet Union, members of the Communist Party, like Trumbo, were viewed with suspicion. A group called the House Un-American Activities Committee was even used to investigate those thought to have Communist sympathies.

In 1947, Trumbo was one of ten people who were charged with contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions posed by the committee. As a result of this, Trumbo served eleven months in prison and was blacklisted. This meant that he was effectively prohibited from working in the film industry. Trumbo circumvented this, however, by writing scripts under various pseudonyms and by getting friends to take credit for his work. During this period, two of Trumbo’s scripts – The Brave One and Roman Holiday – received Oscars, although he was unable to take credit for them.

Jay Roach’s film follows Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) through this dark period up until 1960 when he was welcomed back into the Hollywood fold after being publicly credited for his work on the hit film Spartacus.

To Trumbo’s credit, it manages to avoid the po-faced seriousness that might easily befall a film with such subject matter. Indeed, it is less concerned with making political points and more with illuminating the personality of Trumbo himself. 

Bryan Cranston imbues his character with a dry wit and quiet intelligence that makes him both likeable and fascinating to watch. There are also strong performances from a talented supporting cast that includes Michael Stuhlbarg and Louis C. K, although it is Helen Mirren who really gives a scene-stealing performance as a delightfully venomous gossip columnist.

Both funny and compelling, Trumbo offers an interesting and long overdue look into one of the darker periods of Hollywood history.

Star Rating: 4/5