On the surface Brooklyn may look like a bore. A slog through glossy 1950’s New York complete with the costumes that get you noticed come Oscar time but none of the substance that springs eternal. It has elements of awards-bait, prestige filmmaking that we see every year and is dismissed almost as quickly as it’s introduced. All of this preconception was shot down quickly though when I realized that Director John Crowley – while indulging in some flights of fancy – never bows to the whims of convention. Rather his Brooklyn is a beautiful romance created in bold, classical strokes. This is NOT Nicholas Sparks’ Brooklyn.
Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) is a young, fresh-faced teenager growing up in a small coastal village in Ireland. Her days are parsed appropriately from school to friends to her weekly Sunday stint at the local bakery. It’s not a charmed life but her Mother and Sister Rose keep her busy. Eilis however dreams of something larger for herself. When Father Flood (Jim Broadbent) – a priest connected to her family who has immigrated to New York – agrees to sponsor her immigration to Brooklyn she jumps at the chance.
For Eilis this is her first trip outside of Ireland and what better way to get it kicked off than a rough boat trip across the Atlantic? On the ship she shares a bunk with Georgina (Eva Birthistle) who has made this trip a number of times and knows the tricks to endure. When you get to customs, walk with confidence, speak clearly, look like you know where you’re going…basically act like an American. It’s advice that serves her well and leads to some wonderful exchanges on the cruise from hell.
When Eilis arrives at her boarding house in Brooklyn she is greeted by a bevy of girls that have made similar journeys. The house is owned by Mrs. Kehoe (Julie Walters) – a tough cookie who just wants the best for her girls but also can’t help but roll her eyes at them after every home cooked meal.
Eilis almost immediately begins work at Bartocci’s – an upscale retailer with a penchant for employing newly integrated immigrants. At first her homesickness is crushing, leaving her stone-faced and wooden behind the counter. As notes from home begin to arrive though Eilis finds solace in her new life. She starts attending dances at church and volunteering with Father Flood.
And that’s when Eilis meets Tony (Emory Cohen) – an Italian plumber (solid stereotype here) who trolls the parish dances because he likes Irish girls. He immediately takes to Eilis – wanting no more than to spend every spare minute he can from her. When she starts night school to become a book keeper, he meets her after class just to walk her the short distance home. They go to the movies and stare longingly at each other in diners. Mrs. Kehoe admires Eilis for finding a young man while the other girls in the house can barely hide their jealousy.
From beginning to end Brooklyn is gorgeous. From its beautiful sets to stunning costumes down to the tiniest period details I found the whole thing enveloping. Crowley marries this aesthetic with a screenplay by Nick Hornby that skirts many expectations that come with such a straightforward story. Hornby never lets Eilis become secondary while still respecting the realities of the time period. This is a feminist story in a starkly masculine world yet Eilis never wavers. Her convictions are paramount and elevate Brooklyn above tradition.
Bringing this story to life is a cast that you will undoubtedly be hearing a lot about in the coming months. Saoirse Ronan is the film’s moral center and captures Eilis’ every emotion with subtlety and grace. It’s a moving performance. Her chemistry with Emory Cohen as Tony is palpable as well. Cohen dons a great, theatrical Italian accent and has plenty of charm to spare. His Tony is affable but also young and goofy. His interactions with Ronan are so innocent at times it seems impossible but his dedication to her slowly breaks down her defenses. The rest of the cast is made up of Hollywood stalwarts and young, Irish actors who all turn in convincing period performances.
In the film’s final third Eilis story takes a decided turn that – while necessary – I did find drug down the narrative momentum. It’s not that it’s poorly composed but her coming-of-age story on the streets of Brooklyn is so well paced, so gorgeously shot – this turn couldn’t help but be slightly jarring. Still this can’t take away from the fact that this is one of the best romances of the year – a stunning, melancholy story of immigration and acceptance that couldn’t be timelier in the modern day.
Rating: 
