Belfast * * ½

It's boring.  No other word for it.  It's just boring.  It's a kitchen sink drama where nothing of interest happens. 

It's about a family who live in a section of Belfast where for years no one much cared what your religious or political conviction was.  The neighbors got along, the kids played in the streets. Then "The Troubles" started.  But the real pain of that awful time is not conveyed much.

Sure you'll see a couple of scenes where crazy Catholics or Protestants or whatever, are smashing up a street, but really they don't make a good deal of sense.  In fact, most of the situations of conflict and drama come across as oddly placed, contrived and decorative.

What?  Only two and half stars!?

Buddy has an obsession with a girl, Grandma is just Judy Dench acting what she thinks a Grandma might be, Grandpa has an obsession with being sick and telling every one not to worry, Ma has an obsession with their mounting bills and Pa (James Dornan) has an obsession with spending his money as quickly  as he earns it; which is more sadistic than when he was in Fifty Shades. The role he has in this isn't much more interesting or likeable either. 

It keeps undermining itself as it creates situations and then drops them. The film mostly centered around the younger son, Buddy.  He lives at home with his gorgeous "Ma" and his elder brother. I couldn't quite figure out if Grandma and Grandpa are living with them or nearby.  But the accents are so strong I couldn't understand what they were saying half the time (This film really needs subtitles).

Most situations are badly supported and undermined by simple facts.   Buddy's dad "Pa" is mostly working in England but comes home for a weekend once a month. In this film he fly's home as we might do today.  I would have thought that a financial impossibly for a tradie in 1969.  

Buddy likes cinema.  His Grandma  mentions how she liked cinema too when she was Buddy's age.  Um.... if this is 1969 and Grandma is seventy odd, I don't think cinema was around when she was a little girl!

The film High Noon is referred to a bit, and toward the end his Pa finds himself in a High Noon situation.  The reference is laughably heavy handed as he stands at the end of the street facing his enemy who holds a pistol and "Do not forsake me..." plays over the top.

The music is mostly songs from the excellent Van Morrison, but he too is pushed aside for the pretentious and contrived all singing dancing grand finale. Awful stuff.