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Brooklyn

Directed by John Crowley

Written by Nick Hornby

Starring Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson

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I was not expecting to enjoy Brooklyn, it's just not my style of movie. It is a romantic drama, one that I was fully expecting to have to slog through just to say I'd seen it. I haven't been so wrong in a while, as Brooklyn absolutely blew me away.

What I would like to mention right off the bat is Brooklyn's script, which is a beautiful work of art by Nick Hornby. Adapting it from the novel by Colm Tóibín, Hornby's master-work lays the foundation for the brilliant, near-perfect pacing that the film has, as well as the foundation on which all of the actors stand. The entire cast, from the (obviously) great Domhnall Gleeson (Really? Four excellent performances in four Oscar nominated films this year?) to the impeccable Julie Walters, the entire cast gives top-notch performances. Of course, at the head of this cast is the remarkable Saoirse Ronan, who feels right at home playing Eilis, and dare I say it, she gives Brie Larson a run for her money when it comes to the impending Oscars ceremony (I would be equally happy if either of them won). Brooklyn also has the benefit of being incredibly charming, from the chemistry between characters (particularly Ronan and Cohen's) to the many small, funny scenes, I couldn't help but be absolutely entranced by what was unfolding on screen. They felt like real people in a real world, something that is very hard to pull off in a film of this kind. Finally, Brooklyn is simple, in a good sense. Nothing over-dramatic ever happens for the sake of progressing a story, and nothing ever gets too depressing or sad. The film never dips into the melodrama that it could have, and that is a great way to keep it from being dull and cliché, both things that Brooklyn is most definitely not.

There are a couple of things I didn't like about Brooklyn, however, but only a couple, and they are small. Firstly, some of the plot points were a little predictable. This comes from making a film that is simple, like Brooklyn is, and while it didn't necessarily bother me all that much, the events did not shock me when they happened either. Also, the film could have benefited from being fifteen to twenty minutes longer, as the ending, while sweet, feels very rushed. That being said, I didn't mind how Brooklyn ended, I just wished the journey to that sweet ending was a little more drawn out, as it could have added even more emotional depth.

Overall, Brooklyn is an unbelievably charming and wonderful film. I was not expecting to like it as much as I did, and while it rushes towards the end, the acting, script and pacing throughout make it without a doubt an incredible film.

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+ Saoirse Ronan

+ Top-notch acting all around

+ Superbly paced

+ Great script

+ Simple and never over-dramatic

+ Charming

- Slightly predictable

- Rushes at the end.

9.5 out of 10