Buddy is a young boy on the cusp of adolescence, whose life is filled with familial love, childhood hijinks, and a blossoming romance. Yet, with his beloved hometown caught up in increasing turmoil, his family faces a momentous choice: hope the conflict will pass or leave everything they know behind for a new life.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Buddy: Jude Hill
- Ma: Caitríona Balfe
- Pa: Jamie Dornan
- Granny: Judi Dench
- Pop: Ciarán Hinds
- Billy Clanton: Colin Morgan
- Moira: Lara McDonnell
- Will: Lewis McAskie
- Mackie: Gerard Horan
- Auntie Violet: Josie Walker
- Catherine: Olive Tennant
- Frankie West: Michael Maloney
- Minister: Turlough Convery
- McLaury: Conor MacNeill
- Mr Stewart: Chris McCurry
- Mrs Kavanagh: Elly Condron
- Paddy Kavanagh: Samuel Menhinick
- Miss Lewis: Vanessa Ifediora
- Bobby Frank: Gerard McCarthy
- Mr Singh: Sid Sagar
- George Malpass as Scrooge: Mark Hadfield
- Joseph Tomelty as Marley: John Sessions
- Auntie Eileen: Mairéad Tyers
- Mr Kavanagh: Drew Dillon
- Mickey Clanton: Leonard Buckley
- Billy Clanton Jr: Kit Rakusen
- Cousin Frances: Freya Yates
- Cousin Vanessa: Nessa Eriksson
- Cousin Charlie: Charlie Barnard
- Auntie Mary: Frankie Hastings
- Uncle Sammie: Caolan McCarthy
- Uncle Tony: Ian Dunnett Jnr
- Ronnie Boyd: Oliver Savell
- Karen Lambert: Orla McDonagh
- Walter (Policeman): Ross O’Donnellan
- Mary Kavanagh: Olivia Flanagan
- Sharon Nicholas: Serrana Su-Ling Bliss
- Mrs Ford: Rachel Feeney
- Darlene Clanton: Estelle Cousins
- Fancy Clanton: Scott Gutteridge
- Young Bill: Bill Branagh
- Supermarket Manager: Joyce Branagh
- Rioter: Jimmy O’Dee
- Soldier: Victor Alli
Film Crew:
- Production Design: Jim Clay
- Writer: Kenneth Branagh
- Sound Supervisor: James Mather
- Stunt Coordinator: James O’Donnell
- Costume Design: Charlotte Walter
- Director of Photography: Haris Zambarloukos
- Gaffer: Dan Lowe
- Original Music Composer: Van Morrison
- Editor: Úna Ní Dhonghaíle
- Producer: Celia Duval
- Foley Artist: Sue Harding
- Makeup Designer: Wakana Yoshihara
- Special Effects Supervisor: David Watkins
- Supervising Art Director: Dominic Masters
- Boom Operator: Kate Morath
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Niv Adiri
- Art Direction: Stephen Swain
- Script Supervisor: Irene Chawko
- Stunt Driver: James Embree
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Simon Chase
- Set Decoration: Claire Nia Richards
- ADR Mixer: Simon Diggins
- Foley Mixer: Sophia Hardman
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Matthew Glen
- First Assistant Director: Martin Curry
- Sound Mixer: Denise Yarde
- Assistant Set Decoration: Sophie Coombes
- Unit Production Manager: Scott Eaton
- Property Master: Dean Marsh
- Standby Art Director: Richard Usher
- Art Department Assistant: Alice la Trobe
- Lighting Technician: Damian Cooper
- Foley Artist: Oliver Ferris
- Still Photographer: Rob Youngson
- Producer: Tamar Thomas
- Producer: Laura Berwick
- Producer: Becca Kovacik
- Second Assistant Director: Anna Brabbins
- Sound Effects Editor: Tomas Blazukas
- Electrician: Sabrina Corda
- Electrician: Henriette Kristine Jacobsen
- Costume Supervisor: Kate Eden
- Assistant Costume Designer: Hannah Warren
- Special Effects Technician: John Delaney Sr.
- Casting Associate: Katie Brydon
- Boom Operator: Jennifer Annor
- First Assistant Editor: Carly Brown
- Props: Charlie Howe Fox
- Camera Trainee: Chrys Antoniou
- Drone Operator: Tom Callander
- Video Assist Operator: Mathew Lester
- Dailies Operator: Szymon Wyrzykowski
Movie Reviews:
- Adriano: I wanted to like this more than I did. It’s fine, but it just doesn’t resonate terribly well with me. Not to mention it feels a bit like a stage-play, taking place all on one street. I understand it’s supposed to be the world through a child’s eyes, but there’s not much there. Conversations and issues feel breezed through, and yet ‘Belfast’ sags in the middle around the third time they have the same set of conversations. It’s good enough, but I couldn’t recommend it to anyone.
- r96sk: A swell little film, this.
I may not have a connection to the events portrayed onscreen, but ‘Belfast’ is – despite the not so good true events that it’s retelling – is a pleasant film to watch. With a perfectly timed length of around 90 minutes, this 2021 flick holds a lot of heart – it’s also rather funny, it had me laughing a fair number of times.
The star of the film is undoubtedly youngster Jude Hill, who is an absolute joy in the role of Buddy – some performance from the 11-year-old! Buddy’s connections with every single character are lovely, especially with those played by Ciarán Hinds and Judi Dench – wait… that was Judi Dench?! I legit didn’t even notice until the end credits, which shows how convincing her performance as a Northern Irish grandmother is… or perhaps I need my eyesight tested, who’s to say.
Jamie Dornan and Caitríona Balfe also merit props, in what is a very good release from Kenneth Branagh & Co. The target audience, along with others of course, will adore it, I’m sure. Also… love the choice of black-and-white, fwiw.