There are films that soar majestically above the rest, and Brooklyn, directed by John Crowley, is one of those rare ones.
Premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and scheduled to open in Toronto theaters on November 20, it conjures up a self-contained universe that is both culturally distinct and brimming with fully formed characters.
Set in Ireland and the New York City borough of Brooklyn in the early 1950s, it’s about the lure of ambition, the misery of homesickness, the joy of love and the recognition of contentment.
The luminous Irish actress Saoirse Ronan turns in an astonishing performance as Eilis Lacey, an attractive young woman who’s sent to America by her older sister, Rose (Finona Glascott), to improve her life. Eilis, a lowly shopgirl in a grocery store, realizes that her prospects in Ireland are limited in terms of job advancement. She also knows that Rose, single and unattached, will now have the added responsibility of taking care of their aging mother, a widow.
The departure scene in which Eilis waves good-bye to Rose is genuinely affecting. Scenes like this have been staples of countless films, but this one, brief and simple, is special in its intensity.
Not knowing a soul in Brooklyn, neither relative nor friend, she rents a room in a boarding house. It’s presided over by a strict and fussy Irish woman (Julie Walters) who has no trouble keeping her other Irish and Irish American female boarders in line. Eilis works in a department store, reporting to an exacting boss (Jessica Pare) who expects employees to fulfill lofty standards.
Letters from home bring on tears, but Eilis, sensible and strong, is resilient. The kindly parish priest (Jim Broadbent) signs her up for a bookkeeping course in a local college, knowing full well she’ll pass with flying colors.
At a dance, she meets Tony Fiorello (Emory Cohen), an Italian-American plumber. Invited for dinner to meet his family, she practices eating spaghetti noodles with a fork and spoon. It’s a corny and endearing moment, as is the subsequent scene when she meets Tony’s raucous family.
As time goes on, Eilis grows to like and appreciate Tony — whom she regards as decent and kind — and comes to the realization that she has a place in America.
When Tony, played endearingly by Cohen, professes his love for her, she’s initially taken aback. “Thank you for the evening,” she says rather primly and abruptly. “It was lovely.” But when they see each other again, Eilis is more forthcoming.
By this point, Eilis has been transformed from a dowdy and unhappy shopgirl to a self-assured and wholesomely pretty young lady. On a day trip to Coney Island beach, Tony is flabbergasted by the stunning sight of Eilis in a tight bathing suit. As they flop around in the ocean, they embrace, sending an unmistakable signal that their romance has ripened.
A family emergency prompts Eilis to return to Ireland temporarily. Through a mutual friend, she’s introduced to Jim (Domhnall Gleeson), an eligible bachelor and perfect gentleman who’s ready to settle down. As she considers her options, she leaves Tony’s impassioned letters unopened and gives Jim the impression she may be interested in his overtures.
Thanks to Crowley and Nick Hornby’s strong script, Brooklyn is vivid and touching, perhaps the finest Irish film since My Left Foot.