★★★1/ 2 This is one of those glossy movies that instantly summons sympathy. It is in black and white (with a color prologue), it is historical – how the clashes between Catholics and Protestants begin in Northern Ireland -, it shows the life of a family that is going through conflict. The almost exclusive point of view is that of a nine-year-old boy in love with a schoolmate. There is no way, with all these elements, that, even with the tragic elements that are de rigueur, one would not feel comfortable while watching it. Even Brannagh, who is not exactly a great filmmaker (although he is quite prolific and a bit of a dilettante), has the luxury of playing with cinematographic form, paying homage to the seventh art itself, creating moments that are destined to be remembered. But -oh, the critic’s “but”…- everything is too calculated, with an approach similar to films like Hope and Glory, by John Boorman, or even Empire of the Sun, by Spielberg. This is not necessarily a bad thing, and choosing to narrate from a child’s point of view allows for a better understanding of a complex context. Brannagh, otherwise, is a precise actor’s director, and it shows in how each character says his lines. Perhaps it is the film that really takes the Oscar.
