Synopsis
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.
Votre Filmothèque
Cast
- Jude HillBuddy
- Lewis McAskieWill
- Caitríona BalfeMa
- Jamie DornanPa
- Judi DenchGranny
- Ciarán HindsPop
- Colin MorganBilly Clanton
- Lara McDonnellMoira
- Gerard HoranMackie
- Josie WalkerAuntie Violet
- 100
The Playlist
The parts of the movie that are going to resonate the most have the pacing they need to bring up one’s own memories of listening to a grandparent’s advice, of doing something you shouldn’t have to impress someone, or working up the nerve to talk to someone you liked. Perhaps these resurfaced memories are an unintended souvenir of visiting Branagh’s “Belfast,” but it’s one that may stick with moviegoers for quite some time after the credits roll. - 95
TheWrap
The film feels true in the way it must be exploring Branagh’s memories of a tumultuous and confusing time, and the way it pays tribute to a vibrant community as that community is irrevocably changed. - 80
The Hollywood Reporter
Branagh’s most personal film is imperfect, but the emotion that it builds in the final section, as the family plays out a wrenching universal drama of emigration, is searing. - 80
Variety
The affectionate cine-memoir is rendered all the more effective on account of young discovery Jude Hill and its portrayal of a close-knit family (Ciarán Hinds and Judi Dench and stay-put grandparents) crowded under one roof. - 80
Screen Daily
The result is engaging, tender film-making which tugs at the heart-strings, spurred by a sympathetic cast and the young lead, newcomer Jude Hill. - 75
Vanity Fair
What works best about Belfast is what Branagh doesn’t do. - 67
Entertainment Weekly
Branagh's genuine affection and nostalgia for his subject suffuse the movie; if only the misty romanticism of his story could match it. - 65
Slashfilm
It's a handsomely-made film with a game cast, and it's clear that it's a very special project for Branagh. But the filmmaker is unable to convey to us, his audience, why it's so special.