Brooklyn (film)

Brooklyn is set during a time when Irish migration to New York was thriving. The initial boom of Irish immigration to the US had started during the period following the Great Famine (1845–49).[7] By the end of World War II, the rate of Irish immigration to New York had vastly lowered, but newly arriving citizens would still be able to find bustling Irish communities in which women were arguably a more significant presence than men.[8] These women immigrants were often very active in the workplace, placing marriage ambitions on hold to find practical occupations in places such as supermarkets, eateries and stores. Eilis makes her journey from Ireland to America in the 1950s, along with approximately 50,000 other immigrants (around a quarter of which moved to New York) as a part of the second minor wave of migration. Many of these citizens were in search of steadier jobs and a happier lifestyle. There were also smaller surges of immigrants from many other countries at this time, expanding the trend of modern day America becoming a vast land of many different cultures.[9]

Brooklyn is adapted from Irish writer Colm Tóibín's novel of the same name. It has been much celebrated in the literary world, with The Observer naming it as one of "The 10 best historical novels" in 2012.[10] In addition to this, it won the 2009 Costa Novel Award, was shortlisted for the 2011 International Dublin Literary Award and longlisted for the 2009 Booker Prize. The film is generally perceived as a faithful adaptation of the novel, with Tóibín noting the overall "authenticity" of the film in an interview with The Washington Post.[11] However, the film notably diverges from the book in regards to its ending. In the novel, Eilis leaves Ireland, but her destination and ultimately her fate is left for the reader to decide. The film, however, gives Eilis a poignant reunion with Tony in Brooklyn. The novel and the film have equally been praised for their refreshing perspective on the plight of the Irish immigrant.

Principal photography filming began on 1 April 2014 in Ireland, and was shot for three weeks at different locations including Enniscorthy, Wexford, and Dublin.[12][13][14] On the first day of shooting, Ronan was spotted in period costume on the set in Enniscorthy.[15] After finishing production in Ireland, it then moved to Montreal, Quebec for four weeks further.[13] Two days were spent shooting in New York at Coney Island.[16]

Ronan at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival

Brooklyn received a standing ovation following its premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.[19] On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 97% based on 269 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Brooklyn buttresses outstanding performances from Saoirse Ronan and Emory Cohen with a rich period drama that tugs at the heartstrings as deftly as it satisfies the mind."[20] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 88 out of 100, based on 45 critics, indicating "universal acclaim."[21] Audiences polled by PostTrak gave the film an overall positive score of 92% and over 80% said they would "definitely recommend" it.[22]

The BFI[23] labelled as one of the best films released in 2015. This article expands on the film's ambiance and describes its dynamic feeling by saying "in some ways Brooklyn feels like a movie that’s not just about, but also from, a more innocent age.".[23] But, offers a different view by looking at the darker tones presented in the film, explaining "But this sidelining of harsher elements is perhaps only to be expected in a film that takes a conventional romantic set-up and, abetted by Michael Brook’s hauntingly melodic score, elevates it to a more intelligent dramatic level". Furthermore, exploring some of the social conversations that begun upon the film's release; immigration and feminism's status in modern society compared to the society in the time Brooklyn was set in. "Immigrant dramas traditionally tend to be male-led; but Brooklyn, despite Cohen’s break-out performance and the excellence of Gleeson, is female-led and all the stronger for it."[23]

A review in Empire[24] expanded on the film's genre and ambiance, saying it's "unashamedly romantic and achieved with a beautifully subtle, old-fashioned elegance, it’s a graceful coming-of-age tale ripe for awards".[24]

Brooklyn grossed $38.3 million in North America and $23.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $62.1 million, against a budget of $11 million.[25][26]

The film's gross in Canada exceeded C$4 million, giving it the highest cumulative domestic gross of any Canadian film released in 2015.[27][28] The film had the biggest opening of any Irish film in Ireland since 1996 earning over $650,000 from 87 cinemas, making it the strongest drama debut since Michael Collins opened to $662,000 in November 1996.[29] The Hollywood Reporter calculated the film made a net profit of $3–4 million.[30]

Brooklyn received many nominations for industry and critics awards, including three nominations for the 88th Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actress. Ronan's performance in particular was praised and garnered her Oscar, BAFTA,[31] Critics' Choice,[32] Golden Globe,[33] and SAG nominations for best actress.[34] She also won the BIFA Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film.[35] Julie Walters was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the BAFTAs.[31] The film won the Audience Favorite Gold Award in World Cinema at the Mill Valley Film Festival, the Rogers People's Choice Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Virginia Film Festival. Cohen was named Breakthrough Performer at the Hamptons International Film Festival.[36] It won two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Musical Score and two 18th Quebec Cinema Awards (formerly known as the Prix Jutra), for Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction.

Brooklyn was also named one of the best films of 2015, featuring on more than 120 "Top 10" film critics' lists.[37][6] It is ranked fourth on Rotten Tomatoes and fifth on Metacritic's best reviewed films of 2015.[38][39][40]