One woman on the verge of adulthood must leave behind everything she knows to find a life oversees, in “Brooklyn”. The film (Directed by John Crowley, and written by Nick Hornby) tells the profoundly moving story of Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan), a young Irish immigrant navigating her way through 1950s Brooklyn. Lured by the promise of America, Eilis departs Ireland and the comfort of her mother’s home for the shores of New York City. The initial shackles of homesickness quickly diminish as a fresh romance sweeps Eilis into the intoxicating charm of love. But soon, her new comforts are disrupted by her past, and Eilis must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within. “Brooklyn” is the real deal when it comes to the American-Dream kind of story. Led along the way by a main character who is relatable, as well as a story that is every bit as honest with it’s audience as it is reflective, the film brings out the beauty of two countries for comparison, both economically and emotionally.

“Brooklyn” hooks the audience with a beautifully structured three part act that is a brilliant in observing some of the real struggles of moving to a foreign land. My Mother was born in Ireland, so Eilis’s tale feels very familiar with the kinds of tales I have been told. Everything feels authentic, from the dramatic differences in wardrobe between the two countries, to the crisp looking cinematography that is well represented. This is impressive because principal photography only lasted two actual days in Brooklyn, while everything else that doubled for the city took place in Montreal. The production team really nailed the fashion trends without it taking over the attention of each scene. The colors and smooth and subtle, while offering a look at a generation that left a lot more to the immagination. It’s quite easy to get lost in a film like this because it feels like so much more than a movie. This is a tale that many men and women still to this day go through, and Hornby’s script gives a voice to a generation searching for more.

An early Oscar contender like this wouldn’t be anything if it didn’t have great performances, and thankfully the movie hit the nail on with it’s perfect casting. Saoirse Ronan delivers fine and often in many scenes that ask a lot of her emotional range. It’s really impressive how the film showcases Eilis’s tranformation without presenting it in an obvious manner. Her story is constructed piece by piece, and the audience will notice that growth in a final scene that will leave you happy for her character. Ronan continues to impress after roles in films like “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, “Atonement”, and “The Lovely Bones”. Her role as Eilis is without question her best to date, and should warrent her Oscar consideration. Emory Cohen is also a young actor who many will come to respect for years to come. After his moving turn in “The Place Beyond The Pines”, I started to take notice of this young man, and he gets more time to shine in this film. He feels right at home in a role as that kind of 50’s charmer whose most dangerous moves were the romantic lines he expressed. The relationship of Eilis and Tony (Cohen) is a thing of beauty to see, mostly because it establishes so much importance to their relationship while keeping it clean romantically. They are a pure reflection of the classic Hollywood couples we have come to know and adore. As for the rest of the cast, we are treated to a mostly dominant Irish cast that dazzles with ease. I particularly recommend a closer look at Julie Walters as Eilis’s house mother in America. She gave the movie it’s well timed laughs, proving this is much more than just another drama.

If I did have a single problem with the film, it came in the third act of the film, when some conflict is created that I feel the movie simply didn’t need. MINOR SPOILERS – Eilis must go back home to Ireland after the passing of someone very close to her, and as a result, she leaves behind her relationship with Tony when it is at it’s strongest. While in Ireland, she meets someone who makes her question things, and presents a kind of kink in her wonderful existence at home. This part of the film felt very forced to me, and I feel like the film was doing strong enough communicating that this was a film about the fears of starting over in a foreign land. Even worse, this new development doesn’t feel believable from a moral standpoint for our main character after several establishing actions that paint her in a respectable manor. When the smoke clears, the film just ends because it feels like it invested too much into this particular arc, and it’s definitely the weak point in an otherwise nearly perfect film.

8/10