Brooklyn is a beautiful film about the immigrant experience in 1950s Brooklyn. It is tough at first but life gets better for Ellis Lacey, no doubt a reference to Ellis Island. The movie feels authentic. It paints a picture of Brooklyn that is diverse, with the Irish (played by Irish actors) and Italians interacting daily (and I love the accents). Despite the big city feel, she finds an immigrant community that is supportive. The costumes and the sets look like they come straight from the the middle of the century. It is a very believable story--Ellis has problems that an immigrant girl would have being homesick and missing her family and feeling alone. Saoirse Ronan plays Ellis brilliantly. She comes into her own as a strong young woman, growing up with her character in the span of the film.
What is perhaps most extraordinary about this movie is that it is simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming. Nick Hornby wrote a very emotional screenplay that is deeply moving and sometimes quite funny. It is a story about home (it's where the heart is) and community and love. Overall, it is a gorgeous story that is really well done.
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