Brooklyn
dir. John Crowley · 2015
Plot
Ireland, early 1950s. Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) is a young woman working in a grocery shop. She has greater ambitions and moves to Brooklyn, New York, leaving her mother and sister, Rose (Fiona Glascott), behind. She is terribly homesick but eventually settles down, finding a job, studying to be a bookkeeper and meeting a nice young Italian man, Tony Fiorello (Emory Cohen). Things are going well, but then she learns that Rose has died, and decides to return to Ireland, temporarily. She and Tony hastily get married, and then she sets off back to Ireland, alone. Life is about to get complicated.
Why watch
"Brooklyn" is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the immigrant experience, beautifully capturing the bittersweet ache of longing for home while navigating the complexities of new beginnings. With its warm visuals and deeply felt performances, this film invites viewers to reflect on the choices that shape our identities across borders.
Talking points
- the immigrant experience in contemporary society
- the impact of loss on personal identity
- the complexities of love and commitment
- nostalgia and its role in shaping our choices