sincere, quietly moving and wonderfully constructed, "Belfast" ...capturing what it's like to love the very same place that has let you down and crushed your dreams. A beautiful film about the roots that bind – and hurt
Kenneth Branagh's drama is soft-focus coming-of-age nostalgia; Branagh's genuine affection and nostalgia for his subject suffuse the movie; if only the misty romanticism of his story could match it
Kenneth Branagh's "Belfast" is a stirring coming-of-age portrait with magnificent performances; Jude Hill's enthusiasm carries so much of the movie that whenever fear or sadness get the better of him, it feels more pronounced and heartbreaking
Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe have terrific chemistry; 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
its beautiful direction, cinematography and touching story of family and love make it truly memorable and impactful. Belfast is as much a love letter to family as it is to the people of Belfast who stayed, who left and who always carry it in their hearts
it's a poignant journey back to a childhood charged with trauma; Kenneth 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
"Belfast" is a beautiful love letter from Kenneth Branagh; His writing and direction drip with affection and love for the story he's telling; Absolutely beautiful and consistently touching, this is something truly special
"Belfast" avoids many of the cliches in favor of a more personal look back, through child's eyes. 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
by Joey Magidson [Awards Radar ]
