Brooklyn

The Book

Colm Toibin's short and easy novel is a small pleasure to read. It's not trying to be clever or convey any deep messages - just a simple story told well.

Eilis Lacey is a young daughter in 1950s Ireland. Her father has died and most of the other siblings have left the family home to make their way in the world. Unbeknownst to her, her mother and older sister Rose have arranged for Eilis to travel to Brooklyn with the help of Irish American priest Father Flood.

The unpleasant, rough journey in third class does not start the new life off well, but Eilis settles in to a boarding house with nicely sketched characters - all women trying to make their way in the world - and a shop assistant post at a local superstore. At a local dance, she meets italian Tony, who gradually charms her and introduces her to his family. As future plans are made, a tragedy back in Ireland recalls Eilis to her family. Tony and Eilis secretly marry in order to seal the promise that she will return, but is it enough, when family and friends in Ireland conspire to set her up with a suitable boyfriend?



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The Film

Brooklyn the movie is a gorgeous period piece, evoking all the mood and colour of the 50s, and a timely reminder of an earlier mass migration of population - the Irish to the USA - in these days of refugees and migrants.

It isn't made clear in the film that her family have arranged for Eilis to move to America - it seems to be her drive and ambition to go there with help from Father Flood (an understated Jim Broadbent).

The journey by boat comes across as less of a trial, as we are deprived of the awful descriptions of the seasickness and smells from third class. It generally feels a lot more glamorous than the hardships that the book describes due to the warm palate of colour.


Julie Walters, as Mrs Kehoe, the landlady in Brooklyn, steals the show whenever she is on screen and she is a pleasure to watch with great dialogue: the dinner scenes with all the tenants gathered round the table are some of the best ensemble pieces in the film.

The hint of lesbian impropriety by the superstore floor manager, lingering over a naked Eilis on the pretence of helping her choose a bathing costume, is removed, but we are due a whole film of 50s lesbianism with Patricia Highsmith's Carol very soon, so it was no big loss. It always seemed slightly out of place in the book.

The theme of home and what it means - leaving the family home for the first time; homesickness; the freedom of setting up anew and that strange haunting detatchedness when revisiting where you grew up - is the clear and unifying experience that viewers take from the film.