19/21
When Fate Met Belfast Teacher J.J. introduces the confident “low-life scum”. Naoise and Liam Og, Needle Drops function in hip hop like no other, rapping in their native Irish and leading a movement to save their mother tongue. Ireland’s official entry in the Best International Feature Film category; 97th Academy Awards in 2025. Arló Ó Cairelláin: Every word in the Irish language is a bullet fired for Irish freedom. Movie Junk Podcast Reference: Episode 961: Violent in Nature + TIFF 2024 (2024). Belfast is performed by Orbital. I saw Kneecap today in one of the best multiplex cinemas in the UK. Interestingly, the entire audience (all 10 of us) were in their sixties and seventies and there was total engagement and no one was left before the lights came up. I spoke to a group of about five people and everyone agreed on the strength of the film. I lived and sort of traveled in the Netherlands and Ireland in the early 1980s, so I really appreciate the quality of the script. The acting was excellent and the black humor was right up my alley. I’m not a huge hip-hop fan, and you certainly don’t have to be to appreciate the film, but I’ve always had a great appreciation for Eminem and Die Antwoord, and that’s for sure. I feel like the latter clearly influenced the sound and style of Kneecap as an outfit. I’ll get it on Blu-ray in due course, but I think I’ll be the only one in the household to get it. Hopefully my kids will at least pick up a few cultural references and enjoy the soundtrack. If you get the chance, take it, because this film shows how good a work of art can be made with a very limited budget and authentic actors. Based on a true story.