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Cube Critic: 'Brooklyn'

  Play Now [6:09]

by Stephanie Curtis

November 20, 2015

Emory Cohen and Saoirse Ronan in 'Brooklyn'
Emory Cohen as Tony and Saoirse Ronan as Eilis in 'Brooklyn'.
Kerry Brown/Twentieth Century Fox

MPR Cube Critic Stephanie Curtis joins Jim McGuinn (in for Jill Riley) and Steve Nelson (in for Sean McPherson) to talk about Brooklyn, a new film that follows the story of Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan), a young Irish immigrant navigating her way through 1950s Brooklyn. The film is directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby, based on Colm Tóibín's novel of the same name.

"It is a beautiful film," Stephanie says. "I was thinking during the movie, 'I don't want it to end.'"

Stephanie describes Brooklyn as a coming-of-age movie. Ellis is a young woman falling in love (with Tony, played by Emory Cohen) and choosing a direction in life.

"It's also about homesickness and what an immigrant goes through when they leave home and they've got to put down roots someplace else." Stephanie adds.

Stephanie praises the work of the cast as well as the eye of director John Crowley. "It looks like a picture postcard from the 1950s," Stephanie says. "It's kind of sepia toned, but it doesn't feel sentimental, it doesn't feel sappy somehow, and I think a lot of that is Nick Hornby's screenplay."

With its compelling story and widespread appeal, Brooklyn a good pick for Thanksgiving weekend viewing. "It could be a Best Picture contender," Stephanie says.

Brooklyn is rated PG-13 and is playing at the Landmark Uptown Theatre in Minneapolis.

MPR's Cube Critics, Stephanie Curtis and Euan Kerr, join The Current's Morning Show to talk about films every Friday at 8:30 a.m.