A Belfast Story (2013) Reviews

• Pleasantly Surprised

  AlexG1012013-09-20

  I must admit I was skeptical about this one at first but I thought I'd at least give a local film a chance. Let me say this; I was pretty surprised. Going in expecting some sort of troubles rehash the first few scenes immediately set the film in a more gritty reality. With a nice balance between familiar scenery and bloody murders the film flows better than I'd have thought and haunting music gave the whole piece additional atmosphere. Colm Meaney certainly pulled his weight as an aging detective alongside a cast which seemed to be entirely Irish (which was nice, none of those awful fake accents American films are always using). The only non-local I noticed was Malcolm Sinclair and he was almost as good as Colm so it's easy to overlook. Over all the acting pleasantly surprised me, proving our performing heritage once more. The concept is definitely daring and certain areas might struggle a little now and then from the sheer weight but having seen it for myself I'm surprised by the bad press it's gotten, especially for a local film. I know I myself will recommend it, a good film that is also locally made and acted deserves all the support it gets

• Dreadful movie

  Muntfunter2013-09-29

  Well, that's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back. I had high hopes for this, despite the furore around the press pack I was keen to see this movie and see how they would handle a (sort of) non troubles related movie. Well, the answer is they couldn't have got it more wrong. The acting was poor for the most part, Colm tries but you can't carry a movie with just one guy; the dialogue made me cringe more than once, cheesy and unrealistic (I live in Belfast but even allowing for a wider audience -come on!) and the characterisation and motivations were barely plausible at best. I still don't know what message they were leaving the audience with and I think that's what bothers me most If I could, I would have rated this 0 out of 10 but apparently that's not allowed.

• Great story line and the visuals were top notch

  jtodonovanmcrd2013-09-23

  I think the press in the UK and Northern Ireland gave this movie a hard time due to their issue with the press pack that was sent out (which was misinterpreted by the all too touchy reviewers). On watching it I thought it was a great concept, great story line and the visuals were top notch. Maybe the odd accent was a little off, but I've seen bigger productions with the same. The initial animation on the history of northern Ireland was fantastic! There was a couple of jumps during the movie that I quite liked. And the questions raised really are relevant to the current Irish political climate, post the Good Friday Agreement. Overall it was worth the watch and is leaves you thinking about Justice, Peace, Revenge, Forgiveness and what they really mean.

• This goes beyond bad!!!

  mrmorrison382013-10-05

  I don't know how anyone can rate this film as being even passable. The plot, which could have had merit dependent on your personal political opinion, was stretched and finally shredded. Too many insignificant, meaningless but pompous characters with banal drivel for lines and all the emotion of a gutted cod. I felt genuinely sorry for Colm Meaney who, I am sure, will sincerely hope this offering is consigned to the wastebin of time very quickly. here are a few points: 1. As far as i am aware Poles or Lithuanians did not engage in an armed struggle in Northern Ireland never mind get to the heights of First Minister. 2. The Primary School which designed the uniform and badge doesn't even deserve credit. 3. There is probably more than one sole plain clothed officer within the Northern Ireland Police Service. 4. Chief Constables would not tend to meet informants whilst dressed in full uniform, never mind attending murder scenes. 5. The police badge is modelled on the UPS logo. 6. If a gibbering idiot hid a 'burn' mobile phone in a flower pot in a general office they wouldn't be high on the list of recruits for any terrorist organisation. 7. One particularly ridiculous murder, can anyone tell me how it occurred? 8. Platitudes never go down well with audiences so the 50 or so contained in here embarrass and then annoy in equal measure. 9. If a police force/service have enough sense to search a house and plant listening devices they might actually have the sense to search the garages 30 feet away. 10. Why oh why didn't someone who actually had a brain take the idea to a professional film company with a competent cast, good cinematographer and above all a sensible script writer. I am actually ill with the thought that a wider audience, around the world, will watch this and think it bears any semblance to my country or the local 'talent' is indicative of what we actually have here. Please, please , please take the financial hit and withdraw this dross immediately. I know that some films are so bad they develop a cult status but this goes way beyond that. The worst film I have seen in my lifetime, and i went to the cinema to see Hit-man!!!

• A belfast snorey...

  MyaGolightly2014-05-12

  As a irish person, and a film fan... Where to begin? Inconsistencies from start to finish And the whole story was really improbable, anybody who has lived through the troubles would know that this would not happen... Very little ' belfast ' in the Belfast story, the houses looked English and never saw the city once When the detective bit his glasses like columbo i wanted to vomit Happy ending? I hope so.. But it was a little one sided Visual effects didn't have continuity, as car bomb happened, which didn't destruct side of house Police car was not an irish police car 2/10 because it was low budget Watch in the name of the father instead x