Caitriona Balfe stars alongside Jamie Dornan (Image: GETTY)
The Oscar-winning film, Belfast, described as “heartbreaking” yet “unmissable”, is available for free streaming this weekend. The film, starring ‘s Catriona Balfe, Dame Judi Dench and Jamie Dornan, is a creation of Kenneth Branagh.
Set in 1969, the 2021 coming-of-age movie depicts a young boy’s life in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the onset of The Troubles. The film, which bagged the Best Original Screenplay Oscar and was nominated for Best Picture at the 94th Academy Awards, also features Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan and Jude Hill.
This weekend, viewers can watch Belfast for free on iPlayer, as confirmed by the . Other films joining it on the platform include the outrageous teen comedy Superbad, Aretha Franklin’s biographical drama Respect, and family favourite The Secret Life of Pets 2.
Belfast has earned an impressive 86% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with an even higher audience score of 92%. The synopsis reads: “Belfast is a movie straight from Branagh’s own experience. A nine-year-old boy must chart a path towards adulthood through a world that has suddenly turned upside down.
“His stable and loving community and everything he thought he understood about life is changed forever but joy, laughter, music and the formative magic of the movies remain.”
Caitriona Balfe stars in Outlander (Image: STARZ)
Branagh’s deeply personal Belfast has been stirring up powerful emotions among its audience, as reflected in the reactions from viewers, reports .
One fan was moved to comment: “Absolutely incredible and heartbreaking. All of the actors were top notch.”
The praise continued with another saying: “One of the best movies I’ve seen in years.” While a third chimed in: “Wow, the super rare five star review.”
Belfast star Caitriona Balfe acts alongside Sam Heughan in Outlander (Image: GETTY)
Another viewer was struck by the film’s blend of drama and music, saying: “Gripping and uplifting in equal measure, with a lively soundtrack. Unmissable.”
However, not everyone was captivated, as one detractor admitted: “I know this moved a lot of people, but I was mostly bored throughout…” Another voiced a similar sentiment, writing: “Everything this movie is trying to say is either unbearably surface level or non-existent.”
Despite these mixed opinions, the overall reception leaned towards the positive, with critic Josh Thayer of The Forgetful Film Critic especially lauding Caitríona Balfe’s performance.
He wrote: “The performances in Belfast are wonderful. Caitríona Balfe as Ma is achingly mournful as a woman who faces leaving everything that she has ever known in order to give her children a more stable and safe living environment.”
Belfast is available to stream on iPlayer now.