This Irish band has enough shamrocks to carry their own film.
When being interrogated, a young man named Liam is asked by the detective: “Do I look like I want to read f***ing subtitles?” and he responds in the Irish Gaelic language: “If you could read, you wouldn’t be a f***ing peeler now, would you?”
The language was the country’s first language until the 19th century, when they adopted to the English language. And as of today, it’s mostly spoken in its district Gaeltacht. And when movies want to express the dialogue, subtitles should be provided.
“Kneecap,” the latest film released by Sony Pictures Classics, is not only its own version of how the Irish hip-hop group came to be, or the first Sundance Film Festival entry to use the Irish language but it also serves as a fight to preserve it. The results can be funny or pulsating, which makes me imagine of Guy Ritchie should direct Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in a hardcore comedy. By “hardcore,” I mean with all the cursing (the F word, the C word, etc.), the drugs, and the style which certain moviegoers can read between the lines. And by “certain,” I mean people who deserve originality and less formulas.
The band members-Liam Óg “Mo Chara” Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise “Móglaí Bap” Ó Cairealláin, and JJ “DJ Próvaí” Ó Dochartaigh-portray themselves in a partly fictionalized manner. At least I think so, because even as a film critic of Irish decent, I haven’t heard of this band before. But now I saw their movie, I’m glad I got to know them and acknowledge what cause they’re fighting for.
As the film begins, Michael Fassbender plays Arlo, the father of Naiose and Liam, who sets off bombs in order to fight for the cause about Ireland keeping its language in tact. And while on the run, he fakes his death on a fishing boat, which half the people believe in. So, while his wife Dolores (Simone Kirby) is moping at home, their sons are both dealing with drugs.
Then comes the Irish translator and teacher named JJ, who comes across Liam’s lyrics, which interprets the language into hip hop. When he asks the young man if he’s interested into turning them into music, he responds: “People barely listen to Irish hip-hop, let alone Irish hip-hop in Irish.”
They then form the band name Kneecap. Why? Because kneecapping is one of the things Belfast is known for. And since the teacher doesn’t want his face shown in front of their first crowd, they give him an Irish balaclava mask. He would now be better known as DJ Provai. And not even his wife Caitlin (Fionnuala Flaherty) knows about it.
And what isn’t a band without comments that they promote drugs, anti-social behavior, and violence? And what isn’t a protesting movie without those forcing them to withdraw from their act? Detective Ellis (Josie Walker) is one of the opposers.
I didn’t understand everything that goes on in “Kneecap,” but I did understand the message that the band is trying to convey. I apologize to my Irish ancestors for not understanding or learning about the language. But I still try to value their traditions without trying too hard. At the very least, I have been supportive of this movie and Kneecap’s band members. They’re all poetic about the cause and what they represent in Ireland. And writer/director Rich Peppiatt (“One Rogue Reporter”) presents it through colors, hallucinations, dialogue, and violence.
And like “Sing Sing,” which used real former prisoners portraying themselves with humanity, the band members are able to win you over and don’t make themselves look like sitcom caricatures. They look like Irish people standing up for their history and language.
