“Kneecap” Review
(From Left) Naoise Ó Cairealláin, JJ Ó Dochartaigh and Liam Ó Hannaidh play themselves in "Kneecap" an energized biopic depicting the rise of the titular rap group.
I haven’t really been impressed by the music biopic in nearly two years after the release of “Elvis”. Sure “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” was a fun ride but it’s more of a parody of the biopic than a factual account of a musician’s life. The big-budget films that have recently been made about famous artists have fallen short of their potential with “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”, “One Love” and “Back to Black” all feeling like bloated Wikipedia pages. For the biopic, especially a music biopic, to improve, there has to be a change. The film either really needs to take some risks with storytelling and story or it needs to focus on a group, story or song that audiences might not be aware of. Fortunately, “Kneecap” does both and really injects life back into the genre.
In 2010s Belfast, Liam Ó Hannaidh and Naoise Ó Cairealláin are young slackers who attend drug-fueled parties to get away from their hatred of the British state’s control of Northern Ireland. After an arrest leads to them connecting with JJ Ó Dochartaigh, a music instructor, the three begin to make hip-hop music in the Irish language which Liam and Naoise were taught by Arlo (Michael Fassbender), Naoise’s father who is a former revolutionary on the run from British authorities. Calling themselves Kneecap, the trio begin to play clubs and arouse controversy with their style and lyrics that propel them to popularity.
Despite never having acted before, all three members of Kneecap played themselves which was a brilliant move on behalf of writer/director Rich Peppiatt. Not only does it give the performances authenticity but, like The Beatles in “A Hard Day’s Night”, their charisma and energy shine through in a way that no actor could master. Why potentially have to teach a trio of actors how to rap and speak Irish when you could just use the real people who have proven to be adept storytellers? With all three members of Kneecap having their own separate arcs and relationships, as well as a main storyline concerning their rise to fame, no one fades into the background. How can they when the music is just so damn good?
In particular, Naoise’s relationship with his father is exceptionally handled with both Ó Cairealláin and Fassbender really nailing their scenes together. You feel the divide between the two as Arlo wants his son to find some direction and Naoise wants his father to stop running from the law and to be a part of his own son’s life. While “Kneecap” is certainly full of drunken revelry, violent brawls and plenty of uses of the c-word, or as an Irishman calls it, a Tuesday (I have Irish blood in me so that joke is fine), there is a strong sincerity to their music that makes the film compelling.
I’m sure most of you have never even heard of Kneecap but that’s part of the fun. Because the trio are lesser known musicians and they ingest plenty of drugs while they perform, there’s a freedom to the story. I’m sure some elements of the film were fictionalized and, if so, it’s not like the filmmakers are going to have to fend off thousands of angry fans who are offended by inaccuracies or missing details. Watching “Kneecap” is like discovering a wild new species of animal that you are in awe of, like if that crazy Irishman from “Braveheart” directed “Straight Outta Compton”.
There’s a punk feeling throughout the whole film that is mixed with some outstanding musical sequences which include translations of the trio’s lyrics. With infectious beats and words that provide a clear message of rebellion against British authority, the work of Kneecap quickly won me over as I tapped my feet to the rhythm of songs like “C.E.A.R.T.A”.
But underneath the music, the freedom fighting and the parties is a powerful story about the importance of language. In Ireland, only 80,000 people speak Irish after centuries of English influence and, throughout the film, the trio are told by people with authority to speak “The Queen’s English”. But everytime they are told this, it only deepens their desire to speak their mother tongue. It’s not just a language to them, it’s their heritage and part of that heritage is having to live separately from the rest of their island. The film isn’t just a celebration of the Irish language, it’s a celebration of the whole island whether it’s the country of Ireland or Northern Ireland.
While the whole history of Northern Ireland and the republican movement for independence is a complicated and messy one, especially if you look at the time of The Troubles as seen in Kenneth Brannagh’s “Belfast”, watching “Kneecap” gave me a fresh and modern look at the situation all wrapped up inside of a thoroughly exciting music biopic. With Ireland already submitting this film for consideration for the Best International Feature Film Oscar at the upcoming Academy Awards, I wish this film all the best. But with the already impressive amount of fame that Kneecap has already acquired, I don’t think they’ll need my well-wishes.
