User reviews

I saw this movie tonight as AMC's Screen Unseen mystery movie, so I knew less than nothing about what I was walking into. Whether you like rap or not, see this movie for the incredible cinematography. Ryan Kernaghan deserves awards for this movie. I've never thought to look up a cinematographer UNTIL seeing this movie. Spectacular.

The story itself is very powerful and makes you truly respect Irish people and their love for their country, while making a lot of laughs and not taking itself too seriously. It delivers a powerful message of the importance of heritage. If you're a proud Brit, might be best to sit this one out.

I went to the Cineworld Secret Screening last night which turned out to be "Kneecap". I'd seen the trailer, so was aware of the film, though I was wholly unaware that Kneecap are a real band, nor that the actors in it were playing themselves.

As one of a small number of Irish speakers in Belfast, JJ O Dochartaigh is called into a police meeting as an interpreter, where he meets Liam Og O Hannaidh who is pretending that he only speaks Irish to annoy Detective Ellis (Josie Walker). JJ sees a book of hip-hop lyrics, written in Irish, by Liam and his friend Naoise O Cairaellain. A music teacher, and in a relationship with an advocate for the Irish language, JJ sees the potential for using music to increase awareness. When the trio start to perform, they quickly gain a following, but the content of their lyrics makes them enemies in both the police, and with a dissident republican organisation that are against the promotion of drug use in the city.

"Kneecap" is quite the film to show to a group that aren't expecting it. Approximately a quarter of the audience in my screening left within the first 25 minutes, driven away by the explicit drug use, swearing and sex scenes as well as - let's face it - the most egregious problem for some people, subtitles. They missed a film I quite enjoyed (largely because of all those reasons I've just mentioned) but also because, despite the idea of people playing themselves in films being fraught with disaster (15:17 to Paris) the boys here actually do really well. So much so I couldn't believe that they were the actual guys and not full-time actors. There are professional actors in the other roles though, none more high profile than Michael Fassbender, who plays Naoise's father.

It's a genuinely funny film, that treats its subject matter with a light touch and tells a complete story. Comfortably the best of the musical biopics I've seen this year.

This middle-aged man brought his teen son to see the Kneecap movie and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. It was funny and engaging, i.e. There weren't any slow parts. By the time the ending came, I was wanting more, at least a post-credits extra scene. I am also a fan of the music and particularly enjoyed the many parts of the movies when the movie theatre volume revved up and we got to hear their Irish language rapping on the big screen.

I'm American so I need to point out that non-Irish folks need to brush up on their knowledge of the history including the Troubles which thankfully culminated in the 90s with the Good Friday agreement, as well as what's been going on in the North of Ireland/Northern Ireland the last several years, if you want to appreciate all the funny jokes and references. The complicated history can't be reduced to a couple of paragraphs but I'll try anyway. The English colonized Ireland and did all the terrible things that colonizing powers do - they stole land and resources, dispossessing the natives, and doing their best to eliminate Irish culture. Not that many centuries ago, the English made it illegal to speak the Irish language, practice Catholicism or even do Irish dancing. Catholics couldn't vote. Rebellion attempts were brutally stamped out. The English also stamped out rebellion attempts in Scotland. The English then "planted" hundreds of thousands of loyal lowland Scots and English in the resource rich North of Ireland. (The English meanwhile did their best to attempt to eliminate Highland Scottish culture (look up the euphemism "Highland Clearances") which is very similar to Irish culture due to the Irish culture/language spreading across the Irish Sea in their own time of expansion going all the way back to the 5th century. In fact, the Irish are responsible for giving Scotland its name but that's another story.)

Previous invaders to Ireland (Celts, Vikings, Normans) arrived with their own different cultures but eventually all got assimilated and became Irish. The plantation, however, worked - a distinct British, loyalist, pro-Union culture/nation formed in the North of Ireland and remains there to this day.

Throughout the island of Ireland, however, times were awful under British rule. Native Irish had their lands stolen, and many were given the option to rent a small portion of their former lands with exorbitant payments owed to the British landlords. The Brits changed the very economy to suit their own profits. Many native Irish farmers were forced to specialize in growing potatoes on their poor lands because it seemed easy to do so. Unfortunately in the 1800s a blight hit the potato crops leaving them inedible. Without food to eat or sell, the Irish starved or emmigrated. What about the fish in the waters around the Island or in the Irish streams or rivers? Under armed guard, the British had them exported. Although there were some charitable English subjects who sent help, the English/British government adopted a laissez-faire approach, explicitly stating the "Famine" was the Irish's own fault, that they were reproducing too much thanks to their Catholic views, and that they should be left to die for the sake of population control. In some places where food was sent for the needy, in order to receive the food you had to convert to Protestantism.

One of the worst parts of English/British rule was that there was no compulsory education. When you want to keep a nation down, by all means do not encourage education. A nation that was once considered the land of saints and scholars where people from across Europe would go to study was in desperate times.

Living conditions did improve for the Irish from the mid-1800s Potato "Famine" (Or was there never really was one since there was plenty of food exported by the Brits?)

In 1916, the Irish had an uprising. Initially, many Irish did not even support the uprising but that changed when the Brits handled it terribly, turning the rebels into martyrs. By the 1920s, the Irish got the Free State, but they had to give up a chunk of the North in the process. A gerrymandered pro-British, loyalist majority was created by literally drawing a line in the grass, so to speak. By the late 1940s the 26 counties formed the Irish Republic and got its independence, but those 6 gerrymandered Northern Counties remained Northern Ireland, or what nationalists would consider the "North of Ireland."

In the 1960s, in Northern Ireland, some pro-British loyalists/unionists who were almost all Protestant, started attacking Catholics. (See the movie Belfast which, while make believe, fairly represents some of the sectarian violence). British troops were actually sent in to protect Catholics, some of whom warmly received them. Again, the British troops screwed up, sided with the loyalists, colluded with the corrupt Royal Ulster Constabulary police force which was comprised almost exclusively of loyalist Protestants, and suddenly the IRA resurfaced to fight back and attempt to gain independence by the gun and the bomb, hence the "Troubles", another euphemism. Much bloodshed followed but in the 1990s, with the help of Bill Clinton and brave former soldiers and instigators on both sides of the nationalist and loyalist sides, a relative period of peace and reconciliation followed. This version of the Irish Republican Army (known as the Provisional IRA, "provos") and the loyalist/unionist terrorists on the other side put down the guns.

This is a good time to suggest watching Derry Girls on Netflix, a really funny, well-written coming of age series, to get a little education and a lot of fun and enjoyment. Tourism boomed in the following decades in the North. (If you are there, say in Belfast, take a black taxi tour and you'll be taken to sites on both sides of the conflict and to hear both sides.) But there is still tension. There are dozens of "peace walls" dividing the communities in some contentious locations. Gates close at 6 p.m. To keep the whole communities, not just the troublemakers apart. Some bridges divide the communities (such as the one in which Moglai Bop is chased by Orangemen after he steals a British baton).

So I've personally witnessed nationalists sing traditional rebels songs in loyalist areas to start trouble. Meanwhile, although many loyalists (who dress in Orange or British flag colors) parade to sincerely celebrate their culture, many troublemakers intentionally decide to parade through nationalist areas, cursing, threatening nationalists to start trouble. Loyalists also hold bonfires, some again to celebrate their culture, but some burn effigies of the Pope or burn the Irish tricolor flag to cause trouble and sow division. The corrupt Royal Ulster Constabulary has been disbanded, and replaced by "the slightly more diverse PSNI, Police Service of Northern Ireland. There are, however, dissident terrorist groups on both sides "dissies"). Dissident nationalist terrorist groups even threaten nationalist Catholics who join the PSNI! If nationalists want to gain power, by all means join the police and help make it a fair police force. I also briefly note that things are very different in the overwhelmingly Catholic (at least culturally) 26 counties. There is a small Anglo-Irish Protestant minority, but it's not like Catholics are attacking them there. Why not? It's much more of a political issue, in the North of the island, not so much a religious one anywhere on the island.

A few tips to understand the jokes: when Mo Chara has a loyalist/protestant girlfriend in the movie, note he screams a solemn nationalist battle cry "Our time will come" (pun intended) in Irish during the sex scenes. Meanwhile, she has a tattoo "Never surrender" (a loyalist battle cry) with the red hand of ulster on her back. The DUP is one of the main loyalist political groups in the North. Kneecapping was a real thing the Provisional IRA did to anyone, nationalist or loyalist, if they were caught dealing drugs. The RTE, which censored Kneecap, is an IRISH tv/radio media station, not British. Fenian is a derogatory term by the loyalists used to describe nationalists. Northern Irish nationalists football/soccer fans tend to route for the Scottish Glasgow Celtic team, which was created by Irish immigrants in Scotland, and loyalists route for the Glasgow Rangers. Stormont is the political seat of the North. The terms of the power sharing Good Friday agreement dictate that one side has the ability to effectively shut down the government, and the loyalists actually did so for a time in recent years. Thankfully, they have come back to the table. After their shows, kneecap makes appoint to say they do not hate the English or British. It's the British (Tory at the time) government they hate. Clearly, the British voters also did not like that government as the Labour Party is now in power.

The movie is great, but a lot of it is fiction. It was produced by an Englishman, and he did a fantastic job. There are some pro cross-community messages in the story, but I don't buy the female PSNI officer beating a nationalist with a billy club in the last several years. An RUC officer in the 70s-90s? Well, absolutely that's another time altogether. If you listen to rap music, you can't be the easily offended type, and you can't be surprised by drug use. In real life, you can't be successful, at least for very long, with the drug use shown in the movie. It gets 9 stars overall, and 10stars for messaging about the importance of culture and language....but 0 stars for the drug use messaging. That's not the point of the movie, however - because this is Kneecap and they unabashedly and genuinely show themselves how they are; that's part of the appeal. Kneecap members are unlikely representatives of the Irish language. Sure there's a little bit of Trainspotting and a little bit of 8 mile, but this movie is original. See it - you haven't seen THIS movie before and you won't again.

I had the pleasure of watching this movie at a film festival in Poland. I felt compelled to recover my IMDb account credentials just to share my thoughts because I believe the current reviews do not do it justice.

No other film at the festival evoked as much laughter from the audience during the screening. While there were many remarkable films, this one stood out as my favorite. From what I've heard, the audience reaction at Sundance was similarly enthusiastic.

If you're considering watching this movie, disregard the reviews below. True, it isn't an arthouse film, and it does advocate drug use, strong language, and police brutality. However, it is an absolute joy to watch. It conveys profound messages about the quest for freedom, self-expression, and defiance.

Most importantly, this movie is authentic. The main characters are played by the musicians themselves (and they do a fantastic job). It may not be factually accurate, but it excels at conveying the feeling and authenticity without being phony or pretentious.

This movie is pure punk, wrapped in a colorful and sweet package. I higly recommend it.

I watched Kneecap early as part of AMC's Screen Unseen. I had never heard of it so it was a fun experience going in completely blind.

Kneecap is a fun movie with likeable characters and some beastly music. As a rap fan, I was impressed with the rhyming as well as the HARD beats. And the movie overall is stylistic in a very cool way.

The themes of this movie stood out the most. It does a great job demonstrating subjects like cultural preservation, historical trauma being engrained in your DNA, and resisting against the control of your colonizer. As a Palestinian, all of these themes hit me hard.

The only downside I have is not being able to understand a lot of the dialogue. This is due to the accents and slang, as well as references to Ireland-specific terms. If you watch this in theaters, you may want to ask for a closed captioning device.

Erin go Bragh (Ireland Forever) and Free Palestine!

(1 viewing, early screening AMC Screen Unseen 7/22/2024)

This is an excellent and challenging film, but I expect may be challenging for some of those from the various Irish and Northern Irish communities - which I'm not. I should also add it's not for people who find the idea of prolific drug use/references and sting language offensive - if you're one of those, don't see this.

Is absolutely does help to have a little familiarity with the history of the troubles etc, but this film can also be viewed without that - it's a banging story about struggle and music, and almost feels like a really edgy, far more political reimagining of the Commitments - for the modern audience.

The music is excellent, whether you understand Irish or not (I don't). One of the reasons I went is because I'd heard a couple of tracks form Kneecap and really liked them - I'm in my mid 60's, so this isn't just for those under 20.

The story, acting, direction and script all come together in a really enjoyable and, ultimately, uplifting.

So, two best mates in Belfast have regular run-ins with the police. One is jailed overnight for claiming to speak only Irish (Gaelic) and requiring a translator to communicate with the police. These mates are low-level drug dealers who enthusiastically endorse their products based on personal experience. Eventually, they bring on a DJ and decide to form a hip hop trio called Kneecap (a reference to the IRA's habit of shooting drug dealers in the knees as punishment). Oh yeah, they decide that all their lyrics will be in Irish, hardly a shrewd business decision since only 1% of the population of Ireland (about 30,000 people) are regular Irish speakers.

From the outset, "Kneecap" offers a sustained level of manic energy, excitement and enthusiasm that courses through its crazy, chaotic, anarchic story in a way that's irresistibly intoxicating. Oh yeah, while liberties are taken - repeatedly, profanely - this is essentially a true story. The three key roles are played by the three members of the band, none of whom has any prior acting experience. Michael Fassbender ("Steve Jobs") also tags along.

What carries this project is the band's refreshing willingness to be brash, bold and bawdy, while displaying complete disregard for how their ideas, their lyrics or their story land with the audience. They rail about British colonialism (primary schools using the Irish language were not allowed until 1972; the first Irish secondary school opened in 1991). They advocate for Irish becoming an official language in Northern Ireland (finally happened in 2022). They unflinchingly offer graphic examples of police thuggery. During a press junket, one band member was asked whether he had any reservations about the level of drug use portrayed throughout the film. His response: "No drugs were harmed in the making of this movie." In short, this film is a hot mess offered with uncompromising directness.

Full disclosure, some story elements are fictionalized. For example, in the film the Radical Republicans Against Drugs threaten the boys because they are, you know, drug dealers. In real life, Republic Action Against Drugs was founded in 2008 and eventually merged with the Real Irish Republic Army in 2012.

As you've already figured, this is hardly a film for those with delicate sensibilities. For the hardy souls willing to submit to this onslaught of profanity, profundity and political incorrectness, it's exhilarating. Kudos to Rich Peppiatt, the British writer/director who helms this Irish manifesto without a hint of irony. Here's hoping Naoise Ó Cairealláin (aka Móglaí Bap), Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh (aka Mo Chara) and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (aka DJ Próvai) become household names - seriously.

"Kneecap" is certain to be the Irish entry for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. Don't be surprised if it's a Best Picture Nominee.

Greetings again from the darkness. The Troubles of Northern Ireland were a 30-year political and social conflict that officially ended in 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement. Even today, the pain and memories and divisions remain. Writer-director Rich Peppiatt's film is set in 2019 (West Belfast) and is billed as a "mostly true story" involving controversial hip-hop group Kneecap and the push to make Irish an official language. Early on we are told, "A country without a language is only half a country." A circumstantial fluke brings music teacher JJ (DJ Provai) into the world of self-described "low life scum", Naoise ( Moglai Bap) and Liam Og (Mo Chara) - drug dealers and wannabe musicians. Performing their raps in native Irish tongue, the trio inexplicably and by happenstance, becomes the unlikely face and voice of the language movement. The resistance they face is stout and sometimes dangerous ... yet possibly they remain their own biggest hurdle to success.

Another plot line occasionally rears its head - Naoise's father Arlo (Michael Fassbender) has been on the run since Naoise's childhood and is now a paramilitary figure pursued by the police, despite family efforts to convince he's dead. Popping up now and again, Arlo offers guidance and words of advice to the boys who face oppression and opposition from the conservative and proper forces fighting their rebellious nature and pursuit of radical change.

Adding to the interest level here is that all three members of Kneecap play themselves. With no acting experience, they are convincing enough in telling (mostly) their own story in comedy-drama style. They are also experts at flowing f-words. We have witnessed Irish chaos many times, yet director Peppiatt and the trio generate an energetic cheekiness that plays well in establishing cultural and class differences. This may not be the first story of drug dealers becoming lyricists, performers, and social influencers, but we certainly appreciate the moments of authenticity proving yet again the power and influence of music (even if the bouncing subtitles are a step beyond challenging). The 2022 Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act affirmed Irish as an official language, and Kneecap shows punk rebellion will carry on. Oh, and ask your friends, "What's the craic?"

In theaters August 2, 2024.

I saw Kneecap today in one of the best multiplexes in the UK. Interestingly, the entire audience (all 10 of us) were in our sixties and seventies and there was total engagement and no-one left before the lights went up. I spoke to one group of about 5 and they were all in agreement about how strong the film was. I lived and travelled in NI and Eire (as was) during the early 80s so truly appreciated the quality of the script. The acting was exceptional and the dark humour was right up my street. I'm not a big hip-hop fan and you certainly don't need to be to appreciate the film, but I've always rated Eminem and Die Antwoord very highly, and it's clear to me that the the latter were clearly an influence on the sound and style of Kneecap as an outfit. I will get this on Blu ray in due course, but I think I will be the only person in the household who 'gets it'. Hopefully my children will get at least some of the cultural references and enjoy the kick-ass soundtrack. If you get the opportunity, do give it a go as this film illustrates just how well a piece of art can be created using a very limited budget and authentic actors. Based on a true story.

Saw this on a secret screening, initial synopsis had me thinking, "oh I will be out the door in the first 15 minutes", but no, strong performances from all involved makes this an often funny, somewhat dramatic and rollercoaster of a movie following the unlikely events that end up forming the Irish Hip-Hop trio Kneecap.

It is easy to caveat this with "it will not be for everyone", which it will not be, many will not like the drug use, or the language, its context and suitable for the setting, and Kneecap uses these in balance to provide laughs along the way, as well as what has to be one of the funniest sex scenes in a long while.

One night after the premiere, I found myself in a cinema, eagerly anticipating "Kneecap." As a Swiss viewer, I was immediately captivated by the film's raw authenticity. Following the Northern Irish rap group Kneecap, the movie vividly portrays the gritty realities of Belfast, blending rebellious energy with profound cultural insights.

The film's power lies in its ability to transcend its local roots. Despite being set in Belfast, its themes of identity and resistance resonated deeply with me, even from a Swiss perspective. The visual storytelling is striking-Belfast's moody landscapes are rendered with a poetic beauty that draws you into the heart of the city's struggles. The soundtrack, a fusion of traditional Irish music and modern hip-hop, heightens the film's intense atmosphere.

What truly stood out to me was the film's exploration of cultural identity. In a world that often feels homogenized, "Kneecap" celebrates the importance of staying true to one's roots while navigating change-a message that felt particularly poignant in our globalized context.

In short, seeing "Kneecap" in the cinema, so soon after its premiere, was an unforgettable experience. It's a powerful, thought-provoking film that lingers long after the credits roll, leaving a lasting impression that crosses borders.

I can see people watching this and not liking some aspects such as the frantic subtitles and language use, music, or subject matter. Once you get used to these aspects, while navigating a somewhat shaky first act, you can settle in and enjoy the movie for what it is. It is extremely stylistic that focuses on the fun the Kneecap trio is having amidst a serious political backdrop. The more deep you get into the movie, the more it reveals its layers.

The beginning is a bit rough as it is setting up characters rather than the historical aspects of the film's setting. Perhaps of the musical trio of Kneecap were more known, then the beginning could be more engaging, although the real life actors do become interesting once you see where the story is going. We get treated to a movie that trusts its audience to understand how sometimes politics can turn into turmoil by people who take small aggravations into more than expected. You can have fun while making political statements, but the danger that festers around you can sneak up without you fully realizing it. Without realizing it, the fun of the movie, while never letting up, trickles in the serious factors thus making the film more deeper than its first act and therefore becoming really good.

Kneecap could've used a few more rewrites and some more character development. Perhaps there wasn't anything more to develop. Your inner desire to stand up for what you believe in can make your personally connect to our three leads and fill in those shallow aspects of these characters. There are sequences that you may not fully understand due to the focus on style versus wanting to teach the audience a history lesson. I walked away wanting to learn Irish history on my own and appreciate the story that was told.

It's hard to think a country could marginalize its native language to a point where there must be almost a civil rights movement to bring about its recognition. Kneecap does just that: an origin story about the titular ragtag hip hop band eventually galvanizing Northern/North Ireland to recognize Gaelic (That happens not until 2022).

Kneecap is energized by the sheer casualness of its players, many of whom were originals, and the endearing sloppiness of its production, like the lightness of, say, Spinal Tap. Although the Brit-influenced authorities are determined to stop the raunchy, randy group from promoting the cause, the boys endure censorship, incarceration, and the occasionally tart encounter. They are almost naïve about the consequences.

Along for the more mature take is Michael Fassbender's Arlo, a father but even more a leader of the language movement, who feigns death for years to escape the authorities. Like the "Troubles" that plagued Belfast and elsewhere for decades that spawned the powerful IRA, this seeming less-bloody uprising has its own gravity, given how language guys like me hold communication in highest regard for solving the clashes across the globe.

Kneecap is entertaining and historically insightful the way Branagh's Belfast was and differently Jordan's Crying Game, as a thriller, was for gender awareness and secondarily the Troubles. It's fun like Hard Day's Night or Commitments.

Learn something and feel good about young people with a noble purpose.

Watched this at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

Honestly, this one didn't do it for me. Kneecap has received lots of praise from the festival and while there are some strong moments, the movie as a whole is pretty basic, thin characters, and the emotional connection isn't as strong as I would have liked.

Irish and the UK conflicts are interesting and the movie explores the musical duo Kneecap and the language conflicts between English and Irish. As a whole, the narrative does have some interesting concepts but it feels like a wannabe version of Trainspotting which causes the narrative to feel too thin and becomes really predictable. The soundtrack is pretty good and the performances from the cast members were solid, although didn't fully wow me. Michael Fassbender was good as usual.

The editing choices is pretty annoying. Many of the characters have some interesting traits but unfortunately, I didn't fully connect with them and I found most of the characters to be too thin and pretty annoying. Maybe it's because I am not Irish, I don't really have strong attachment to the character's purposes and the motivations.

The direction was okay and there are some clever humor dialogue moments. But also, some of the dialogue felt a bit forced. The camerawork was basic and I did enjoy some aspects about the movie but not on an emotional level.

Overall, I can see why it was well-received at Sundance but it wasn't for me.

I'm going to watch it again- EXCELLENT!!! Reps much about Indigenous Oppression- by the Crown.

Dearest Lads, I don't to write about it and spoil it - for the world...

Just writing to have a wee minor correction: The story line and script is 100% on point... it's a wee correction.

For the love of Revolution and personal evolution- Please capitalize the I for Indigenous in the last scroll of the credits.... Please. I'm not a grammar or punctuation police - I am a proud Indigenous Grandma.

Carry on- Rap dance and speak truth to power!!

THANK YOU! Many many blessings and safe travels!

Medicine.

'Kneecap (2024)' achieves something very few biopics, let alone music biopics, achieve: it feels like a real movie, with themes and messages characters arcs and a proper narrative that would be compelling even if it wasn't based on true events. Arguably more impressive than this already impressive feat is the fact that it does this while having the eponymous Irish hip-hop group portray themselves. That's right, these musicians are acting as themselves in a fictionalised version of the events that led them to be in a position to get their own film. And you know what? They're all really, really good. DJ Próvai, in particular, is so convincing that you're constantly thinking he must be an actual - or, should I say, practiced - actor. The three members of Kneecap all know exactly what they need to do, perfectly matching the irreverent and slightly madcap tone crafted by director Rich Pepiatt in his narrative feature debut (yet another incredibly admirable element about the piece). The film really is a gem, something which perhaps shouldn't exist but instantly makes the case for why it does with a mixture of glee and reckless abandon. Its the kind of thing we've all seen before in one form or another, but it crackles with infectious energy and pulls you into its world almost instantly. It's a scrappy, no-holds-barred, wild animal of a movie with roots in the 90s but its finger on the pulse of an underrepresented but important contemporary issue. Just like the music of Kneecap, it's not really about low-life scum dealing drugs and making music (although it partly is); it's about reclaiming a language and doing your part in bringing it back from the brink of extinction, about standing your ground in a world that's increasingly intolerant to your existence, about demanding to be heard and seen. Really, it's all about bringing people together. What better way to do that than with some banging tunes? It's a blast and it even manages to make you a bit emotional on occasion. Regardless of how much of it is actually true, it's one hell of a biopic that's hopefully going to bring its subjects and their music to a much wider audience. It's certainly converted me into a fan. The more I see of these lads and their sense of humour and their ideological standpoints, the more I feel as though this film captured their absolute essence. It very much feels like one of their songs. It's great.

I saw this film at the IFI Cinema in my home city of Dublin, Ireland on Saturday the 17th August 2024. It's kinda crude but it's brilliant and also very funny. I laughed a bit. The acting is very good.

This film is produced in both Ireland and Northern Ireland (known as the North as I refer to) as we know.

It's probably one of the best Irish-language films of all time. I've been learning Irish for a long time. I always love learning Irish. Irish is one of my favourite foreign languages to learn. It's a really interesting language.

If you love learning Irish, you'll definitely enjoy this film.

Two lads with little by way of opportunity hook up with a school music teacher (DJ Próvai) whose wife "Caitlin" (Fionnuala Flaherty) is fighting for the legalisation of the Irish Gaelic language. Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara play themselves as two "low life scum" who have been taught to weaponise their language by "Arlo" (Michael Fassbender) who has decided that it's probably safer for him to die in a fatal accident at sea before the authorities catch up with him. With his ma unwilling to leave the house, Móglaí and his pal start to realise that there is a great deal of power in honestly crafted lyrics that cut through the politics and resonate directly with sections of the population consistently under-represented by mainstream media, radio, music... Thing is, though, the peelers aren't so keen on this subversion and led by "Ellis" (Josie Walker) whose niece "Georgia" (Jessica Reynolds) just happens to be Mo's on/off sex buddy, are quickly on their case. They've also attracted the attention of some radical republicans who ostensibly don't like the fact that a fair whack of their words relate to horse tranquillisers and other drugs they get sent through the post from abroad disguised as toys and DVDs. With the cops on one side and the fed-up paras on the other, not to mention their third wheel struggling to keep his involvement as under wraps from his school and his missus as he can, these lads don't have their problems to seek. It's unashamedly republican in sentiment and if that's not your position in the scheme of Northern or North of Ireland politics, then this might border on the offensive. It's fairly comprehensively anti-British. However, as these guys get up an head of steam you can't help but like them and want them to succeed in achieving their own sort of freedom from an oppression that is as much to do with their own futures as it has for the broader solution for their homeland. Their writing is ripe and pithy with loads of craic, a little violence but ultimately a message of hope and optimism that exemplifies the old saying about the pen being mightier than the sword - only in this case, it's the rap. It's course and brutal, and won't be for everyone - but you should give it a try.

It is interesting that the film is produced in a way that echos the point of the film: we won't engage people enough to learn and be passionate about something if we use the same old stale approach. This film tackles important and weighty issues such as language and culture lost to colonialism, sectarian division, and violence; but incredibly with great depth, thoughtfulness, humor and straight-up raunchy fun. It is the kind of film that has you laughing in the moment then continuing to unpack the layers long after you leave the theater. Kneecap's music was also very accessible and fun, and the band members (bad as they are!) connect wonderfully. It is hard to believe they hadn't acted before because they held their own alongside the pros.

'Kneecap' is fairly entertaining.

It's impressive how good the acting is given it stars the musical trio in acting debuts as basically themselves. Michael Fassbender adds star power, could've used more of Lalor Roddy (great in 'That They May Face the Rising Sun', fwiw) mind. Other pluses include the camera work and the music; never heard of Kneecap until now, though their stuff is merged in nicely. The humour is amusing too, arguably the movie's strongest element to be honest.

With those positives noted, I didn't find the story all that interesting - and there's a lot of convenience involved for it, as every character has a (too) direct connection to everything else. The main characters are a bit cringe too in moments, though the humour does admittedly just about shield that for much of the run time.

Overall, I'd recommend it. It has enough about it, for sure.

I have to tell you I've known of the lads for a couple of years through some of their music and TV interviews with VICE about the North of Ireland. I knew it was an Irish language film and had gotten a lot of praise at Sundance.

So I thought it will be an irreverent Sex drugs, and hip-hop is part of it is that but it's so much more It's irreverent, it's thoughtful, It's out and out hysterically funny and very poignant and strangely uplifting. What it has most going for it is heart and authenticity. The three lads never acted before they are great. Having Michael Fassbender in the film is always a plus one of Ireland's best actors. A film that can be political you can learn a little history and what it means to self identify and hold onto your indigenous language and be this much fun is a winner for me.

Kneecap (2024) Irish language film about the fight for the legality of the Irish language.... Central to this is a Irish hip hop band called Kneecap, the one one thing that Belfast is known for the world over (the Titanics didn't sound right)

Like most films which are promoted by a free cinema screening. They are A- Terrible and it's the only way people get to see it in the desperate hope that word of mouth creates a sufficient stir that punters pay to see it.

B- It's a film destined to be shown at 1am on channel 5 or stuffed onto the dodgy fire stick of life never to be seen again.

C- it's a feel good film, featuring a major film star to hopefully get bums on seats.

D- It's a true story so you give it a little more time and don't dismiss it straight away.

Like most of these films that I get from my sister. Who by hook or by crook manages to collect enough tokens from her cereal to get the tickets, or was it because she is a Sky subscriber, or she's subscribed to some dodgy film site on the dark web.

Either way she didn't want to go, painting her nails, shaving her legs or something much more exciting. Thanks sis.

One these occasions that I get these tickets. I tend to make the most of the occasion and in modern parlance " have a date night with my Mrs" .

These night are laced with fear for me, to watch a film with my much better half invariably involves her talking through the film, looking at her phone, getting bored and switching over , falling asleep etc. That said you can't do most of those things in the cinema so it's like it or lump it.

Back to Kneecap.

A- it's not terrible, it's actually very good, a little confusing for someone who doesn't understand or like hip hop or the political reasoning behind the film.

It does at times stray between comedy, political drama with a very heavy dose of violence which isn't something to laugh at. Yet It will cause a stir because it's like an Irish trainspotting laced with a healthy dose of Shane Meadows.()

B- its subject matter will have a limited appeal. More channel 4 than channel 5.

C-this film stars Michael Fasbender, think Next Goal Wins, with similar narrow appeal and was also promoted with free tickets.(another film that I saw by this method)

D- it is based on the real Kneecap and the band act throughout, they are actually very good and if their music careers fail I'm sure there will be directors round the block waiting to cast them in their latest venture.

So the verdict from me it was very enjoyable, but difficult to love because of it subject matter which I'm not a fan of and a lack of knowledge on the history central to the core of the story. I give it a solid dependable 6/10 with the promise that the film and its creators move onto greater things.

Ps my Mrs enjoyed it too, but there was too many subtitles she said ( ironic consider it was a film about the use of the Irish language).

In the past the kids (I'm not using the word 'youths' ffs) in the north of Ireland would vent spleen on their British occupiers by more often than not throwing petrol bombs, having dirty protests and the like but this is now and apparently things are all hunky dory. Apart from the British still ruling part of Ireland but that's a wee technically.

Anyhow, I digress, what really impressed me about this movie was how convincing the band are in their acting roles where they pretty play themselves fighting the Brits through the power of the Irish language and their music. Before you watch this I'd suggest you do a wee bit of research on the history of Ireland and how we got to this point.

The actual storyline isn't groundbreaking with a daft Bobby Sands type missing dad thrown in for sheets and giggles as well as a cross divide love story. What pulls you into the movie is the 3 unhinged daft eejits themselves who I've a feeling are pretty similar in real life.

I liked this film. It Was different. Good characters and acting for alot of newbies. Soundtrack is catchy too.

It is very juvenile overall. But it has a good message in it. If people are very serious about their Britishness, then they'll hate this movie 😆

Alot of drug use in it. This let's down what the band is really at its heart. But, it's still a great story and hilarious at times.

While this is a Northern Ireland funded film, it breathes some fresh air into the overall Irish film scene (which has been boring the last decade or so).

I'd like to see a regular TV show on these characters. It made the city of Belfast look great.