Anything that is music based is always of interest to me and this one even more so with the use of the Irish language. I was very hopeful that it would be an interesting film and I wasn’t disappointed. The film was riotously colorful, unique and full of intriguing characters. While the story is fun, the music is the star of the film, with the creative hip-hop music showcased to perfection in this film about Belfast based trio Kneecap.

The film, Kneecap, is a comedy drama film about the Belfast based hip-hop trio, Kneecap directed and written by Rich Peppiatt. The movie depicts the rise of the group, how they came to be formed and created their sound, using the Irish language for their music. The film stars the actual band members, Liam Óg “Mo Chara” Ó Hannaidh and Naoise “Móglaí Bap” Ó Cairealláin as cousins who encounter JJ “DJ Próvaí” Ó Dochartaigh, a Belfast music and language teacher. When the three get together, they realize that they’ve created a unique sound and unite to get that sound into the world. But they’re hindered by the attention of police and politicians who don’t like the group being figureheads for the civil rights movement to save the Irish language. Even Naoise’s father, Arlo (Michael Fassbender) gets involved leading to a clash between the pair. But in the end, their chaotic style, while bringing them trouble, also leads them to success.

The film’s writing embraces the chaotic style of the trio Kneecap and this vision is part of what makes the film so unique and highlights the music. As the movie stars the actual band members, the audience gets the authentic sound of their songs and everything is performed by the three men. The anarchic lyrics and embrace of drugs, sex lends the biopic authenticity especially as you see the power of the music, that language and music have the power to change the world. And it is interesting that the more the language is restricted and the music, the more listeners it brought Kneecap because their words touched a chord with their listeners. That power of music is clear in the film.

The story overall does a solid job highlighting how the three men met and got together. While there are times in the film that the story can be disjointed or disconnected, by the end of the movie, all of the various elements are brought back together in hilarious ways. I especially liked the connection between Arlo and his son Naoise, both the struggle between them but also how much both Naoise and Liam both learned from him. Noise’s mother Dolores (Simone Kirby) has an equal impact on the group with her fiery courage and willingness to aid them in getting their music on the radio. The scenes from all three, Naoise, Liam and JJ are hilarious as all three get themselves into trouble in various ways. 

The performances are fantastic by the three, despite not being professional actors. Perhaps because they are the real band members, the connection between them is clear even when they disagree and all of the scenes between the three are completely natural. The dynamic between them is fun adding to the comedic elements of the movie. All three are also talented with the more dramatic moments in the film as well. Michael Fassbender is talented as Arlo, adding tension and drama to his scenes with Naoise.  Simone Kirby is also talented as Dolores. Fionnula Flaherty is fantastic as Caitlin, JJ’s girlfriend and Josie Walker as Detective Ellis is powerful, especially in her scenes with Liam. 

While the comedy and the music are the highlights of the movie, the more dramatic parts are more uneven. While the film does build to a taut and fantastic ending, there are moments, especially in the first half of the film that are more chaotic and harder to follow. There are even moments when I’m unsure of the names of the trio. As a biopic, the film does a decent job of showing how Kneecap gets together and how they come to rise in fame. But I can only think how much more powerful the film would have been if the beginning of the film had been more focused. However, the story does match the group’s music and style so it does enhance those elements within the movie. I also truly love how much the Irish language is utilized in the movie.

If you like biopics, especially about language and music, I do recommend seeing this movie. It is incredibly good at showing a unique hip-hop style and it truly highlights the power of music and language, especially with so many languages dying everyday. I love the father and son dynamics in the movie between Arlo and Noise but most of all I love the music of Kneecap, along with the performances of the group, Liam Óg “Mo Chara” Ó Hannaidh, Naoise “Móglaí Bap” Ó Cairealláin and JJ “DJ Próvaí” Ó Dochartaigh. All three are naturally talented performers whether that is music or acting. Even when they are performing with other actors, they bring authenticity to the movie. The other actors in the film are talented in their roles and the music is the star of the film. 

Rating: 3.5 drugs out of 5.

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