Monday was my day off so I spent it very responsibly…binge-watching the first season of Garfunkel and Oates and going to the movies. I loved Garfunkel and Oates, more about it later though.
I was excited to see ’71. It documents a British soldier’s experiences over a night in Belfast during The Troubles. In 2012 I went to Belfast for two weeks with my school. We learned about The Troubles and heard from active participants on either side.
I loved the movie. I thought the story, the actors, the visual elements, and the production values were wonderful. It feels like a documentary, which helped get you immediately invested.
I really enjoyed the costume design as well. The soldier takes a sweater from a clothesline and I spent a few seconds debating if I could make it. Being set in the 70s there were wonderful suits and fun short dresses. The colour palette was very muted; a lot of neutrals with the men’s clothing and uniforms with brighter additions on the women and children.
The movie was fast-paced, packing a lot of story into a short amount of time. At times I was a little skeptical about the events as they were unfolding, but it definitely helped to keep me interested in the story. I was a little confused about who was on which side until almost the end of the movie; I’m not sure if that was intentional or if I didn’t pay enough attention, but the confusion lent itself very well to the “I don’t know who to trust” theme.
While ’71 might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I definitely recommend it.
lifeisjustduckie 