A musical and political film
Not to be missed Patellaa wild and vengeful Irish musical biopic, in which he shows off his trainers and dirty hip-hop in French cinemas. Rich Peppiatt’s first feature film, Patella chronicles the genesis and rise of the hip-hop group of the same name, consisting of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh aka Mo Chara, Naoise Ó Cairealláin (Móglai Bap) and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvai).
Appearing on the Belfast music scene in 2017, the Kneecap trio stands out for two things, which in reality are only one. The group speaks Irish, then Gaelic, and is very critical of the British kingdom. What is fascinating about Kneecap, beyond its energetic mastery of the codes of the biopic, is the entire political gesture that is staged there. Since for a long time Northern Irish people aspiring to the independence of their country, in a history of internal strife and violence against British authority, were forbidden to speak their language, these three young rappers decided to “make a nation” using this language as a weapon.
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An energetic and crazy biopic
We laugh and have fun Patellabecause like a good biopic and turbulent youth chronicle, the group puts on a show and uses a lot of drugs. The director thus has fun with their “journeys” and the funny situations that arise from them. But it is not just funny or stupidly endearing, since this daily idleness illuminated only by drugs is a contemporary variation of the alcoholism of their elders. Very recently, Saoirse Ronan explained to us that for a long time Ireland only had alcohol, music and humor to create community. A reality, that Patella summarizes with energy and humanity the disorganized and very sensible rebellion of these three Irish musicians.
The three musicians, who play themselves, have remarkable cinematography. Very talented in rap and music, they are also talented on screen, each developing their own storyline, partly fictionalized for dramatic purposes. Will Mo Chara be able to keep his girlfriend, niece of the policeman who wants to put an end to his small drug trafficking? Can Móglai Bap find a peaceful relationship with her father (Michael Fassbender), a former IRA figure on the run who is pretending to be dead? Will DJ Próvai, a discreet music teacher in civilian life, be able to keep his involvement in Kneecap a secret from the eyes of his partner, a civil rights activist like him but who disapproves of the group’s attitude?
A joyful and angry protest
Patella it’s fun and carefully curated to never get boring. It’s also interspersed with joyful musical sequences, where Kneecap’s sharp and catchy hip hop beat slips easily under the skin. Above all, it takes on a beautiful historical and political dimension, mixing the social and political tragedy of a people with the irony and second degree necessary to overcome it. And to illustrate Ireland’s anti-establishment history, the use of star Michael Fassbender is perfectly balanced, appearing here and there to fuel the family intrigue and embody this fierce activism in defense of his country and his language.
In a completely different genre and with different merits, Patella it is one of those international films that propose a modern local anthropology, like the Corsican film In his image by Thierry de Peretti or, closer to him, The Banshees of Inisherin by Martin McDonagh. Films that show a territory and its population, told by this territory and this population.
So, if we understand nothing of the Gaelic language, let’s understand the meaning given to it by the Kneecap group and their film. Their message is effective, engaging and above all liberating. They can be proud of it, because it is an Irish popular and revolutionary expression Tiocfaidh ár lá (“Our day will come“) can now combine with them differently: their day has come.
Source: Cine Serie
Ray Ortiz is a journalist at Gossipify, known for his coverage of trending news and current events. He is committed to providing readers with accurate and unbiased reporting, and is respected for his ability to keep readers informed on the latest news and issues.
