Kneecap (2024)
Directed by: Rich Peppiatt
Premise: A biopic about the Irish hip hop trio. Two drug dealers (Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh and Naoise Ó Cairealláin) connect with a music teacher (JJ Ó Dochartaigh) and they create politically charged hip hop music that challenges the authorities in Belfast.
What Works: Kneecap is a story of rebellious young characters creating music that is countercultural and politically provocative and this film is made with a style and sense of fun that suits the characters and their music. The story is set in Belfast in the post-Troubles era. Although a lot of the political violence has subsided, tensions remain and, as portrayed in Kneecap, expressing a political opinion is still risky. Political matters are paralleled by a concern for the Gaelic language which is disappearing and Irish activists work to preserve their linguistic heritage. The music of Kneecap is performed in their native tongue. The language combined with the band’s lyrics makes for a provocative combination. Kneecap has a specific sense of place. Belfast is portrayed as a tough working-class city but the characters have a great deal of range. This portrait of the city reveals a complex grid of political and cultural interests with the band operating at the center of it. The filmmaking is fun and Kneecap has a punk rock attitude but also quite a bit of humor. The filmmakers realize that they don’t need to oversell the politics and focus on the gleeful provocation of Kneecap’s music. The picture incudes non-diegetic elements such as illustrations and text that simulate the scribblings in Liam’s notebook. As in The Commitments, the filmmakers establish a connection between the Irish and African American experience which translates into an admiration for the music. This isn’t just hip-hop posturing. The filmmakers include references to Black American culture in the murals and other art seen in the background. And like a lot of hip hop, politics are inextricable from Kneecap’s music. These guys have something to say and put themselves at risk to say it which makes their music and this film really interesting.
What Doesn’t: Like a lot of musical biopics, Kneecap has to be understood at least partially as a promotional piece. The movie was made in cooperation with Kneecap and the band members play themselves. The filmmakers don’t have any critical distance from their subject. Given the vulgarity, drug use, and sex, it may be odd to describe this film as sanitized but the band members lack any compromising and complicated personal qualities. JJ, Liam, and Naoise might be foul mouthed drug dealers but they’re always on the right side of every issue. The film’s take on politics and the band itself is carefully designed to keep us on their side and avoid any complicated questions. It’s all rather simplistic and serves the musician’s interests.
Bottom Line: Kneecap is a very good musical biopic comparable to The Doors and Straight Outta Compton. It’s very friendly to the band but Kneecap is made with raucous energy and blue humor while possessing some political insight.
Episode: #1008 (August 11, 2024)