Kneecap is officially Ireland’s entry to the Best International Feature category at the Oscars. It is a mildly-fictionalised Irish language biopic following the rise of Irish-speaking, middle-finger-giving, drug-dealing West Belfastian rappers Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (Mo Chara), Naoise Ó Cairealláin (Móglaí Bap) and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí) during the aftershock of the Troubles. As stated by Liam Óg—“it’s like the trauma our ancestors suffered has inserted itself in our genetic code”.
Although a lot of the comedy during the film is built on specific reference to Irish history, the script and timing is so witty, complete with slick boyish hand-written scribbles over the screen (that hints somewhat at Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting), the comedy works throughout, regardless of how much you know about Irish history. This is helped by the depth of the character’s backstories, which brilliantly immerses the audience into the world of 2010s Belfast. We are entrusted with the knowledge that Naoise’s former Republican paramilitary dad has faked his death to escape from the likes of Detective Ellis, highlighting themes of identity and the weight of familial legacy on Naoise, and on his shut-in and isolated mother, who serves to emphasise the psychological toll that such a life can take on individuals left behind and the lasting scars of trauma.
Liam’s story is less introspective and is mostly developed through his romance with a Unionist Protestant girl called Georgia— who (spoiler alert) turns out to be the niece of Detective Ellis, which crucially acts as a microcosm of the potential for unity. However, Georgia’s link to Detective Ellis signifies the weight of legacy and the unresolved tensions that still exist. By showcasing these contrasting attitudes, Kneecap emphasises the possibilities of reconciliation while acknowledging the difficulties posed by the past.
Ultimately, this dynamic between Liam and Georgia is a clever way of encapsulating the broader struggle for a more peaceful future amidst the lingering shadows of historical conflict. The film begins with Mo Chara, held in police custody after being caught drug-dealing in a rave, who refuses to speak English to his nemesis, the pro-British Detective Ellis. This results in teacher and musician JJ Ó Dochartaigh being awoken in the middle of the night to hastily interpret what makes a hilarious scene between the three characters.
During this interrogation, JJ discovers Mo Chara’s notebook of anti-authoritarian, drug-fuelled, Irish language lyrics, puts them to music, and (then following a brilliant scene of Mo Chara’s run-in with the Orange Order) Kneecap is born and quickly gains popularity with the Belfast youth, to the horror of Detective Ellis, and the Republican Action Against Drugs. Interestingly, Kneecap gains fame amidst the political atmosphere of the cultural fight for Irish language to be recognised as an official language by the state, which creates a tension as to whether Kneecap’s identity as “low-life-scum” and “hoods” in their rapping is a positive or negative publicity for the Irish language. This is explored through JJ’s partner, the public advocate for the recognition for Irish as an official language.
She suffers from the publicity of Kneecap’s lyrics during her TV interview, when the journalist utilises their negative, crude use of the Irish language in their songs against her arguments. Regardless of how the debate plays out, it’s very clear that the reception of Kneecap (band and film) has been inspirational for those wishing to learn, or those already fluent in Irish Gaelic. Seen as the effects of British colonialism can be felt in over ninety countries, and in many languages, I would argue the sentiment of this film could be felt universally and without a doubt will ring true for its Welsh audiences too.