You would be wrong to think that Brooklyn is entirely a romance. It's about an Irish immigrant love triangle, sure, but this is far from Felicity territory (although it will delight the teenage girl in each of us). That said, Brooklyn offerrs much more than the WB network of yore. Whereas the "rom" in a typical rom-com provides one-dimensional characters and blatantly un-feminist motivations, in Brooklyn, the "rom" elements are an impetus to showcase greater themes — something that will delight discerning film-goers who, despite their best intentions and better judgment, can't stay away from weepier fare. A closer look reveals a strong story about the female experience, both in the film's 1950s setting and in contemporary Western culture at large, due in part to Nick Hornby's well-crafted screenplay. As lead character Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) dallies between doltish nice guy American Tony and well-bred Irishman Jim, she shares her experiences with the large cast of women in her life (one of whom is the excellent Julie Walters). Brooklyn is about more than choosing between lads. This is about choosing between fates in an era of newly won independence. From our vantage point in a time when these choices are genuinely available to young women, it's exciting to have a romantic film that not only captures that reality but celebrates it.
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