TIFF REVIEW: BROOKLYN; NOT JUST A FILM BUT A FILM THAT WAS A LONG TIME COMING JUST LIKE THE HEROINE EILIS LACEY'S JOURNEY OF PERSONAL DISCOVERY.

In 2012, I read the novel Brooklyn by Colm Toibin and I never thought that it would become one of my absolute favourite book. I picked up the book because I am a huge fan of actress, Rooney Mara and I had read on IMDB in 2012 that she was going to star in a film that was adapted from that novel. When I read the book and it blew me away! I told my friend and my mother, "you have to read this book! It's captivating!" It's a novel with a heart and emotion, that is while written. It also has an excellent and brilliant heroine Eilis Lacey that was-before-her time. 

Brief Plot--SPOILER AHEAD: 

Eilis (pronounced Elish) Lacey is a young woman who is unable to find work in 1950s Ireland. Her older sister Rose sets up wonderful opportunities that await her in New York so Eilis she emigrates to Brooklyn, New York and takes up a job in a department store while taking night classes in bookkeeping. While in Brooklyn she leaves in a boarding house with a few other Irish girls and Ms. Kehoe. Eilis meets and falls in love with a young Italian plumber called Tony (He's like a modern NYC-Italian 50's version of Prince Charming, I Love Tony). Eilis then receives news that Rose has died in her sleep from a pre-existing heart condition that she never told anyone about. Eilis has to return to Ireland to mourn, and she secretly marries Tony before she leaves. In Ireland she falls back into the town society easily. There  she meets Jim Farrell, who is interested in her. Eilis is forced to spend time with Jim and eventually starts a brief relationship with him.  Eilis then procrastinates about a return to her new life by extending her stay.. Eventually a local busybody, Miss Kelly, tells Eilis she knows her secret because Madge Kehoe is her cousin and somehow the story is out in New York. This is the turning point in the novel as Eilis realizes that her heart and her belong in America. She immediately books her return passage, telling her mother the whole truth and posting a farewell note to Jim as she leaves town by taxi for the docks. (Written with reference to Wikipedia). 

Rose wanted Eilis to have a better life than the one she was going to have in their town. That's why she sponsored her to go to America and why Rose didn't go herself because Rose was sick. Rose wanted Eilis to be an independent woman and not have her life decided by and scrutinized by the people in the town. Rose was ahead of her time too she too was well educated and played golf. 

The year 2013 came and went and Brooklyn never got released. I kept checking on IMDB and the date kept being pushed back. Then years went by and I eventually forgot about the adaption.Then there was a recast with Irish Actress Saoirse (pronounced Sear-sha)Ronan cast as Eilis. Then the date was set for 2015.Until one day while looking up an actor on IMDB I saw a trailer for Brooklyn. The  novel that I so dearly loved and waited for years to be adapted finally had a trailer.

Then...

A few few weeks ago:  I was searching for any TIFF Film that I might want to see. I then I selected coming of age in the category bar on the website (I personally find calling Brooklyn a coming of age film to be offensive to me as a mega fan of the book but anyway..) and Brooklyn popped up. And I lost my breathe. FINALLY I COULD SEE A FILM IVE BEEN WAITING THREE YEARS FOR AT TIFF BEFORE IT COMES INTO THEATRES! 

A few weeks ago: The day TIFF tickets came out I went on line and stood in the "virtual queue" as they call it and I selected tickets for Brooklyn for the premiere at TIFF, 2 tickets; one for me and one for my cousin (they are $40 a pop and a premiere is when there is a red carpet and the actors are there) and then when I finished checking out I was devastated because they said they were sold out! The premiere and the second screening! SOLD OUT! But the tickets were in my shopping cart! So I was pissed for about a week and bitter when I saw tiff ads or tiff posters or watching Etalk. This would year would be the first time in five years that I have not been to festival! I go every year and I really look forward to it! I was so shocked because it seemed that so many of the films were sold out! Over the years I have bought tickets the morning of a film and gone to see it tickets were widely available! 

Yesterday (Sunday) : I woke up at 7 am on  and went on my computer because apparently there are sometimes tickets released at 7am for films that screen that day. I checked and refreshed the website on my computer 20 times until 7:05 because both the premiere and second screening were sold out so I went back to bed. I was very sick over this past weekend and although I wanted to go i the rush line for tickets to yesterday's premiere of Brooklyn, I passed on it as it was raining and I couldn't sit outside for that long as a sick person (Do I regret it Ive decided no because I was very sick and could barely talked so I couldn't have gone to the red carpet or the rush line. Im not mad at myself). Then that afternoon I was in line at Starbucks (a daily task) and there was a couple in front of me was talking about "how they should go to tiff" and how "it was easy to get tickets". So in my head I was like, "good luck losers!" Then I decided just for fun to check to see what was showing for today (Monday, 14th) and I couldn't believe my eyes! Brooklyn had a select tickets button beside the second screening not a off-sale (TIFF's fancy way of saying SOLD-OUT!). So I quickly typed in my information again (like the first time) and told myself "not to get my hopes up because there was no way within 5 hours there were tickets available". And sure enough the transaction went through! IT WENT THROUGH! and I called my mom and told her we were going tomorrow to go see Brooklyn!!!!!!!! 3 years in the making finally I get to see Tony and Eilis and Rose and Jim on the BIG SCREEEEEEN! 

Today: I went to the TIFF box office and picked up my tickets and made sure they were for Brooklyn and then I decided that for sure this was the real deal. Then I stood in a line that rapped around the back of the Winter Garden Theatre and the line was so long that I thought, 'all these people cannot be going to see Brooklyn!" and sure enough there was another film being screened a few hours later. So I got into the beautiful Winter Garden theatre and watched Brooklyn (and I was the only person under 40 there..but thats beyond the point). IT WAS EXACTLY LIKE THE BOOK TO A T! Exactly what I imagined when I read the book over 3 years ago! The actors were all Irish and did a FABULOUS job! Saoirse was the perfect Eilis ( Sorry Rooney but Im sure you would have done just as well!) And Emory Cohen as Tony (I love Tony) was right on the money with the Brooklyn accent and the "Tony" mannerisms. Perfection. Nick Hornby adapted it beautifully it was just as I imagined it would be! WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!!! I laughed and cried many times including 5 mins in to the film and the end and when rose dies and when she marries Tony (okay I cried a lot but I knew what was going to happen and I had been waiting for 3 years for my favourite novel to make its big screen debut! SO. Many. Emotions.) I basically was teary eyed the whole film, when I wasn't laughing. 

BROOKLYN: 5 STARS! A MUST SEE! IN THEATRES NOVEMBER 2015.

So I am so so so so so so fortunate that I got to see Brooklyn at TIFF considering 48 hours ago I was not going. Although I didn't go to the premiere because it was sold out and I was very sick I still got to see a film that I had been waiting for and fantasizing about for 3 years. My favourite book finally made its Hollywood debt!!!! 

PS I feel a lot better today than I did yesterday so Im so glad I was able to go today! :-) 

PPS: Personal Confession: I have had a crush on the fictional character Tony from the novel Brooklyn and the film has reinforced this.

BROOKLYN; NOT JUST A FILM BUT A FILM THAT WAS A  LONG TIME COMING JUST LIKE THE HEROINE EILIS LACEY'S JOURNEY OF PERSONAL DISCOVERY. THE BEST FILM OF 2015, SORRY CINDERELLA! 

MY FAVOURITE REVIEW FOR BROOKLYN THE NOVEL: 

"A compelling characterization of a woman caught between two worlds...A fine and touching novel, persuasive proof of Toibin's ever-increasing skills and range."