Brooklyn, the Movie and Book

I watch TV through Hulu and they kept having advertisements for a movie called, Brooklyn. It was written by Colm Toibin. It was set in the 50's and was about a girl from Ireland, so I had to see it since I love Ireland so much. I'd also seen the lead actress on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon; I love her name, Saoirse Ronan. She plans the lead role so well. I can't imagine anyone else as Eilis.

The Movie
It opens on a family of two daughters and their mother. The younger daughter, Eilis, can't find full time employment. She works on Sundays in a shop for a stuck up Ms. Kelly who gives preference to more affluent customers while treating everyone else like crap. The movie centers around Eilis. Her and her friend, Nancy go to dances together where Nancy dances with her crush, George.

Eilis' sister, Rose makes arrangements with a priest friend for Eilis to have housing and a job waiting for her in Brooklyn. Ms. Kelly doesn't take the news well and immediately fires Eilis. She comments on how Eilis' poor sister, Rose will be left to care for their mother.

As Eilis boards the ship for her journey to America, it's too much for her mom to handle and she leaves before Eilis' ship leaves. On the ship, Eilis shares a room and bunk bed with a worldly traveler. Not knowing that a big storm was brewing and no one else was eating dinner, Eilis eats alone in the dining room. Each room shares a bathroom, with another room. Knowing of the impending storm and wanting to have sole access to the bathroom, the other room locks access to the bathroom from Eilis' room. She get violently ill and must use a bucket to vomit in and use the bathroom. Her roommate comes back and cares for her, putting a cool towel on her head. She encourages Eilis not to eat until the storms end. The seasickness and not eating have made Eilis' fair skin especially pale. Her roommate points out that this will be an issue trying to get into the US. If she looks sick, they won't let her in. The roommate helps her select clothing and apply make up to make her look healthy.

She breezes into America, her boarding house, and job. She's so homesick though. Letters from home make her more sad. Her glum attitude gets her pulled from the sales floor. Her boss calls the priest who helped her secure her house and job. He comes to visit her and brainstorms for her to enroll in bookkeeping classes in the evenings. That helps keep her preoccupied.

Her landlady likes her. A new awkward boarder joins the house. Eilis is stuck going to the dance with her. There they see their popular, beautiful roommates. Eilis dances with a guy who then ignores her to dance the second dance with one of the prettier roommates. A guy emerges from the sidelines and asks her to dance. He said dancing is about acting like you know what you're doing. She asks him to walk her home at the end of the night, so she doesn't have to walk with her awkward, new roommate. He does and they plan to see each other the next week for dinner and then the dance.

Next thing you know, she has a steady boyfriend, Tony. He's head over heels crazy about Eilis. He's Italian, but attracted to Irish girls. He works as a plumber. He meets Eilis after her classes get out and walks her home. One night, Tony blurts out that he loves Eilis. She freaks out. The next week, when he'd normally meet her after class she gets out and he's not there. Soon he runs up, work kept him late. She wants to talk about what he said. He doesn't and thinks she's breaking up with him. Instead, she says that the next time he says he loves her, she'll say she loves him too. He's over the moon. Soon he asks her to meet his family. Her roommates help teach her how to eat spaghetti so she doesn't embarrass herself. Tony is one of 4 boys. His family lives in a small apartment. He warns her about his honery, little brother, Franky. His parents and other brothers are pleasant. Then, in the middle of dinner, Franky blurts out, "We don't like Irish people." He quickly gets escorted out for words with his dad. He quickly comes back and apologizes.

Eilis is doing well at work and school. She passes her year 1 exams with flying colors. Everyone is proud of her. On Christmas, she helps feed the needy. She takes a day trip to Coney Island with Tony. There they go to the beach. Later, he takes her to the country in Long Island. He and his oldest brothers have bought a large piece of land. He shares their plans to split the land into 5 lots; one for their parents, three to sell, and one for Tony. He said it would be "their" house. He's not sure what she'll say, but she thinks it's a good idea.

One day at work, her priest friend, Father Flood shows up. He has bad news, her sister, Rose has died. Eilis' world seems to be crashing down on her. Grief overcomes her. Father Flood arranges a call with her mom. That doesn't help, but makes her feel so far away. Tony comes to support her. She decides she wants to go home for a visit. Tony freaks out about it as he feels she will go and never come back unless...she marries him. He doesn't feel a promise from her that she'll come back is strong enough. So, a sex scene commenced. Then they get married at the courthouse and tell no one.

She heads back to Ireland. Eilis and her mother visit Rose's grave and put a wreath on it. She looks at Rose's old room; it feels so empty without her, but still has her jewelry that she left on the end table the night before she passed away. She meets up with her friend, Nancy and gets stuck hanging out with Nancy's now fiance, George and his friend, Jim Farrell. Eilis feels set up and isn't happy about it. She wants nothing to do with Jim, until he catches her off-guard, by sharing his sincere condolences for the death of her sister and said he and his family attended the funeral. He spoke of how well-regarded Rose was. The golf club that Rose was a member of is setting up a scholarship in her honor.

Tony writes, but Eilis doesn't write back. It's like she's living a new life. Rose's coworkers send for Eilis as they have some accounting work piling up and need help. Eilis helps and continues to do so throughout her 1+ month in Ireland. She extends her trip to attend Nancy's wedding. She spends more time on double dates with Nancy, George, and Jim.

Jim comes from a well-to-do family who owns a bar with a house attached and has a house in the country. As an only child, Jim will inherit the bar and home when his family retires. They all enjoy beach trips and dinners out. Her mom drops hints of how Jim is a good catch. Everyone views Eilis as glamorous with her new clothes and other worldliness. She continues to be torn between two worlds and lives.

Jim takes Eilis and her mom to Nancy's beautiful wedding. Her mom is happy.

Rose's employer wants Eilis to stay and work there. It's like she can get her whole life back. She meets Jim's parents and they talk of their impending retirement. It's clear that Jim loves her and they're essentially a couple. Engagement is soon to come.

Eilis' former employer, Ms. Kelly sends for her. She's not sure why she's being called. Turns out that a cousin of Ms. Kelly's saw Eilis get married and knows about her new relationship with Jim. It's then and there that Eilis decides that she must go. She goes and immediately books her passage back to the United States for the next day. She goes home and tells her shocked mother that she's married. Her mother remains calm and says that her husband must be a good guy if Eilis picked him. Despite the fact that it's early afternoon, her mom says her goodbyes calmly to Eilis and heads to bed. She doesn't plan to say goodbye in the morning.

Eilis writes Jim a letter and leaves it at his home on her way to the ship.

One the ship, she befriends a young girl that's heading to America for the first time and helps her much like she was helped.

She heads straight to Tony's work and stands across the street waiting. He comes out, finally sees her, and runs to embrace her. The End!

The Book

The Differences

1. In the book, Eilis has three brothers that live in England due to not being able to find work in Ireland

2. It has Eilis doing training for bookkeeping while in Ireland

3. One of her brothers meets her and helps her get set for the voyage to America

4. She meets Father Flood as soon as she arrives

5. Things with Jim Farrell are a bit steamier than the PG content shown in the movie

Overall, I loved the first 2/3 of the movie and book. It took me back to a different place in time.