Brooklyn (2015 PG-13), directed by John Crowley, is a lovely romantic movie about an Irish girl in 1950’s New York City. Enjoy the movie with your girlfriends or teenage daughters, and without realizing it, you will learn some life lessons. Just close your eyes during the unnecessary sex scene.
Learn these four life lessons from this beautiful movie:
- Homesickness is like most sicknesses. It will pass. Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) is young and without prospects for marriage or career in Ireland, so she heads to a new life in Brooklyn. She feels alone and sad and doubts her decision. The Catholic priest who facilitates her move has those wise words for her. Feeling homesick will not last forever.
Even a bright green coat cannot hide Eilis’ nervousness upon arriving in New York.
- When you are down, help someone else, and you will feel better. The other girls at Eilis’ boarding house turn their noses up at serving the poor at the church Christmas dinner. As Eilis serves lonely old Irish immigrant men, her own sorrow is blended with theirs. When we help other people, we are momentarily distracted from our own problems, and we realize how blessed we truly are!
Eilis, second from right, is the only one from her boarding house who will help serve dinner to the poor at church.
- There is more than one fish in the sea. As you watch, notice all the young men who take the time to talk to Eilis. Any of them could become her young man. And then when she returns unexpectedly to Ireland, another man falls in love with her. Do not despair – keep your eyes and your heart open!
The stranger next to you on the bus may be a rather nice young man (Emory Cohen).
- If you need help, go to the church. Father Blood (Jim Broadbent) finds Eilis a place to live and a place to work, and does even more when he realizes she needs more support. The people around us who dedicate their lives to serving at churches are usually alert to help anyone in need, even today.
Look at how cheerful Eilis looks! Is Brooklyn becoming her new home?
When she gets married and goes back to her boarding house, that is when you should go to get more popcorn. When you get back to your seat, Eilis will be headed back to Ireland, and headed into the third part of the movie.
Life lessons for all of us, all in a lovely movie!
Movies Are Fun! 