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Kneecap (film)

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Kneecap
American theatrical release poster
Directed byRich Peppiatt
Screenplay byRich Peppiatt
Story by
Produced by
  • Jack Tarling
  • Trevor Birney
Starring
CinematographyRyan Kernaghan
Edited by
  • Julian Ulrichs
  • Chris Gill
Music byMichael "Mikey J" Asante
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 18 January 2024 (2024-01-18) (Sundance)
  • 8 August 2024 (2024-08-08) (Ireland)
  • 23 August 2024 (2024-08-23) (United Kingdom)
Running time
105 minutes[2]
Countries
  • Ireland
  • United Kingdom
Languages
  • Irish
  • English
Box office$4.3 million[3]

Kneecap is a 2024 comedy-drama film, written and directed by Rich Peppiatt, depicting the rise of Kneecap, an Irish hip-hop trio from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The film stars the band members as themselves, with Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds, Adam Best, Simone Kirby, and Michael Fassbender in supporting roles.

Kneecap premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on 18 January, the first film in the Irish language to do so, where it won the NEXT Audience Award. Its Irish premiere at the 36th edition of the Galway Film Fleadh, won Best Irish Film, the Audience Award and the Irish Language Feature Film Award. The film was released on 2 August 2024 in the United States by Sony Pictures Classics, on 8 August 2024 in Ireland, and in the United Kingdom on 23 August, by Wildcard Distribution and Curzon Film respectively. It was selected as the Irish entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.[4]

Plot

[edit]

In the late 2010s, Liam Ó Hannaidh and Naoise Ó Cairealláin are part of the "ceasefire generation" living in the Gaeltacht Quarter of West Belfast.[5] Growing up, they learnt to speak Irish from Naoise's father, Arlo. Arlo is a former republican paramilitary who faked his death to evade British authorities. As a result, his wife, Dolores, has become a recluse while Arlo lives in hiding and is disappointed with his son's hedonistic lifestyle and lack of initiative.

One night, Liam is arrested at a drug-laden party. He outrages the police due to his refusal to speak English, insisting he can only communicate verbally in Irish. JJ Ó Dochartaigh, a music teacher at an Irish-language immersion school, arrives to serve as an interpreter during Liam's interrogation. He helps Liam avoid charges and later hides a notebook of Liam's by taking it home himself.

JJ realizes that the notebook contains song lyrics in Irish and is impressed when he sets them to music. He approaches Liam and Naoise with the idea of starting an Irish-language hip-hop group. JJ convinces them that the music would be a way to bring the Irish language to an audience of Millennials and Generation Zers. Meanwhile, Liam begins a relationship with a Protestant girl named Georgia. Liam names the group "Kneecap", after the infamous punitive torture technique common in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

The trio create a track together during an all-night, drug-fueled recording session. They start to perform live, and their music begins to draw crowds. JJ fears the damage to his teaching career that might result from a public connection with Kneecap's vulgar and blatantly political music. He decides to perform as the anonymous "DJ Próvaí", wearing a balaclava to hide his face during gigs. JJ also conceals his involvement in the band from his girlfriend Caitlin, who is heavily involved in the campaign for an Irish Language Act that would officially recognise the Irish language in Northern Ireland.

As Kneecap grow in popularity, they face controversy for promoting "anti-social behaviour" and outspoken republicanism in their lyrics. A dissident republican organisation calling themselves "Radical Republicans Against Drugs" (RRAD) threaten and attack Liam and Naoise. The garage containing Kneecap's recording studio and their recorded music is bombed, and the group believe RRAD is responsible.

With a tight deadline to produce a new track for RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, the group break into the school where JJ works and record a song overnight. The song is initially banned from the radio due to its lyrical content, but after Dolores organises a protest campaign, the song is allowed to play and becomes a hit. However, with his identity as DJ Próvaí now public, JJ is fired from his teaching job, and Caitlin breaks up with him. After some hesitation, JJ decides to remain a part of Kneecap.

At a major gig, Kneecap publicly humiliate RRAD by playing an audio recording of its members demanding that Liam and Naoise turn in drug money over to them. In retaliation, an RRAD member in the crowd fires a gun and, in the ensuing chaos, Liam is apprehended and Naoise is captured by the RRAD. Police Service of Northern Ireland Detective Ellis, an Ulster Loyalist and Georgia's aunt, viciously beats Liam before confessing that she arranged for the studio to be bombed in an attempt to halt Kneecap's rise to fame, having previously warned JJ and Dolores of the damage it would bring. Meanwhile, the RRAD prepare to kneecap Naoise when Arlo arrives to kneecap the former himself. Arlo instead shoots three RRAD members and tells Naoise that he is proud of him and his music. He allows himself to be arrested while Liam is grudgingly released from police custody.

Kneecap's music becomes ever more popular despite the police and Detective Ellis doing everything in their power stop them. Meanwhile, Caitlin continues her political campaign for the Irish Language Act, Dolores is shown singing in a pub (having overcome her agoraphobia), and Georgia and other students of all ages and backgrounds participate in an Irish language class.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Jack Tarling and Trevor Birney produce for Mother Tongues and Fine Point Films, respectively. Rich Peppiatt wrote and directed the film despite not being an Irish-speaker himself.[6] For Peppiatt, it marks his feature film directing debut having previously directed the music video for the band's single, "Guilty Conscience".[7] The band themselves are cast in the film in their acting debuts. They feature alongside experienced Irish actors such as Michael Fassbender, Josie Walker and Simone Kirby.[8] Principal photography took place on location in Belfast in May 2023.[9][10]

Release

[edit]

The film premiered in the Next section at the Sundance Film Festival, the first Irish-language film to do so, on 18 January 2024.[11] Prior to, Sony Pictures Classics acquired distribution rights for North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Turkey and Middle East to the film.[12][1] The film is not being shown in Israel as a protest against the ongoing conflict in Palestine. Kneecap, known for their strong pro-Palestinian stance, made this decision to align with their advocacy for Palestinian rights.[13] Sony Pictures Classics later scheduled the film for a theatrical release in the United States on 2 August 2024.[14] The film was also scheduled to be the opening film at Sundance's London edition on 6 June 2024 and was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland in August 2024.[15]

The film has been selected for the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024 under the World Cinema section.[16]

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 132 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "A rebellious anthem for cultural preservation, Kneecap is as shaggy, rambunctious, and lovable as the eponymous hip hop group at its center."[17] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 76 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[18]

Carlos Aguilar of Variety gave the film a positive review, writing, "Bursting with unruly energy that practically escapes the confines of the screen, Kneecap is a riotous, drug-laced triumph in the name of freedom that bridges political substance and crowd-pleasing entertainment."[19]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Sundance Film Festival 26 January 2024 NEXT Audience Award Kneecap Won [20]
Sydney Film Festival 16 June 2024 Sydney Film Prize Nominated [21]
GIO Audience Award for
Best International Feature 		Runner-up [22]
Galway Film Fleadh 14 July 2024 Best Irish Language Feature Film Won [23]
Best Irish Film Won
Best Audience Award Won
Clio Entertainment Awards 14 November 2024 Theatrical: Trailer "Kneecap Redband Trailer"
by Silk Factory for Curzon Film 		Won [24]
European Film Awards 7 December 2024 European University Film Award Kneecap Nominated [25]
European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI Rich Peppiatt Nominated [26]
Astra Film Awards 8 December 2024 Best International Feature Kneecap Pending [27]
British Independent Film Awards 8 December 2024 Best British Independent Film Rich Peppiatt, Trevor Birney, and Jack Tarling Won [28]
[29]
[30]
Best Director Rich Peppiatt Nominated
Best Debut Director Nominated
Best Debut Screenwriter Won
Best Joint Lead Performance Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh Won
Best Screenplay Rich Peppiatt Nominated
Best Casting Carla Stronge Won
Best Cinematography Ryan Kernaghan Nominated
Best Costume Design Zjena Glamocanin Nominated
Best Editing Julian Ulrichs and Chris Gill Won
Best Music Supervision Gary Welch and Jeanette Rehnstrom Won
Best Original Music Michael "Mikey J" Asante Won
Best Production Design Nicola Moroney Nominated
Best Sound Louise Burton, Brendan Rehill, Aza Hand, and Simon Kerr Nominated
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle 15 December 2024 Best International Feature Film Kneecap Pending [31]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards 12 January 2025 Best Foreign Language Film Pending [32]
Cinema Eye Honors 9 January 2025 Heterodox Award Pending [33]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Ritman, Alex (19 January 2024). "'Kneecap' Biopic Acquired by Sony Pictures Classics in First Major Sundance Sale". Variety. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Kneecap (18)". BBFC. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Kneecap". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  4. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (2 August 2024). "Oscars: Ireland Submits 'Kneecap' For 2025 Best International Feature Film Category". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  5. ^ O'Broin, Cian (6 December 2023). "Belfast rap group Kneecap make history with new film becoming first Irish language movie at Sundance Festival". Independent.ie. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  6. ^ Clarke, Donald (6 December 2023). "Kneecap: Irish rap group's biopic to have world premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2024". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  7. ^ Keslassy, Elsa; Yossman, KJ (27 October 2023). "Michael Fassbender to Star in Biopic About Irish Rap Group Kneecap (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  8. ^ Corscadden, Jane (6 December 2023). "Film based on Kneecap's origin story to premiere at Sundance Film Festival in US". Belfast Live. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  9. ^ Roy, David (6 December 2023). "Kneecap: Irish rap group's movie to premiere at Sundance Film Festival". Irish News. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  10. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (9 May 2023). "Irish Rap Band Kneecap to Be Portrayed in Rich Peppiatt's Raucous Comedy Slated for GREAT 8 Showcase, Boarded by Charades, Curzon (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  11. ^ "Irish-language film Kneecap to have world premiere at Sundance Film Festival in US". RTE. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  12. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (19 January 2024). "Sony Pictures Classics Takes Michael Fassbender Irish Rap Group Movie 'Kneecap' At Sundance". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  13. ^ Paul Brannigan (6 June 2024). ""Irvine Welsh who wrote Trainspotting said it was the best thing he'd seen in years." Watch the trailer for Kneecap's self-titled biopic, the loudest, funniest, most provocative movie you'll see in 2024". louder. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  14. ^ Grobar, Matt (12 April 2024). "Sony Pictures Classics Sets Summer Launch For Sundance Music Doc 'Kneecap'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  15. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (4 April 2024). "'Kneecap,' 'Dìdi' to Bookend Sundance London". Variety. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  16. ^ Deb, Deepshikha (9 October 2024). "25 Must-Watch Movies at the 2024 MAMI Mumbai Film Festival". High On Films. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Kneecap". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Kneecap". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  19. ^ Aguilar, Carlos (26 January 2024). "'Kneecap' Review: Irish Rap Group Flips the Finger at British Imperialism in Wonderfully Offbeat Docudrama". Variety. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  20. ^ "The Complete List of 2024 Sundance Film Festival Award Winners". Sundance Film Festival. 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  21. ^ Rosser, Michael (8 May 2024). "Sydney Film Festival reveals 2024 competition line-up". Screen Daily. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  22. ^ "The Winners of the 71st Sydney Film Festival". Sydney Film Festival. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  23. ^ O'Dowd, Brian (15 July 2024). "'Kneecap' Wins Big at the Galway Film Fleadh". Galway Film Fleadh. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  24. ^ Chuba, Kirsten (14 November 2024). "'Longlegs', 'Shogun' Among Top Marketing Winners at 2024 Clio Entertainment Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  25. ^ Calnan, Ellie (23 October 2024). "'Kneecap' among European University Film Award 2024 nominees". Screen Daily. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  26. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (5 November 2024). "European Film Awards: 'Emilia Pérez', 'The Room Next Door' Lead Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  27. ^ Pond, Steve (25 November 2024). "'Wicked' Leads Nominations for Astra Film Awards". TheWrap. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  28. ^ Ntim, Zac (5 November 2024). "British Independent Film Awards: 'Kneecap' Leads Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  29. ^ Ntim, Zac (26 November 2024). "British Independent Film Awards: 'Kneecap' Leads Craft Winners". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  30. ^ Ritman, Alex (8 December 2024). "'Kneecap' Dominates British Independent Film Awards With Seven Wins, Including Top Honor". Variety. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  31. ^ "2024 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Nominations". AwardsWatch. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  32. ^ Evans, Greg (12 December 2024). "Conclave And Wicked Lead Critics Choice Awards Film Nominations – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  33. ^ Hipes, Patrick (24 October 2024). "Cinema Eye Honors: 'Girls State', 'Ren Faire' Lead Broadcast Nominees; Audience Choice Award Longlist Revealed". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
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