KSL Movie Show Review: ‘Kneecap’ is compelling, but not for all

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SALT LAKE CITY — Well, it’s no “A Hard Day’s Night,” but “Kneecap” does remind me of the days when I thought The Beatles were the coolest “lads” on the planet, to the point where I asked my mom for either a Beatles’ wig or Beatles’ boots for my tenth birthday.

Fortunately, she chose the Beatles’ boots. Which I wore until the heel nails started to come through making my feet bleed. Even stuffing tissues inside didn’t help. No one told me that cobblers existed, or I’d probably be wearing them to this day – I loved them and the Fab Four that much.

Dedication or early on-set stupidity? Probably a little of both.

Which is what I saw in abundance in “Kneecap” – an origin story set in 2019 about an Irish hip-hop group that insisted on using its native Irish language in its music, to the thrill of the Belfast youth.

Ironically, Ireland was still at great odds against the British Empire, while also attempting to have its culture and language protected by law. There was no love lost between the sides, but the culture/language argument had some support.

Then along come these punk troublemakers Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh who went by Mo Chara and Naoise Ó Cairealláin who called himself Móglaí Bap who had written a bunch of lyrics in true Irish, but had no musical training until they met a local high school music teacher JJ Ó Dochartaigh later calling himself DJ Próvaí, who helped arrange the sound behind these, electric, angry hip-hop lyrics.

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I wasn’t aware of this until after I watched the movie, that the artists played themselves in this so-called docudrama. In fact, Kneecap (which is also the group’s name) was the first Irish-language film to be chosen to play at any Sundance Film Festival. It won the audience award in the “Next” section.

To round out the backstory, Michael Fassbender was called on to play a boy’s father, Arlo. He was a rebel leader in the cause for Irish independence. He faked his death, becoming a martyr, but then stayed in the shadows for years. His kid knew he was alive, but Arlo kept the long-suffering wife in the dark, for what seemed like less than noble reasons.

Everyone was against Kneecap emerging. The British wanted to arrest them for drug dealing (which in all fairness was accurate). Irish officials wanted them to shut up. They were afraid their offensive lyrics might hurt the cause of protecting the culture and language.

But it was the Irish youth that eventually came out by the thousands in support of a group that literally spoke their language.

Now, I don’t claim to know much about hip-hop. Nor could I understand half of the dialog (probably a good thing). But I could read the defiance, the passion and the determination of these rebellious young men – and it was contagious.

So, while “Kneecap” is not for everyone, maybe only a few based on its outrageous behavior, its audacity and directness was compelling. As I was catching myself bobbing to the music like a crazed, devoted fan for yet another brief, shining moment – it reminded me that, “I feel fine.”

KNEECAP (B+) Rated R for pervasive drug content and language, sexual content/nudity and some violence. Starring the three members of the Irish hip-hop group known as Kneecap and Michael Fassbender. Co-written and directed by Rich Peppiatt (best known as a director for a TV series called Supershoppers) filmed in Belfast. Running time: 105 minutes.

The KSL Movie Show with Andy Farnsworth and Steve Salles airs Fridays on KSL NewsRadio from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Follow the show on Facebook, and join The KSL Movie Show Club for exclusive perks by texting MOVIE to 57500.