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Brooklyn (2015) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Brooklyn (2015) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2015 · 111 min · English
Directed by
John Crowley
Starring
Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters, Saoirse Ronan

In 1950s Brooklyn, young Eilis Lacey leaves her small Irish hometown for a new life in New York City. Adapting to her new surroundings, she finds work and unexpectedly falls in love. However, a sudden family crisis compels her to return home, where she is confronted with difficult choices and conflicting loyalties that challenge her budding romance and sense of belonging, forcing her to navigate a path between two vastly different cultures.

On this page (9)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (3)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 The book behind the movie
  7. 7 Movie threads
  8. 8 Movies like Brooklyn
  9. 9 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Brooklyn (2015)

Where can you watch Brooklyn? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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3 main characters · contains spoilers

Brooklyn Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Brooklyn (2015), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan)

    Eilis Lacey is a young, determined woman who embarks on a journey from Ireland to America in search of a better life. She is characterized by her adaptability and resilience, facing homesickness and personal challenges with courage. Eilis's transformation from a shy girl to a self-assured woman illustrates her growth through love and distance.

    • 👩‍🎓 Determination
    • 💔 Homesickness
    • ✈️ Journey
  • Miss Kelly (Julie Walters)

    Miss Kelly is the stern shopkeeper in Enniscorthy who represents the societal pressures Eilis faces before leaving for America. Her judgmental nature reflects the small-town mentality and the constraints it imposes on individuals. This character's harsh demeanor provides a stark contrast to Eilis's aspirations for independence and opportunity.

    • ⚖️ Judgment
    • ⌛ Tradition
    • 🏡 Constraints
  • Father Flood (Jim Broadbent)

    Father Flood is a compassionate clergyman who helps Eilis transition to her new life in America. He plays a crucial role in facilitating her education and emotional support, embodying kindness in the midst of her struggles. His guidance is pivotal in Eilis's development and her connection to her Irish heritage.

    • 🙏 Support
    • 📚 Guidance
    • 🌍 Community

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:03

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Setting

Where and When Does Brooklyn Take Place?

The setting of Brooklyn (2015): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

1951

The year 1951 marks a post-war era characterized by significant migration and a search for better opportunities. It was a time when many young people like Eilis sought to escape the limitations of their hometowns, driven by dreams of prosperity in the United States. This backdrop of hope and adaptation shapes the personal journeys of those seeking a new life.

Location

Enniscorthy, United States, Brooklyn

Enniscorthy is a quaint town in southeast Ireland, known for its rich history and scenic beauty. It serves as Eilis's hometown, where her family dynamics are tested before her departure to America. Brooklyn, a vibrant borough in New York City, symbolizes opportunity and change, becoming a pivotal setting for Eilis's transformation and personal growth.

  • 🏡 Town
  • 🌆 City
  • 🇺🇸 Country

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:03

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3 major themes

Brooklyn Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Brooklyn (2015) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Love

    Love serves as a central theme in Eilis's journey as she navigates the complexities of new relationships in America. Her connection with Tony illustrates the joys and challenges of romance across cultural boundaries. Ultimately, Eilis's choices reflect her growth in understanding the profound nature of love and belonging.

  • Immigration

    The immigrant experience is poignantly portrayed through Eilis's challenges and triumphs as she crosses the Atlantic. This theme emphasizes the courage required to leave one’s home in search of a better life and the emotional struggles that persist amidst new beginnings. Eilis’s journey embodies the resilience and adaptability of immigrants integrating into a new culture.

  • Home

    The concept of home is explored through Eilis's internal conflict between her Irish roots and her life in America. Her longing for home is felt in her correspondence with her family, highlighting the emotional ties that bind us. Ultimately, Eilis's journey reflects the notion that home is not just a place but a connection to love and identity.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:03

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Character & theme questions

Brooklyn Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Brooklyn (2015): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Brooklyn set?

Brooklyn is set in two primary locations: Enniscorthy, a small town in southeast Ireland, and Brooklyn, a borough of New York City. Enniscorthy represents Eilis's hometown and the life she leaves behind, while Brooklyn symbolizes opportunity and her new beginning in America.

  • enniscorthy
  • brooklyn
  • setting
  • locations
  • ireland
  • new york
Q2

What time period does Brooklyn take place in?

Brooklyn takes place in 1951, during the post-World War II era. This period was marked by significant migration from Ireland to America, as many young people sought better opportunities across the Atlantic.

  • 1951
  • time period
  • 1950s
  • post-war
  • era
Q3

What are the main themes of Brooklyn?

Brooklyn explores three central themes: love, immigration, and the concept of home. The film examines romance across cultural boundaries, the courage required to leave one's homeland for a better life, and the emotional conflict between Irish roots and a new American identity.

  • themes
  • love
  • immigration
  • home
  • belonging
  • culture
Q4

Who is Eilis Lacey?

Eilis Lacey is the protagonist of Brooklyn, a young Irish woman who leaves her hometown of Enniscorthy to start a new life in New York City. She is characterized by her adaptability and resilience, transforming from a shy girl into a self-assured woman as she navigates homesickness, work, and romance in America.

  • eilis lacey
  • protagonist
  • main character
  • saoirse ronan
Q5

What does Enniscorthy represent in Brooklyn?

Enniscorthy represents Eilis's past, her family ties, and the constraints of small-town Ireland. It is where her sister Rose handles her departure, and where Miss Kelly's judgmental attitude reflects the limited opportunities and social pressures Eilis seeks to escape.

  • enniscorthy
  • ireland
  • small town
  • family
  • past
Q6

What does Brooklyn symbolize in the movie?

Brooklyn symbolizes opportunity, independence, and transformation. For Eilis, it represents a chance to escape the limitations of her Irish hometown and build a new identity. The borough becomes the setting for her personal growth, romantic relationship, and eventual self-discovery.

  • brooklyn
  • new york
  • opportunity
  • transformation
  • american dream
Q7

What does Brooklyn say about the immigrant experience?

Brooklyn portrays the immigrant experience as both courageous and emotionally challenging. The film shows the courage required to leave home, the struggle of adapting to a new culture, and the persistent emotional ties to family and homeland that immigrants carry with them.

  • immigration
  • immigrant experience
  • immigrants
  • adapting
  • culture clash
Q8

Who is Miss Kelly in Brooklyn?

Miss Kelly is the stern shopkeeper in Enniscorthy who represents the judgmental small-town mentality Eilis faces before leaving Ireland. Her harsh demeanor contrasts sharply with Eilis's aspirations for independence and serves as a symbol of the social constraints Eilis hopes to escape.

  • miss kelly
  • julie walters
  • enniscorthy
  • shopkeeper
  • small town
Q9

Who is Father Flood in Brooklyn?

Father Flood is a compassionate Irish clergyman who helps Eilis transition to life in America. He facilitates her education and provides emotional support, acting as a bridge between her Irish heritage and her new American life while offering guidance during her struggles.

  • father flood
  • jim broadbent
  • priest
  • clergyman
  • support
Q10

What is Brooklyn's message about home?

Brooklyn suggests that home is not just a physical place but a connection to love and identity. Eilis's journey demonstrates that belonging comes from both where you are and who you love, as she ultimately must choose between her roots in Ireland and the new life she's built in America.

  • home
  • belonging
  • identity
  • roots
  • family
  • loyalty
Q11

What is the tone of Brooklyn?

Brooklyn has a bittersweet tone, balancing the promise of new opportunities in America with the deep emotional ties Eilis has to her Irish home. The film maintains a moderate intensity through its steady, character-driven pacing, culminating in a hopeful but emotionally complex ending.

  • tone
  • bittersweet
  • mood
  • emotional
  • ending
  • happy

Movie threads

More Movies Like Brooklyn, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Brooklyn tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Bittersweet Immigrant Stories Like Brooklyn

Emotional tales of finding a new home while carrying the old one in your heart. Explore movies like Brooklyn that delve into the immigrant experience. If you enjoyed the cultural conflict and heartfelt journey in Brooklyn, you'll find similar stories of hope, homesickness, and finding your place in a new world in these poignant dramas.

  • homesick
  • nostalgic
  • hopeful
  • heartwarming
  • melancholic
  • introspective
  • Tone: bittersweet, hopeful, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a protagonist leaving their homeland for a new country, facing challenges of adaptation, and forming new connections. A pivotal moment, often a family crisis or a tempting opportunity back home, forces them to choose between their past and future, resolving in an ending that acknowledges the gains and losses of their decision.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here by their shared focus on the immigrant narrative arc, the bittersweet tone arising from cultural conflict, and the medium emotional weight centered on themes of homesickness and identity. They offer a similarly steady, character-driven pace that allows for deep emotional connection.

Movies About Being Torn Between Two Worlds Like Brooklyn

Character-driven stories about impossible choices between two loves or lives. Find films similar to Brooklyn where characters face a difficult choice between two lives. If you liked Eilis's dilemma between Ireland and America, you'll appreciate these stories about conflicting loyalties, love, and finding where you truly belong.

  • torn
  • introspective
  • heartfelt
  • emotional conflict
  • difficult choices
  • bittersweet
  • Tone: bittersweet, introspective, heartfelt
  • Pacing: steady, contemplative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a protagonist establishing a happy life in one setting, only to be pulled back to an equally compelling alternative from their past. The story tension builds from their internal struggle, weighing obligations, love, and personal dreams against each other, leading to a decisive choice that defines their future.

Why they belong together: These films share a core narrative structure of a protagonist divided between two equally valid paths. They are united by a bittersweet tone, medium emotional weight stemming from difficult choices, and a steady pacing that allows the audience to feel the weight of the protagonist's dilemma alongside them.

If you liked this

Movies Like Brooklyn

Similar movies to Brooklyn: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

Brooklyn (2015) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Brooklyn in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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