Kneecap: 'ballsy and brave' Irish-language music biopic
'Riotous' Belfast-set comedy about a real-life hip hop trio is 'one hell of a laugh'

"The Troubles meets 'Trainspotting'" in this "riotous Belfast-set comedy" about the rise of the real-life hip hop trio Kneecap, said Ed Power in The Daily Telegraph. The members of the Irish-language group – Naoise Ó Cairealláin, Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh – have never acted before, but "they impress playing cartoonish versions of their real selves while poking fun at clichés about Northern Ireland and its history of conflict".
In this telling, Liam and Naoise swerve from drug-dealing to music after meeting the budding producer J.J., who encourages them to channel their passion for the Irish language into hip hop. "There's lots of music in 'Kneecap', and the Public Enemy-style raps are explosive", but director Rich Peppiatt "never forgets he's making a movie rather than an extended music video". Hard-punching and hilarious, "the film directs a well-placed kick at the nether regions to anyone who insists music, politics and cinema cannot mix".
The rappers' "punky attitude, fondness for coke and ketamine", and "refusal to let the English language drown out their native tongue" have made them "social-media folk heroes as well as targets for right-wing tabloids and the British Government", said Alistair Harkness in The Scotsman. Sadly, this film "straitjackets their story" by turning it into, at best, an "annoyingly broad, post-"Trainspotting" 'YOOF culture' comedy" – and at worst, a "sentimentalised musical coming-of-age story", only with added "swearing and Class A drugs".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
I found it "one hell of a laugh", said Andrew Trendell on NME. It's also "full of heart", telling a working-class story "as a call for unity without punching down or patronising". Ballsy and brave, this is "one of the standout films of 2024".
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
July 9 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's political cartoons include AI in the job market, a book on GOP blowback, and a new line of Barbie doll
-
What is 'career catfishing' and why are Gen Z doing it?
Under The Radar Successful job applicants are increasingly disappearing before their first day
-
Diane Arbus' Constellation is the largest-ever collection of her work
Feature Park Avenue Armory, New York City, through Aug. 17
-
July fiction: Summers to remember
Feature Featuring the latest summer-themed novels from Darrow Farr, Lucas Schaefer, and more
-
Snow what? 6 charming ski towns to visit during peak summer.
The Week Recommends No powder, no problem
-
An American girl takes on London, 'Bosch' gets another spinoff and Washington Black leaps from page to screen in July TV
the week recommends This month's new television releases include 'Too Much,' 'Ballard' and 'Washington Black'
-
Jeff in Venice: a 'triumph of tackiness'?
In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
The Anatomy of Painting: Jenny Saville's 'stunning' retrospective
The Week Recommends Saville's new collection features 'masterpieces' from throughout her career
-
M3GAN 2.0: riotous action sequel to the comedy-horror hit about a killer doll
The Week Recommends A 'ridiculously' entertaining 'hyper-camp mash-up' of Terminator 2 and Mission: Impossible
-
Shami Chakrabarti picks her favourite books
The Week Recommends The politician and human rights activist shares the polemics that inspired her