Kneecap

An indigenous language dies once every 40 days, and with it goes a sense of identity and element of pride. That is the mindset of Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Próvaí of the Irish hip-hop group Kneecap. Founded in 2017, the band quickly rose to fame much to their own surprise and found that their Republican-centred Irish language rap struck a chord with audiences. The political nature of their music has caused a few controversies, including some Irish radio stations banning songs and even condemnation from Unionist parties. So, what better time for a biopic where the group’s story can be told to the world via the big screen?

Set in the Gaeltacht Quarter of West Belfast in 2019, Kneecap depicts how the hip-hip group came to be formed and created their sound. Calling upon their own life stories and encounters in their Northern Irish upbringing, the band members each tell their own tale of hardship, particularly Móglaí Bap, whose family has been torn apart by his radical Republican father Arlo (Michael Fassbender). But with fame comes responsibility, and before long the Kneecap members find themselves facing life-threatening hostility towards them and their music.

While the movie may not be 100% factual, but director Rich Peppiatt delivers a feature film that could well be a reality show. Every inch of the drama oozes authenticity and honesty. Given the Kneecap boys have never acted before in their lives, each of their performances is nothing short of astonishing. Peppiatt has previously stated that it wasn’t that the musicians couldn’t act, just that they didn’t know how to, and the rappers underwent an acting crash course in the build-up to shooting the project.

Evidently, the hard graft paid off because the result is an exemplary example of storytelling that is brilliantly executed. What truly makes Kneecap pop is the truthfulness of its cast. Sure, Fassbender is a name that adds a bit of Hollywood glamour to the cast list, but it could be argued that he isn’t required to make this film a success. The cinematography is explosive and imaginative, matching the vibrancy of the soundtrack, made up of the band’s best hits. The movie is also loaded with wit and humour, but just the right amount so that it doesn’t take the emphasis off the more serious undertones.

It hardly comes as a surprise that the Kneecap won the NEXT Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival in January. The film will, without doubt, become a cult classic amongst certain audiences, but it is important to acknowledge that Kneecap proves to be an educational experience as well as a dramatisation. Through all the fun and games the political arguments remain very real and look certain to continue to be so in the distant future.

Guy Lambert

Kneecap is released nationwide on 23^rd August 2024.

Watch the trailer for Kneecap here: