Summary
2024’s newMichael FassbendercomedyKneecapcombines two of the actor’s most overlooked movies in a story that feels fresh, raw, and entirely original. Director Rich Peppiatt’sKneecapis a dramedy revolving around the Belfast rap trio of the same name. Established in 2017, Kneecap consists of rappers Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara and the band’s DJ, DJ Próvaí.Kneecap’s story chronicles the band’s rise to fame, combining a charming coming-of-age story about life in West Belfast with a heady dose of drugs. Perhaps the most surprising name inKneecap’s cast list is Michael Fassbender, who plays Móglaí Bap’s father, Arlo.
A republican paramilitary who the two rappers idolized in their early childhood, Arlo is a ghostly figure for much ofKneecap’s runtime. Either dead or on the run from the British government, the character serves as a constant reminder of Belfast’s bloody struggle against colonial rule.Kneecapis one ofMichael Fassbender’s best moviesin some time, earning a superb 97% rating from critics onRotten Tomatoes.Kneecap’s incredibleRotten Tomatoesratingwouldn’t have been possible without the supporting star’s stellar turn. Fassbender’s screen time might be limited, but his role oddly mirrors two earlier parts the actor played.
Kneecap Review: An Energetic, Deeply Engaging Dramedy About The Spirited Irish Rap Group
Kneecap balances drama with the right amount of humor. It’s grounded in resistance, but it’s also a riotous good time, full of comedy and acerbic wit.
2024’s Kneecap Combines Two Earlier Michael Fassbender Hits
The Rap Group’s Biographical Dramedy Draws From Hunger and Frank
Kneecap’s fast-paced, funny story is a perfect blend of 2014’sFrankand 2008’sHunger, as unlikely as this may sound.Frank, likeKneecap, is a dark dramedy about a mismatched group of troubled musicians who succeed despite the odds stacked against them.Hunger, likeKneecap, sees Fassbender play a member of the Provisional IRA who makes unimaginable personal sacrifices for his cause. As unlikely as a mashup of these two movies might sound, much ofKneecap’s appeal comes from the movie’s ability to blend these two discordant tones effectively. It’s not unlike the soundtrack’s Irish language hip-hop.
Kneecap focuses less on Arlo’s personal struggle with leaving his family and more on how this impacted Móglaí Bap and his mother.
Franksaw Fassbender hide behind a mask for much of its runtime, much like DJ Próvaí dons a tricolor balaclava when the moonlighting schoolteacher is worried his students may recognize him at a gig. The similarities between Arlo andHunger’s Bobby Sands are even more obvious, with characters jokingly referring to Arlo as a wannabe Bobby Sands at numerous points. In contrast withHunger’s period setting,Kneecapfocuses less on Arlo’s personal struggle with leaving his family and more on how this impacted Móglaí Bap and his mother.Kneecapconcerns itself with the intergenerational trauma of growing up in a war zone.
Kneecap Builds On Michael Fassbender’s Star-Making Role
The Comedy-Drama’s Story Jokes About Bobby Sands
Like most Irish-language movies,Kneecapisn’t overly concerned with holding the viewer’s hand when it comes to matters of Irish history. Causal references to Michael Collins may leave some viewers scratching their heads, but this lived-in awareness of Irish culture results in a hilarious meta nod to Fassbender’s star-making role. Early on,Arlo’s wife mocks him for acting like he’s Bobby Sands, a winking reference to the fact that Fassbender played Sands in his star-making role. ArguablySteve McQueen’s best movie,Hungeris a painfully slow, raw, and realistic depiction of Sands’ slow death during a hunger strike.
Kneecap’s repeated refrain that “Every word spoken in Irish is a bullet fired for Irish freedom” rings true as the movie’s story continues.
In this regard,Kneecapseems a million miles from McQueen’s tragic drama. However,Kneecap’s repeated refrain that “Every word spoken in Irish is a bullet fired for Irish freedom” rings true as the movie’s story continues. The struggles of Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, and DJ Próvaí might seem less existential than Sands’ life-or-death protest. However, the soft power of censorship leveled against the band, the threats from police and politicians, their disavowal by other Republicans, and their very real fear of losing their livelihoods all combine to make free expression almost impossible for the trio. Thus,KneecapsharesHunger’s central conflict.
Kneecap’s Fassbender Role Makes 2014’s Frank Even Better
Lenny Abrahamson’s Underrated Dramedy Also Focused On A Troubled Musician
BothHungerandKneecapare stories about protagonists struggling not only against external threats, but against a colonial force that tries to reshape their very worldview. In this regard,Kneecapmanages to borrow from Fassbender’s earlier indie hitFrankwhile simultaneously paying tribute to McQueen’s movie. Director Lenny Abrahamson’s black comedyFranksaw its eponymous hero struggle with ill mental health, somethingKneecapforegrounds throughout its punchy, confrontational story. The major difference is that, asKneecap’s antiheroes note, their struggles with ill mental health are closely linked to their material conditions and the limited job opportunities and futures awaiting them.
As sardonically noted in the movie’s song “Sick in the Head,”Kneecap’s heroes are more concerned with making enough money to get by than solving their struggles with ill mental health. This resonates with the plot ofFrank, which sees Domhnall Gleeson’s young musician attempt to profit off the talent of Fassbender’s titular oddball. The unpredictable dramedy eventually reveals that Fassbender’s Frank wears his ever-present mask because he struggles with ill mental health, but Gleeson’s protagonist has already done all he can to capitalize on Frank’s talent. His inability to see past his ambitions clouds their friendship, something Kneecap avoid.
Kneecap’s Reliance On Fassbender’s Earlier Roles Is Ingenious
The Irish-Language Movie Is Playfully Meta
From the narrator directly addressing the audience to casting Fassbender in a role so closely linked to Sands,Kneecapmaintains a self-aware sense of humor despite its heavy themes. Movies set in the North of Ireland can often end up either downplaying the region’s history of oppression or leaning into this aspect and feeling painfully one-note. Instead,Kneecapsucceeds precisely because it borrows from bothFrankandHunger. UnlikeHunger,Kneecapexpands its focus beyond one individual’s fight for freedom and out into their broader community. UnlikeFrank,Kneecapsituates mental health struggles within a historical and social context.
The Irish indie movie has already enjoyed massive critical success and an impressive cinema run in the US.
While bothFrankandHungerwere stellar star vehicles for Fassbender and strong movies on their own terms,Kneecap’s remix of their themes feels entirely new and original. The Irish indie movie has already enjoyed massive critical success and an impressive cinema run in the US, earning almost $1 million in its two weeks of limited release. Fassbender’s role in the movie might be a supporting one, butKneecap’s entire story engages with the actor’s oeuvre in a meta sense. Michael Fassbender’s roles inFrankandHungermakeKneecap’s story even stronger, building on the movie’s themes and characterization.
