Times Colonist

Review: Kneecap is an Irish hip-hop tale with an edge

A fiery celebratio­n of hip-hop and native language as nothing less than expression­s of hardfought freedom, Kneecap is like an Irish 8 Mile.

Kneecap is a real rap group in Northern Ireland, and Kneecap is their partially true, partially fictionali­zed origin story. The group members — Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh (Mo Chara), Naoise Ó Caireallái­n (Móglaí Bap), and JJ Ó Dochartaig­h (DJ Provaí) — play themselves, while Michael Fassbender hangs around the periphery of the film as Naoise’s father, who in an effort to evade arrest faked his own death years ago.

Take those elements with a grain of salt, and the truth is Kneecap doesn’t need them, but Fassbender’s presence certainly spices up the movie. Consider his involvemen­t the star guest feature that helps open up the group to more potential listeners.

Kneecap is set in Northern Ireland, and an early montage of car bombings pokes fun at what the area is primarily known for by the outside world. This is handled in a very “we can laugh at ourselves, but you can’t laugh at us” kind of way, and writerdire­ctor Rich Peppiatt uses the story’s hyper-specificit­y to tell the tale to insiders, from their own home turf. Few concession­s are made to outsiders.

But that clear-cut viewpoint is what gives the story its edge, and Peppiatt’s hyper-kinetic style recalls Danny Boyle in his Trainspott­ing days. The film’s druggy sequences, of which there are no shortage, have a ’90s feel to them, especially one montage set to a Prodigy song.

Kneecap raps in Irish Gaelic, and much of the movie’s drama comes from efforts to ban the language, effectivel­y throwing dirt on the region’s cultural identity. So the group’s lyrics and performanc­es become a form of defiance, which builds them a following and rankles government officials, which gets people rallying both behind and against them and makes for all sorts of good old-fashioned movie drama.

Liberally blending real life and fiction, Kneecap wears its influences on its sleeve, and even has a little bit of School of Rock-style “let’s put on a show!” energy. But it’s the story’s gritty details that give it its punch, and it can feel like bellying up to the bar at an Irish pub and eavesdropp­ing on a private conversati­on. In that regard, Kneecap bleeds authentici­ty.