“Belfast” is a slice-life-life story about a young boy in the midst of “The Troubles,” in the movie taking place from late 1969 through early 1970, in Northern Ireland.

The young boy is Kenneth Branagh, who wrote the screenplay and directs the film based on his pre-teen years when Protestants and Catholics fought each other, sometimes to the death.

In the movie, the young boy’s name is Buddy (Jude Hill), a good student and generally a good boy. Buddy has an older brother, Will (Lewis McAskie).

Their parents are strict but caring. Ma (Caitríona Balfe), Buddy’s mother, is the disciplinarian. Pa (Jamie Dornan), Buddy’s father, is seldom at their small Belfast rowhouse because he works in England.

There’s also kindly and witty Pop (Ciarán Hinds), Buddy’s grandfather, and a feisty and wise Granny (Judi Dench), Buddy’s grandmother.

The movie tells of Buddy’s schoolboy crush on a female student, Catherine (Olive Tennant), his run-in with the law when finagled by another girl into boosting candy from the corner store, and his witnessing riots outside his doorstep.

The family is at a crossroads when Pa wants them to move to England and leave their troubles, and The Troubles, behind.

Branagh, a Northern Ireland native who moved to England with his family, tells his story tenderly and whimsically, punctuated by pop-rock songs sung by Belfast native Van Morrison.

The songs are audio title cards, adding excitement to the film’s somewhat slow and steady pace. Unfortunately, the effect of the compelling songs (Van Morrison is always thus) is distracting at best, or a Van Morrison music video at worst. Either way, you’re taken right out of the film.

Branagh lens the film in black and white, with a few exceptions, including scenes from the Walt Disney classic, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968). The contrast sets up a cinematic false positive. How can you compete with Dick Van Dyke singing the title song, as we hear and see in “Belfast”? The answer is: You can’t, and “Belfast” doesn’t.

It’s always dicey to insert scenes from other films full-screen into a film, rather than have the referenced film seen in the background in, say, a TV telecast. In “Belfast,” not only does Branagh include a rather long scene of Van Dyke singing in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” he includes two scenes from “High Noon” (1953), starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly, and a scene from “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962), starring James Stewart and John Wayne.

“Belfast” can’t help but suffer in comparison to such cinema classics and legends. Yes, Branagh is making the point about the influence of going to the movie theater on the psychology of Buddy, i.e., Branagh. The inference is that this is why he became a film-maker and actor.

The homage to some of his favorite films is noble. However, Branagh seems to be relying on the emotional wallop of said films’ scenes to evoke a heightened psychological awareness lacking in his screenplay.

Moreover, Branagh uses the “High Noon” title song, “Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’” (1952; music by Dimitri Tiomkin; lyrics by Ned Washington; sung by Tex Ritter), several times. This, combined with the songs by Van Morrison, dubbed “The Belfast Cowboy,” further heightens the good guys and bad guys, us versus them scenario Branagh sets up, resolved in title cards at the film’s conclusion with a rousing version of “Everlasting Love” (1967, originally by Robert Knight).

Sometimes, Branagh holds a shot too long. A case in point is the extreme three-quarter closeup of Ma’s face when she announces that the family will depart Belfast. We see a cutaway medium shot of Pa and the sons sitting glumly in a row on the living room couch. We get it: Ma had the final word. Still, it’s an awkward handling of the film’s money shot, to say the least. Branagh chooses other such arty framing that undercuts the drama.

Branagh (Oscar nominee: supporting actor, “My Week With Marilyn,” 2011; adapted screenplay, “Hamlet,” 1996; short, live action, “Swan Song,” 1992; actor, director, “Henry V,” 1989) is an impressive and interesting film-maker.

“Belfast” is of chief interest for Branagh fans, Van Morrison fans and those enamored of Celtic fare.

“Belfast,”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.) for some violence and strong language; Genre: Drama; Run time: 1 hr., 38 min.; Focus Features.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“Belfast” was filmed in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and London, England.

At The Movies: “Belfast” was seen in the standard format in glorious black and white on a big screen at AMC Center Valley 16, Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, Upper Saucon Township.

Theatrical Movie Box Office,

Nov. 19-21: “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” showed that nothing is eternal at the box office, opening with $44 million, in 4,315 theaters, ending “Eternals” two-week run at No. 1 with $11 million, in 4,055 theaters, $136 million, three weeks.

3. “Clifford the Big Red Dog” dropped one place, $8.1 million, in 3,628 theaters, $33.5 million, two weeks. 4. “King Richard,” opening, $5.4 million, in 3,302 theaters. 5. “Dune” dropped two places, $3.1 million, in 2,467 theaters, $98.3 million, five weeks. 6. “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” dropped one place, $2.9 million, in 2,538 theaters, $206.6 million, eight weeks. 7. “No Time to Die” dropped three places, $2.7 million, in 2,407 theaters, $154.7 million, seven weeks. 8. “The French Dispatch” stayed in place, $1 million, in 805 theaters, $13.3 million, five weeks. 9. “Belfast” dropped two places, $945,425, in 584 theaters, $3.4 million, two weeks. 10. “Ron’s Gone Wrong” dropped four places, $942,066, in 1,520 theaters, $22.1 million, five weeks.

Box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Nov. 21 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Nov. 26:

“House of Gucci,”

R: Ridley Scott directs Lady Gaga. Adam Driver, Jared Leto and Salma Hayek in the Crime Drama. The Gucci family allegedly had a design on murder.

“Licorice Pizza,”

R: Paul Thomas Anderson directs Bradley Cooper, Maya Rudolph, Skyler Gisondo and Sean Penn in the Romance Comedy. Two teens grow up in the San Fernando Valley in 1973.

“Encanto,”

PG: Jared Bush, Byron Howard and Charise Castro Smith direct the voice talents of Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo and Mauro Castillo and the animation in the Adventure Comedy. A young Colombian girl is the only member of her family without magical powers.

“Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City,”

R: Johannes Roberts directs Kaya Scodelario, Robbie Amell, Hannah John-Kamen and Neal McDonough in the Horror film. It’s the origin story about Spencer Mansion and Raccoon City.

“The Humans,”

R: Stephen Karam directs Beanie Feldstein, June Squibb, Steven Yeun and Richard Jenkins in the Drama. A family celebrates Thanksgiving amidst tensions and mysterious occurrences in a Manhattan apartment.

Movie opening dates from Internet Movie Database as of Nov. 19 are subject to change.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes