In BELFAST, Kenneth Branagh does something that most, if not all, new writers do. In a movie, it's kind of hard to spot because filmmakers have access to tools (like costume design, cinematography, and a musical score) that obscure it. In a novel, it's obvious —stark even — because all we have is black text on a white page. It's laid bare for all readers to see, and readers don't like it. Here it is ... in BELFAST the protagonist is passive. He's observing the action but not part of the action (and he's not a narrator either). So what can we do about it? Tune in to this week's episode to find out. - V.

"I felt like I should have liked it. I felt like that there was like, if I didn't like it, then there was something wrong with me." - Melanie Hill

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