Written & directed by Rich Peppiatt, “Kneecap” is a 2024 musical comedy-drama film premiered at Sundance and won the NEXT Audience Award. It follows the meteoric rise of an Irish hip-hop trio that lends its name to the film’s title. The group members, Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh (Mo Chara), Naoise Ó Cairealláin (Móglaí Bap), and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvai) play themselves in the film with a supporting cast of Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds, Adam Best, Simone Kirby, and Michael Fassbender. After its positive critical reception, the film was sent as Ireland’s entry for the International Feature Film category at the Oscars.
Spoilers Ahead
Kneecap (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
“Kneecap” (2024) chronicles the journey of an Irish hip-hop trio from the early days of their formation to their eventual rise to unexpected levels of fame and stardom. The film has dialogue in English and Irish and integrates elements, key events, and ideologies from the country’s tumultuous history with the English settlers, as the group’s lyrics do.
What happens in the ‘Kneecap’ film?
“Kneecap” revolves around the titular hip-hop trio’s journey and their ideologies that comprise Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh. The film roughly begins in the late 2010s, in Belfast, when Liam and Naoise attend a drug-fuelled party. While Naoise manages to sneak out, the cops arrest Liam. In the custody, he speaks in Irish and refuses to communicate in English. His decision has to do with the country’s history and his own. As kids, Liam and Naoise learned Irish from Naoise’s father, Arlo (Michael Fassbender), an Irish republican paramilitary.
Irish republicanism is a political movement aimed at establishing an independent Irish republic, free from British rule. Arlo lived by those principles and committed several acts he deemed revolutionary. Then, he faked his death, leaving his wife, Dolores (Simone Kirby), to care for Naoise on her own. Dolores grew reclusive and rarely left the home. On the other hand, Naoise was caught in an intoxicating life, selling drugs with Liam. As Liam sits in custody, Detective Ellis (Josie Walker) arrives to interrogate him. Unlike others who mourned about Arlo’s death, Ellis believed Arlo was on the run. So, she speaks with Liam with disdain, knowing his bond with Arlo’s son.
JJ’s Discovery
Around the time of Liam’s arrest, a new movement arose in Ireland about a campaign for an Irish Language Act that would officially recognize the country’s Indigenous Irish language in Northern Ireland. Many see it as an expression of their political expression, including JJ Ó Dochartaigh, a music teacher at a local school, and his wife and a party member, Caitlin (Fionnuala Flaherty). At night, she learns that the police need an Irish translator for an interrogation. While Caitlin openly advocates for language rights, JJ doesn’t. Regardless, she convinces him to help Liam. There, JJ stumbles upon Liam’s personal diary filled with song lyrics.
After helping Liam with the release, JJ takes the diary back to his studio at an old store unit. He is impressed by Liam’s lyrics and rhyme patterns and considers their potential to be legitimate rap tracks. However, Liam and Naoise face other issues in their personal lives. Naoise secretly meets his runaway father, who is upset at his hedonistic lifestyle. Although Naoise is passionate about the Irish, Arlo considers him a rebel without a cause. Regardless, Naoise and Liam do not transform their lifestyle. As parts of the ‘ceasefire generation’ (the 1994 IRA ceasefire that put an end to the violence of the Northern Ireland conflict), they often seek medication on account of inter-generational trauma.
The Seed of Hip-hip
Liam begins a relationship with Georgia, a Protestant girl (a descendant of English ancestors). One day, he gets in trouble with a political group that starts chasing him. Luckily, JJ drives by the same route and helps Liam escape. Soon, he introduces Liam and Naoise to hip-hop and suggests they should create their own music. Liam and Naoise aren’t initially open to this suggestion, but they visit JJ’s studio and warm up to the idea of music. The three spend a night snorting drugs and making music. The next day, JJ shows up at his school, intoxicated. Right after, Liam and Naoise catch up to him to discuss their future in hip-hop.
JJ does not want to lose his job. So, he keeps his distance from the duo, knowing their history with drugs. However, they force JJ to return to the studio to record tracks. The two also decide to call it ‘Kneecap’, referring to the infamous torture technique ‘to shoot a victim in the knee’. Then, they book a venue to perform, but their audience is not as excited as the group wants them to be. Still, someone shoots their performance on her phone and puts it online. It led to their sudden viral fame that they didn’t anticipate. Subsequently, on their first gig with an excited crowd, they get high on drugs to get over their anxiety.
Troubles with the Party
Through their music, Kneecap openly talks about drug use and their lifestyle. A dissident republican organization called itself RRAD (Radical Republicans Against Drugs) to speak against the group. While its members threaten Liam and Naoise, Detective Ellis warns JJ to stay away from the hip-hop group. JJ starts performing with a balaclava on his face to hide his identity. Eventually, Georgia attends one of their performances where the group openly raps against the English folks with a slogan – ‘Brits Out.’ It offends Georgia as her ancestors are English. She confronts Liam and storms out of the venue.
On the other hand, Arlo suddenly shows up at his house to meet Caitlin, who is concerned about the bans on Naoise and Liam’s activities. He is worried that they are pushing their lives away for a cause they do not fully understand. Caitlin accepts no blame for it since Arlo left her and Naoise stranded years ago to fend for themselves. So, even though Arlo calls himself revolutionary, she has to fight battles in her daily life due to his absence. Hurt by her words, Arlo mocks her for her agoraphobia. After their heated argument, she gets emotional, and he leaves.
Kneecap (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
Liam realizes that Georgia is Detective Ellis’s niece. After learning about their relationship, Ellis advises Georgia to break up with Liam, but Georgia refuses to. Ellis burns down Kneecap’s studio, so they can’t record anymore. The same night, the trio receives an opportunity to get their music played on the radio. Since streaming platforms exploit artists who earn them revenue, the trio looks at the radio spot as a sign of hope to earn from their art. After finding the burnt studio, JJ breaks into his school to use a drum machine in their storage.
Although relatively old, the Roland 808 machine helps the group build their compositions for further use. They spend the entire night recording music. In the morning, JJ bails on Liam and Naoise, fearing losing his job if found with them. Liam and Naoise get ambushed back home by three RRAD members who reveal their ulterior motives. They have no issue with the duo selling drugs until they do not popularize it through their music. They claim it taints the party’s reputation since the group also discusses Irish rights. In short, they are okay with making money off it unless they are not called out for or associated with the ‘anti-social behavior.’ They are radicals with conditions.
How does Kneecap rise in popularity?
The school learns about JJ’s connection to the hip-hop group and fires him. While JJ finds his calling in music, he loses Caitlin, who decides to part ways. Later, the radio station does not play Kneecap’s track due to concerns about sex and drug references in their lyrics. So, Dolores organizes a protest campaign, resulting in the Kneecap’s song becoming a hit. Soon, JJ reunites with Liam and Naoise as DJ Provai and starts performing. During one of their performances, the group publicly humiliates RRAD by playing an audio recording of their member, Doyle (Adam Best), openly exposing their motives.
Despite a ban, the group decides to perform there in front of a massive crowd. Right after the performance, the police come to arrest them. Liam gets caught by Detective Ellis, and Naoise runs away. Then, in the alleyway, Naoise gets captured by the RRAD members. Right then, Arlo shows up and tortures them with the kneecap technique. In the jail, Ellis mercilessly beats Liam, hoping the torture will put an end to his and Georgia’s relationship. However, it doesn’t weaken their bond.
While Arlo gets arrested, Kneecap goes on to rise in popularity. Dolores gets over her fears as we see her singing in a local pub. Caitlin keeps fighting for the Irish Language Act. All their collective efforts helped create a bill that legally recognizes the Irish language in the North of Ireland.
