Kneecap review: This biopic is mixed with drugs and the mad energy of hip-hop

In this review, cinetasticc aka Yash pens down his thoughts on Rich Peppiat's biopic film Kneecap, which premiered at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival this year.

This debut film by Rich Peppiat is based on the Irish hip-hop band Kneecap, which was formed when a Belfast music teacher decided to team up with two troubled teens. Together, they created a band that made a significant contribution to the preservation of the Irish language. What’s especially interesting is that the band members play themselves in the film, a detail I didn’t realize until after I finished watching the film.

In this film, "language" isn't just a concept—it’s written as a character itself. The narrative centres around the fight to preserve this character. JJ, the music teacher or DJ Provai, understands the disconnect his students feel from their own language. Meanwhile, Naiose and Liam, the two teens, are lost in drugs and struggle with identity crisis. Their initial meeting is portrayed with ecstatic, ultra-fast-paced editing that ties the film's themes together.

Editing and lighting are the film’s most captivating aspects. The rapid, high-energy cuts perfectly match the characters' “high” moments, keeping the audience engaged. The pacing almost feels reminiscent of Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting (1996). The liminal scenes where the characters are high or making music are particularly striking; they draw you in and then release you at just the right moment, allowing you to refocus on the story. While the film does lose pace at times, it quickly picks it back up. The lighting, too, stands out: every frame is carefully lit to reflect each character’s emotional journey. There’s a beautiful shot near the end where Simone Kirby, wearing a yellow sweater, sings an Irish poem with a streak of light illuminating her head while the rest of the room remains untouched—a symbolic moment of reconnection with the outside world and herself.

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The Kneecap is funny, erotic, politically charged, and occasionally chaotic. While not every detail is factual, some aspects are fictionalized to support the film’s vision of Ireland’s future. The screenplay, co-written by Peppiat and the band members, doesn’t leave loose ends. He establishes the characters within the first few scenes, and the dialogue flows seamlessly between English and Irish, deepening the film’s thematic core. There’s an especially funny and politically loaded moment where Liam, during sexual climax, screams, “Our day will come!” in Irish, perfectly blending humour and the film’s political stance.

Kneecap is undoubtedly one of my top contenders for the year’s best films and is a strong choice for Ireland’s official Oscar entry. The film ends with a powerful message: “Across the globe, an indigenous language dies every 40 days.” It’s not just a film about one group’s rights but a tribute to the freedom and identity that language brings! 

Kneecap had its Indian premiere at MAMI Mumbai Film Festival this year! 

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