Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-22 21:34:53

Drama of Irish Immigrant family

This is a film that you watch and at the end you ask yourself "what did I just see?" and you want to know more. You want to know why it played so strongly on your emotions and you want to hear the message it just gave you more clearly.This is a film about the director's own family and the pain of the loss of his own brother and eventually the triumph over the past. For as well made and acted as this film is - and it is superb - it is also cloaked in mystery that is never wholly answered. As Sheridan states in his commentary, he didn't control the whole, he let much just happen - the 6 year old actress, Emma, literally casts the older role with her sister and helps direct the film. And the director's own children help write the screenplay. So the film ends up being more intimate and the commentary more revealing. There is a beautiful contrast between the innocence and belief of the young against the pain and confusion of the father. The film presents a picture of fatherhood, of love and escape from grief.Buy this film to escape from the thin thrills and shallow plots of typical Hollywood fare. We all enjoy that stuff at times, but sometimes you want some reality which isn't contrived.

kos5 2012-05-22 10:37:00

Beautiful, different, but you should see it!

In America is a touching story. Everyone who I knew had seen it told mehow wonderful it was so I had to see it for myself. I was nearlybrought to tears at the end. It has a sort of realism that most moviesdo not contain. The characters were great, my personal favorites beinglittle Ariel and Mateo. Yet, I was annoyed by some of the movie.The sex seen annoyed me to no extent. I know that they were just tryingto make a point of how the baby was conceived, but come on! It wasobviously made to build drama, but I really don't think it did.Personally, it just annoyed me. Also, so much of the important dialoguebetween the characters was too quiet for me to understand. Maybe it wasjust my television, but I missed so much of the important dialogue!This movie was not bad, I loved it, I was just a little annoyed withsome of the parts. Overall, it was a good movie. I would recommend itto anyone to see.

D 2012-05-21 01:24:14

Not a bad movie, but misses the point

When I first saw the description of the movie, I expected to watch a movie about the hardship of an Irish family immigrating to New York City. It ended up as a spiritual movie about overcoming the deaths of love ones.While I have no problem with this kind of theme, this story can be based on any family, anywhere, instead of the potentially interesting setting of Irish moving to New York. I dont see how these two central themes have much to do with each other, and having them deeply weaken the intensity of the movie.The best part of the movie comes with the detail following of the main family. The girls regularly show their point of views, in angles we dont always notice. Their parents, on the other hand, are hard for the viewers to relate to. Their roles are supposed to be down to earth and realistic, yet much of their actions are unreasonable to ludicrous, without the proper consequences. It becomes very hard to feel for the struggle of the family when this supposedly broke couple is attempting to raise a third child in New York City, and Manhattan, of all places, to overcome the grief that comes along with the death of their only son.All in all, not what I have expected, but not a bad one if you know what you are expecting.

Song4Songs 2012-05-20 08:16:53

Enjoyable (Possible Spoilers)

I just got back from "In America," and I thought it wasenjoyable.There was only one MAJOR FLAW I had with this movie: its ANACHRONISMS (andthere were blatantly numerous ones!)As a New Yorker and child of the '80s (this is a nostalgic movieisn'tit? I'm assuming the action took place in 1982 since the family wenttosee E.T. in the movie theaters), I cringed at many scenes:ANACHRONISM #1: Girl child telling the story is carrying acamcorderthroughout, yet she's from an impoverished Irish family who just cametoAmerica. Where would she find one? Forget her class andimmigrant status, where in 1982 would there even be a camcorder!We'retalking about 1982, right? The Apple Computer commercial hasn'tevendebuted yet, and we've got a poor immigrant child carrying aroundacamcorder?!?!ANACHRONISM #2: Times Square was NOT looking like THAT in 1982. Before allthose wide screen razzle dazzle images, there were junkies and hookers andabunch of XXX theaters, way before porn went to home theater.ANACHRONISM #3: The music soundtrack for this is just WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!First of all, if our director really wanted to establish this as aneightiesnostalgia movie, he should have chosen music from the period. Just asimplereplacement would have worked. Instead of playing the 60s' song, "Do YouBelieve in Magic," while they're driving through Times Square, what aboutMichael Jackson's "Human Nature"? (oops, can't honor Michael nowadays, butstill . . . I know this song came out a year after 1982 but at least wewould have figured, "okay, this movie takes place in the 80s." And ifMichael doesn't work, what about Tears for Fears'"Everybody Wants to Rulethe World"?). And, during the hospital/labor scene, instead of playinganother 60s song, "To Everything Thing There is a Season," why not use thePolice's "Every Breath You Take" (considering that the preemie baby had tostruggle to live and that Matteo was struggling to die, this sure wouldhavebeen appropriate), or even Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time"?ANACHRONISM #4: White boy in taxicab who can "rap"? Are you kidding me?1982 - hip hop was still underground in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens;ithad not even crossed the bridge over to Manhattan (let alone the rest ofthecountry and the world)! The only "white boy" who'd be able to rap at thistime is one who was living in one of the other boroughs named above, andit's unlikely he'd be taking a cab in Manhattan.In other words, Jim Sheridan is a 60s baby boomer, pretending toknowsomething about growing up in the 80s, when clearly he doesn't byhisanachronistic music choice. So why didn't he just leave the action in thepresent day?Oh, of course, to establish that the black man is dying of a "mysterious"disease called AIDS, which was only mysterious in the early80s?Gimme a Break! (And no, I'm not referring to that early 80ssitcom!)But, apart from these flaws, it was an enjoyable little film, but nothingtoreward come Oscar time (it's up for Best Supporting Actor and BestActress).

GazTruman 2012-05-13 15:07:58

Breathtaking In America.

This film has probably the best acting I've seen in a long time! Eachof the family of 4 play their roles perfectly to deliver a gripping,breathtaking and heartwarming film.The film shows the struggles of a poor family dealing with the loss oftheir son/brother. Showing the struggles of money has been seen in manyfilms before, recently "the pursuit of happiness". I think this filmdelivers it in an accurate way without becoming a sob story.One of the best scenes in the film is when the family are at thefairground, one of the girls asks for an ET teddy which can be won onone of the stalls. This scene is gripping as the father tries to winthe ET teddy for his youngest daughter, you can see the pain goingthrough the fathers face as he tries to prove himself to his daughteras the dollars are rushing away from him. It makes quite simplybrilliant viewing.I also thought it was great to see the father show his lack of faith inGod since losing his son. When the two daughters ask him to kneel andpray, and he refuses. You can see just how much he has lost his faithin God, a great scene.The connection between the father and eldest daughter during the finalscene was excellently heartwarming, it showed everything the film wasall about in one powerful scene. Pure genius! 9/10 Paddy Considine isone of the best actors i have seen on film this year, with "In America"and "Dead Mans Shoes". I simply great actor.

fan-33 2012-05-13 00:33:32

In America is a must see movie for those who like poignant stories

I gave In America 10 points. The story is touching, and brought tearsto my eyes a number of times.The cast is incredible, especially the two little Bolger girls, PaddyConsidine, Samantha Morton, Paddy Considine and Djimon Hounsou, who areall believable in their roles.I first saw it on Satellite TV and made it a point to find it on DVDwhich I have now purchased. The Commentary, and Featurette provideinsights from the Director. This is loosely autobiographical, and waswritten by the Director, and his own two daughters. It is a celebrationof life. It explores issues of grief and loss, but it also has somevery funny moments. The Director also made My Left Foot and In the Name of the Father,neither of which I have seen, but I intend to remedy that oversight assoon as possible. As a Director Jim Sheridan is incredibly insightful,and his handling of the two little Bolger girls was brilliant.

James McNally 2012-05-13 04:38:16

Hokey in places, but utterly moving, due mainly to some excellent performances.

I saw this film at the 2002 Toronto International Film Festival.A bit of a fairytale, about an Irish family who move to New York Cityafter the tragic death of one of their children. Hokey in places, bututterly moving, due mainly to some excellent performances. SamanthaMorton (again, though, not much talking!), Paddy Considine, andespecially miraculous performances from real-life sisters Emma andSarah Bolger. They were at the screening and received a standingovation. The story is told from 10-year old Christie's (Sarah Bolger)perspective, and she captured all the nuances of a child who has bothlost her brother and been called upon to hold the rest of her familytogether. Plus, she sings beautifully! 6- year old Ariel (Emma Bolger)is just incredibly funny and cute. The introduction of Djimon Hounsouas their initially scary neighbour was where the story veered intocliché, but overall, a finely acted and emotionally involving story.

Casablanca3784 2012-05-12 20:40:17

Can't Win "Em All

"In America" is a tale of a newly emigrated Irish family trying to come togrips with a tragedy that befell them in the old country and aside fromsomeinteresting scenes and marvelous acting by the two young daughters, thefilmwill be a box office bust because of the ennui throughout.

Jonathon Kim 2012-05-06 21:36:50

A different tale in different time

This is a 'fairy tale' of "Gangs of New York", there is no scarylooking Irish skinhead bashing other people's skulls, or a prostitutein a love triangle, to say, for survival. Here is another story of anearthy looking Irish father and his family arriving quietly inManhattan with shattered dreams and empty pockets. They fight forsurvival, but their weapon is not a gun or a fist but love and belief.I missed the movie when it opened in Australia, the preview wasintriguing enough but it opened too quiet here and disappeared toosoon. Finally when I got the DVD last night and watched it in bedexpecting an emotionally charged migrant drama (no violence, for sure).It opened quietly, with the narrating voice of a girl, who is startingto see the world in her own view but there is an overlapped view froman adult who is grown up with the story that she is telling. Observingthe situation in silence and distance but anticipated as a writer.There are many heart-warming scenes in the movie, if I am too critical,yes, it is a little too much like a fairy tale, but I wouldn't say itis too many. There are moments in life you would like to erase, butthere are moments that you want to keep and remember over and overagain, as the camcorder in the movie, to record the memory to keep, butthere are memories that need to be buried. (Such as Frankie).There's no real miracles set in the movie, this is story of our timethat just has passed and ready to be consumed in a nostalgic way. Thereal miracle in the movie is simply love and life. The people, wholove, care and learning to know that there are things, better let itgo. These are the people in the movie, so real and convincing.The story based on Jim Sheridan (the director) and his family'sexperience, so it is their personal journey. I am sure there is hiddenstory, needed more courage to tell, but it covered it all, as the snowcovers the dirt (as in the movie). Making you slide over the snow andscream with joy, with two beautiful daughters.Maybe we were all rejected once, shattered once, roared once but weknow how to believe in tomorrow, and its dreams and hopes. The makebelieve movie telling that life is a small 'miracle' (as it is).Another story of human victory over the obstacle in life (My left foot,a bigger miracle perhaps. To obtains a Oscar trophy, I guess neededmore drama!). If you are feeling wretched and saddened, just take thismovie as a'lemon-drop' and believe in magic, and make a wish, maybe oneor two might become real one day, if not everyday.

Jacqueline 2012-05-06 02:45:28

You must see this movie!

Wonderful story, acting, characters, visuals. In a season where materialism can overtake what's real in life, this movie captures everything that is important in life. The children will capture your heart.

iohefy-2 2012-05-05 01:01:03

EXCELLENT MOVIE AND VERY WELL ACTED

This was an unorthodox movie, but very well acted and the story wasexcellent as well. The Bolger sisters were adorable and for twoyoungstersthey did an outstanding job in their parts. Go see this movie as it waswell worth the price of admission. Hopefully it will get to be show to awide audience.

2012-05-04 06:08:41

Wow!!

I had to wait until this one came to video because it did not come to the theater in my town. I was anxious to see it after hearing all the good buzz surrounding it. I was not disappointed. This movie is raw human emotion..it holds nothing back. I was captivated by the Bolger sisters and their absolutely heartbreaking performances. Samantha Morton rightfully deserved her Oscar nomination, and had it not been for Charlize Theron's mesmerizing portrayal of Aileen Wuornos in Monster, she would've won. We see into each character's struggles to make it in America, and how the two girls, despite their young ages, are the glue that keeps everything together and keep hope alive. Djimon Hounsou also gives a great supporting performance as a disease stricken neighbor the girls grow to love and whom, in the end, becomes an angel of sorts for the family. I could not keep my eyes off the screen and I truly felt for this family and everything they endured. Kudos to everyone involved in this film. Truly a work of art.

jantoniou 2012-05-04 14:58:18

A poignant, somewhat sentimental charmer...

Though something of a cliché--people running away from heartbreak arein fact unwittingly running toward it--this film sweeps us away in itscharms.This is not so much a story of emigres as it of a family digging itsway out of deep turmoil. The movie's real-life sisters are the centerthat keep the emotional ragdoll mum and da focused. They are thoroughlywonderful and completely believable. I doubt there was a forced line oremotion from either of them, though I found the elder sister's comment"I've been carrying this family on my back for a year" a bit awkwardand out of place. I could see an older child feeling this way though ifher parents were (understandably) emotional basket cases.The acting is superb and naturalistic all around and especially goodfrom the mother of the girls, Samantha Morton, and Djimon Hounsou, awildly charismatic soul who keeps the magnetism in check for his roleas a tortured Basquait-ish artist dying of AIDS.It is impossible not to enjoy this film. It tugs pretty strongly at theheart strings, but it does so without tremendous affectation orself-consciousness. Its heart is big and warm, as you would expect anIrish-penned film to be.

someguy889 2012-05-03 22:40:27

Short Lived Air Conditioners

There were parts in In America in which I felt like crying. There were partsin which I was extremely scared. There were parts in which I felt likelaughing at the top of my lungs. But I didn't. Something told me not to.There's a scene where a man must throw tennis balls into a box at a fair towin his daughter an E.T. doll. But what is scary about this scene is thatthe man is putting his entire savings on this game, much to the dismay ofeven the Fair man. There's a scene when they Trick or Treat at the door of adying African artist with AIDS. There's a scene where the father of theIrish family must roll an air conditioner all the way through the streets ofNew York, up the stairs to his apartment, only to have the cool breeze last15 seconds. There's a scene where the oldest Irish girl sings Desperado andalmost brought tears to the eyes of everyone in the house. But i didn'tlaugh. I didn't cry. My sister thought I was a heartless man. It's hard tocry when you feel like a movie wants you to, thinks that you are supposedto, knows that you are probably going to. This is an intentionally movingmovie. But what can I say, it moved me. It may be manipulative, but it'svery very good at it.My grade: 8/10(By the way, a film with fantastic performances by everyone!)

2012-04-28 10:21:42

good story/unacceptable sex presentation for all audiences

"In America," is a wonderful movie with a beautiful story. The experience of a family as seen from the eyes of their daughter. The death of a child and the struggles of starting over in a new country. This film does have ONE explicit sex part which could have been more tastefully done so the film could be called,"family friendly," but this one scene does some measurable damage to the overall viewing audiences resulting in a beautiful and inspiring story LOST to young and adolescent viewing ages that could find alot of good from the story message.I hope producers and directors will soon get the message that even though your film may be a good one and wonderful acting such as this one, a clean, meaninful story will go farther and be accepted in more audiences than cheaping a good film with scenes unacceptable to ALL audiences. The expression of sexuality between couples is a beautiful and an individually private expression and attempts to produce this on screen results in "cheaping the expression," as evidenced in this movie. This film would have received a 5 star from me had the necessary people utilized better judgment and more creativity in the "conception scene."

Henrik Hagström 2012-04-27 19:27:19

Fantastic children makes it a TEN

This is a story about a couple and their two daughters from Ireland,who immigrates to America after a very severe loss. They findthemselves in New York, Manhattan to start their new life.Jim Sheridan wrote this script along with his daughter Naomi out oftheir own life experiences. Sheridan did of course sit in the directorchair as well, and when you are about to tell such a personal andemotional part of your life, like this story, it feels like some moviescan sometimes tip over to either "the too sweet and sugar side" or "thetoo teary and crying side". But Jim Sheridan balances the movie perfectwithout tipping over, it is a brilliant script and its very well told.The parents are played by Samantha Morton and Paddy Considine, bothvery good, but I can not help myself to be most impressed by Sarah andEmma Bolger who plays the two daughters in the family, here Sheridanfound the goldmine. Sarah, the older of the in real life sisters, worksas the voice that carry the movie forward in a well chosen speed. Shesee how great the loss is to the family and that the parents sometimeshave problems fighting off the anxiety that lurks underneath thesurface. Her expression in the face in some scenes witness of the loadshe carries. Fantastic.The little one, Emma who plays Ariel does it with such charm that youjust melt like butter in the desert. But how much charm you may be ableto spray from yourself, you can not go the whole way without thatspecial gift called acting, and of course Emma delivers a well wrappedpackage here. She has some emotional scenes that WILL move you.Fantastic.Djimon Hounsou shows up as a neighbour to the family in a role ofremembrance.This movie has a place in my heart, see it and it will comfortableplace itself somewhere in your heart too.

2012-04-26 04:25:22

Wonderful film

This is a really fantastic movie with an amazing cast and a top notch screenplay. This film has gotten some slight criticism for being too sentimental, however I feel the scenes are handled with maturity by the writer/director Jim Sheridan. This film is not for the jaded at heart. It will make a lot of people cry. However, that's not the reason I like this film so much. The characters are very believable and they develop nicely as the film unfolds. The two child actors are simply magnificent, and Paddy Considine is now on my 'actors to watch for' list. Samantha Morton is good too , but then again, when isn't she?The direction in this film is great because the film never feels like it's force feeding you. The actors deliver lines that change the entire complextion of entire scenes and sequences. Enough talk, I highly recommend this film.PS- The 'desperado' sequence is one of the best musical moments in recent film history.

Jeremy Liebster 2012-04-25 20:15:32

Unremittingly bad

The 8.1 average for this film is almost as absurd as the film itself. Imust say my girlfriend rented the video and I didn't have high hopes -it had a small girl on the front cover which normally doesn't bode well- but nevertheless I really tried to give it a chance. The problem wasthat while this film was intended to make me cry I have to shamefullyadmit that once or twice I actually found myself laughing at the sheerludicrousness of it all. The desperate Irish family sneaking intoAmerica after the loss of their son - in the 1850s I might havebelieved it, but in 1985...why? How about the hilarious African musicthat played whenever Mateo appeared on the screen or the fact that thiscaged animal turned from lion to pussy cat after one knock on his door.And the fact that he was in the far advanced stages of AIDS yet had astrong, musclebound body that features in adverts for growth steroids.And I am not a medical man but I am sure that you can't get a braintumour from falling down the stairs. I could cope with theseabsurdities if the film had been redeeming in any way, but the numberof needless clichés in the film just ruined any hopes it may have hadabout trying to explore the nature and feelings surrounding the deathof a child. Clichés like the smiling and cheery black waitress, thetramp with a heart of gold, the heartless hospital clerk clocking upthe five figure childbirth bill, the idea of one life ending as anotheris beginning. At the end the family were even gazing wistfully at themoon. From start to finish this film was farcical. And while I haveevery sympathy with the fact that the film was made, that does not makethe film worth watching.

suspirito-azul 2012-04-20 22:03:01

immigration of the soul

this movie goes beyond the others made about the same subject: PoorFamily comes to the U.S (I refuse to say America, because it's acontinent, not a country) looking for the so - called "american dream".This movie is not about that, it's about finding integrity, aboutfamily, love, prejudice, self-pity, and on top of all that, it's abouthumanity. What we do when tragedy hits our existence, how we manage itand overcome it. the characters are human beings: the father, an actorwho can no longer feel, a mother who won't be able to be a motheragain, two little dreamers and a man who's big body is not enough tohold his gigantic soul. Impossible not to cry in the end, with thefirst credits. I gave it a 9 only because I hate when you people say"America", I repeat: IT'S THE WHOLE CONTINENT, NOT YOUR COUNTRY.

satyajitrayfan 2012-04-20 15:15:52

refreshing relief from typical Hollywood

Unlike the other commenter, I found this movie to be touching and sweetin a very non-Hollywood way. I didn't think that it was overly sugaryat all; on the contrary, it was almost gritty in its portrayal of avery authentic-seeming immigrant family from Ireland. The two smallgirls really make the film, but all of them are wonderful actors. Incontrast to many "struggling family" stories, "In America" resists theurge to become overly sentimental. It has the feel of "Bicycle Thief"and "Children of Heaven." Throughout the movie the sorrow is tangiblebut also the hope that the family feels. If you like movies like"Children" and "Bicycle", simple stories of family relationships andtrials, you will love this film.