Director: John Crowley
As the Oscar ceremony approaches, every year I try to watch as many nominees as possible, so that when the big night comes I would understand why the particular film won or the specific actor was praised, or perhaps decide upon my own winners. It's safe to say that I've never actually managed to get acquainted with all the proclaimed cinematic masterpieces because there's always not enough time or not the right mood, or some films are not really my type to watch the whole must-see list. Anyway, it's another year, another try, and this time, the nominees seem pretty impressive, so without further ado, let's begin the countdown to Oscars.
How many of us have dreamed about going abroad and starting a different, better life ('cause the grass is always greener on the other side)? I guess, more than we could think of. That's exactly what Eilis, the young Irish girl, thought when she left her loving sister and mother to sail across the Atlantic and begin a new chapter in Brooklyn in the 1950s. America was no Ireland back in those days (and still isn't), but that didn't scared Eilis or hindered her from succeeding in the job, overcoming homesickness and finding her long-awaited soulmate. It's quite unbelievable how easy everything worked out for Eilis. Some people spend months trying to find a decent job, make friends and begin to feel like home, but for her - it took just few weeks.
What really made me skeptical was that not matter where Eilis went, everyone seemed to fall in love with her the minute they saw her, and view her as an angel, a perfect human being having the full package. I don't know about you, but I don't think that's how it works in the real life. Call me weird or insensitive, but I don't buy such stories. They're too sweet for me and lacks some bitterness, obstacles and mishaps. Yes, right, Eilis does experience some sad moments, but they're like a really small grey cloud compared to the shiny rainbow, which represents her life in general, to make the story believable. If it's called a drama, it should have been more dramatic.
Other than that, I must say I enjoyed watching the film. Because after all, I do love romantic stories. There's something about the relationship between Eilis and Tony (the son of Italian immigrants; yes, two people of a European origin find each other in America, isn't it a little bit ironic?) that I want to experience someday as well. Once again it makes me believe in true love. And this time, it's not the girl who's chasing the guy and making him promise to stay faithful to her. It's the other way round, and Eilis holds all the cards. She has the power to choose between Ireland and the USA, money and true love.
I couldn't finish this review without praising the technical crew and the cast. Saoirse Ronan's cute Irish accent, Emory Cohen's kind of Italian-American pronunciation, and all-in-all a large number of Irish-born actors added a certain degree of authenticity to the story. Ronan's talent is growing in front of our eyes, and once again she's at the top of her game (just like in the Atonement, her first big film). Though I'm not sure that Ronan deserves the golden statuette for this performance. The film overall is very good, the cinematogrpahic work is outstanding (thanks to Yves Bélanger; he's also responsible for Wild), the story is captivating and emotional, but I don't think it's the Oscar material. That doesn't mean however that you shouldn't watch it. Perhaps, I'm wrong.
No comments:
Post a Comment