"When luck comes knocking at your door, you can't turn it away."

Jim Sheridan's 'In America' is a moving story of an immigrant Irish family who settles in New York City. It is about their struggles to cope with family tragedy and financial strains. It is a lovely film about putting pain behind you, treasuring what you have, and being grateful for opportunity.

Johnny and Sarah (Considine & Morton) move to America, hoping that he can find work as an actor. They arrive in New York City in a beat-up old station-wagon and barely enough money to afford a dilapidated apartment in a drug infested building. They have two young daughters, Christy and Ariel (Sarah & Emma Bolger). The family is also trying to cope with the recent loss of their infant son named Frankie. Johnny seems to be having the hardest time of it, unable to shed even a single tear because of his emotional numbness.

However, the family trudges on with life and try to make the most of every opportunity. The young girls seem especially strong, almost holding their parents together through the tough times.

I love the ways in which this film allows us to connect with this family. Each and every scene increases the viewer's emotional attachment to these four people. Consider the moment when Johnny risks all of his rent money in an attempt to win his girls a cheap little E.T. doll at an amusement park. It is one of the best scenes you will see all year.

While trick or treating, the young girls meet one of their scary neighbors. He turns out to be a gentle giant named Matteo (Hounsou). He is an artist whose refrigerator is full of medicine and whose apartment is crammed with tortured paintings. But his kind heart makes him an instant friend of the family.

This film takes unexpected turns and teaches us much needed lessons. It features magnificent performances from the entire cast, most notably from the young girls, real life sisters, Sarah and Emma Bolger. Usually child actors are either very poor or completely insignificant to a film. These two actresses are exceptions to that rule.

This is one of those films whose sentimentality is welcome. You will laugh and shed a few tears, and ultimately you'll really care about this family. I highly recommend this film to anyone. It is a truly great family film that will assuredly hold up over the years as a timeless classic.

© Written by TC Candler

How We Rated This Film TC Candler - A- Richard Propes - A Jacob Hall -

Richard Propes' Comment

I found myself an unexpected fan of this film, directed by Jim Sheridan and featuring Oscar nominated performances by Samantha Morton and Djimon Hounsou along with an Oscar nominated script. I first became aware of the film when it won the Heartland Award of Excellence at the Heartland Film Festival here in my hometown of Indianapolis. The film also features an outstanding and underrated performance by Paddy Considine along with incredible performances by the young actresses Sarah and Emma Bolger. Sarah Bolger, in fact, was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award as Best Supporting Actress for her performance here...an award she should have won in my opinion.

This film is the story of an Irish family adjusting to life in New York City. It features powerful storylines, all treated with the utmost respect including loss & grief, friendship, family, celebration of life and others. The cast is a tremendous ensemble and Morton truly shines here.

The soundtrack is wondrous and includes award-winning music by Bono. This is a wonderful family film, though a bit intense in spots...therefore, I'd have to recommend parental supervision. I highly recommend this film...it is inspirational and truly a celebration of all that is RIGHT about America.

Jacob Hall's Comment

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