The amazing thing about this film isn't that its concept is anything groundbreakingly original, but that it succeeds in telling a familiar tale with such originality and genuine heart.
After losing their son Frankie in an accident, Johnny (Paddy Considine, 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE) moves his family – wife Sarah (Samantha Morton, MINORITY REPORT) and daughters Christy (Sarah Bolger, TV's A SECRET AFFAIR) and Ariel (Emma Bolger, INTERMISSION) – to New York City to try his hand at an acting career. The family struggles living in an apartment with junkies and overcoming the great sorrow of losing Frankie.
The way the story uses the mundane problems of a poor family -- like living in an overly hot apartment – to such poetic extent is amazing and powerful. The family befriends their downstairs neighbor Mateo (Djimon Hounsou, AMISTAD), who is an angry, struggling artist suffering from AIDS. This relationship brings up insecurities between Johnny and Sarah as well as larger life and death issues.
The performances are top notch across the board. Morton gives vitality to the material. She is a woman who knows her husband… if you know what I mean. I've never taken notice of Considine before, but his work here could make him a star. He's a man with as much ambition as he has pride, which can get him in trouble. Hounsou is remarkable, bringing the same raw energy to his performance as he did in AMISTAD. The young Bolger sisters are born performers, presenting purely natural performances.
As for the writing, director Jim Sheridan (IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER), along with his daughters Naomi and Kirsten, craft an honest and moving story from the memories of their childhoods. Jim lost a brother named Frankie and Naomi and Kirsten moved to NYC with their father when he was trying to become an actor.
There are certain scenes in the film that are classics -- ones that define the film and make it memorable. The air-conditioner scene, the crosscutting between Mateo and the baby and the final scene on the balcony are all emotionally poignant and touching. Another is the ball toss scene, which creates true tension from a familiar premise. It's so amazing the emotional residence that this film creates with scenes you think you've seen before, but have never been handled the same way. And certainly never been handled with such emotional truth. This is simply a great film. I highly recommend this film to everyone. Easily one of the best of 2003.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
