I had to write a review for this movie after watching it in its entirety just to see what was up with the mixed reviews for this movie. This movie is a must-see movie in my humble opinion. I cannot understand the reviews that state that this movie is everything from boring to something that shouldn't have been made. I suspect that some reviewers had ulterior motives in giving this movie negative reviews. Religious people may find this movie offensive as it portrays Catholics as hypocrites and heartless. First of all, this movie has a story that is quite frankly disturbing in some sense. It does not sugar-coat the facts of the times in industrial Depression-era Britain of circa 1930's. The struggle is portrayed quite well by the actors especially the boy and the girl. Yes, it is indeed a story seen through the eyes of a boy primarily but it is also shown throughout the characters who did a fantastic job. It does what a movie is supposed to do, entertain. But this one also makes one think to the deepest of one's soul. The rich tapestry of the story is quite endearing. The moral of this story is can be seen in the result of how religion can create conflicts that do not have to take place. Yes, religion has its place in our history. But for all the good that religion does it also rears its ugly head in the way religious people and clerics use it to defend their own agendas. The bible is often referred to in order to justify injustices against a group of people be they Jews or gays. It is interesting to see how it can ultimately destroy not only the victims but also the offenders in this story. In this case the radicals in this movie committed a crime against the Jews only to hurt a member of their own people. I just wanted to bring up an article I had read today in the newspaper before I watched the movie because it was quite relevant to the story. In this article, seen in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, June 17, 2010, Gay Marriage Ban Framed as War. The anti-civil union group's defender, Charles J. Cooper, is quoted as saying, "The marital relation is fundamental to the existence and survival of the race...Without the marital relationship, society would come to an end." In this day and age of society you would think that we would have learned from our mistakes but that hasn't happened. We continue to spew out hatred and bigotry in order to further our own agenda be they personal or religious to the cost of a segment of society who suffer from inequality. This is the United States but yet here we have the religious sector deciding who and who should not receive the benefits bestowed on a certain group of people. All you have to do is change the Jews in this movie to gays and you have a similar experience that is current. I will only say that we have the power to speak up and I have. I have volunteered in the cause against discrimination and this is the same kind of discrimination that goes on today. Watch this movie and you will be moved by the issues as they are in fact relevant today.
Review of Liam
