Based on Annie Proulx's novel, Lasse Hallström's 'The Shipping News' starts off a little slow. At first, I thought it would be one of those Hollywood adaptations loaded with dramatic clichés but as the story moves on and the characters build up, it makes a better turn. The film appears to centre around Quoyle and his struggle to find a new life after the death of his promiscuous vampish wife (whose last act was selling their daughter to a black market adoption agency,unbeknownst to Quoyle). However, the supporting characters (even though they have limited screen time) are equally important because they all have a dark secret and that's what 'The Shipping News' is about, how sharing a secret can set someone free from burden.
The film beautifully captures Newfoundland, right from the somewhat barren yet stunning landscape to the local culture. The cinematography, art direction and score contribute well to the atmosphere. Newfoundland itself is presented as a character.
Even though I found the pacing to be a little uneven, the refreshing subtle humour balances well with the quiet intense scenes. Spacey's Quoyle appears to be a tad monotonous in the first half. There was something lacking in Spacey's performance during this portion a but the actor does manage to do much more with the role in the second half. Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, Pete Postlethwaite and Cate Blanchett are superb. Even though Blanchett's character is poorly developed, the actress rises above it. The rest of the cast especially Scott Glenn, Rhys Ifans, Gordon Pinsent and Jason Behr are just as brilliant.
'The Shipping News' may have its flaws but it's visually intriguing, well acted and funny. In the end, it is a worthy film experience.
The film beautifully captures Newfoundland, right from the somewhat barren yet stunning landscape to the local culture. The cinematography, art direction and score contribute well to the atmosphere. Newfoundland itself is presented as a character.
Even though I found the pacing to be a little uneven, the refreshing subtle humour balances well with the quiet intense scenes. Spacey's Quoyle appears to be a tad monotonous in the first half. There was something lacking in Spacey's performance during this portion a but the actor does manage to do much more with the role in the second half. Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, Pete Postlethwaite and Cate Blanchett are superb. Even though Blanchett's character is poorly developed, the actress rises above it. The rest of the cast especially Scott Glenn, Rhys Ifans, Gordon Pinsent and Jason Behr are just as brilliant.
'The Shipping News' may have its flaws but it's visually intriguing, well acted and funny. In the end, it is a worthy film experience.