Review: The Shine of Rainbows
Film: A Shine of Rainbows
Starring: Connie Nielsen, Aidan Quinn, John Bell, Jack Gleeson, Tara Alice Scully, Niamh Shaw
Director: Vic Sarin
Screenwriters: Vic Sarin, Catherine Spear, Dennis Foon
Adapted from the novel by Lillian Beckwith.
I've always liked Aiden Quinn. He brings a lot of depth to his characters and always makes them interesting to watch. This film is no exception. He plays a gruff, hard working man who doesn't openly show his emotions, except to his wife, played by Connie Nielsen, who charms us with her "colorful" view of life. There are layers to this man, but it seems only she is able to bring out the best in him.
It is she who brings life to those around her, and happiness to an orphan boy she rescues from the city and brings home to an island off the Irish coast. The boy, Tomas, who is portrayed by John Bell, is adorable as the shy, stammering ten year-old, struggling to be accepted by his adoptive family. The new mother is the easy part. She knew she wanted him the moment she saw him. The father (referred to as "Himself") is a struggle, and this film is about that relationship and how it evolves, and the trials that bring them together.
What helps Tomas come out of his shell is his sense of responsibility. He takes to his chores with a sense of pride of place. He is happy on that island, and he wants to prove it by doing his share. He hopes that the more he shows his eagerness to do the tasks, the more his new father will accept him.
But there is one role he takes on with fervor, and that's of caring for a beached young seal. The seal in some ways represents Tomas' sense of isolation and desire to survive any challenge. Tomas, understanding this, insists he will come to feed the seal every day to keep it alive long enough to return to its family. He nicknames the animal "Smudge", perhaps as an analogy of how he felt in the big city orphanage while he was there, being put down by his classmates and wishing to disappear.
Color plays a big role in this movie. Tomas' new mother thrives in it and loves to decorate her home and herself with vibrant colors. Even the first scene in the orphanage plays with color. The environment is all gray or black-and-white, but take note of the drawing that Tomas is making. There is color, while the games the other kids play with are dark and monotone. When Tomas meets his new mother, color brightens his life from then on, while gray is used for those insecure moments when Tomas is uncertain of himself or what he should do.
The film is entertaining and great family viewing. The acting is superb all around, and newcomer John Bell is fantastic as Tomas.
Starring: Connie Nielsen, Aidan Quinn, John Bell, Jack Gleeson, Tara Alice Scully, Niamh Shaw
Director: Vic Sarin
Screenwriters: Vic Sarin, Catherine Spear, Dennis Foon
Adapted from the novel by Lillian Beckwith.
I've always liked Aiden Quinn. He brings a lot of depth to his characters and always makes them interesting to watch. This film is no exception. He plays a gruff, hard working man who doesn't openly show his emotions, except to his wife, played by Connie Nielsen, who charms us with her "colorful" view of life. There are layers to this man, but it seems only she is able to bring out the best in him.
It is she who brings life to those around her, and happiness to an orphan boy she rescues from the city and brings home to an island off the Irish coast. The boy, Tomas, who is portrayed by John Bell, is adorable as the shy, stammering ten year-old, struggling to be accepted by his adoptive family. The new mother is the easy part. She knew she wanted him the moment she saw him. The father (referred to as "Himself") is a struggle, and this film is about that relationship and how it evolves, and the trials that bring them together.
What helps Tomas come out of his shell is his sense of responsibility. He takes to his chores with a sense of pride of place. He is happy on that island, and he wants to prove it by doing his share. He hopes that the more he shows his eagerness to do the tasks, the more his new father will accept him.
But there is one role he takes on with fervor, and that's of caring for a beached young seal. The seal in some ways represents Tomas' sense of isolation and desire to survive any challenge. Tomas, understanding this, insists he will come to feed the seal every day to keep it alive long enough to return to its family. He nicknames the animal "Smudge", perhaps as an analogy of how he felt in the big city orphanage while he was there, being put down by his classmates and wishing to disappear.
Color plays a big role in this movie. Tomas' new mother thrives in it and loves to decorate her home and herself with vibrant colors. Even the first scene in the orphanage plays with color. The environment is all gray or black-and-white, but take note of the drawing that Tomas is making. There is color, while the games the other kids play with are dark and monotone. When Tomas meets his new mother, color brightens his life from then on, while gray is used for those insecure moments when Tomas is uncertain of himself or what he should do.
The film is entertaining and great family viewing. The acting is superb all around, and newcomer John Bell is fantastic as Tomas.
Comments
Post a Comment