I'm going to do something very special for this review. I'm going to write it in perspective to you, Mom, because I know you're reading this. I remember the exact day that you and Dad came out of the theater and were talking about how great this movie was. You kept mentioning it when you were talking about your favorite movies and how it was possibly your favorite movie of all time. While I certainly loved this, I really didn't like it as much as you. Don't get me wrong, it's a classic film! It's just not personally one of the best I've ever seen in my life. I feel bad for not loving it more like you did.I thought that this movie was going to take place in the 1920's. I guess it's because the plot was about immigrants from Europe so I was envisioning it taking place on Ellis Island back in the times where European immigration to this country was all the rage. Instead, I was surprised it was in modern times. Well, they show ET so it's technically taking place in the 1980's, but still a lot more recent than I thought. I was so impressed by the length of this film. It wasn't too long or short. I was surprised they managed to show such an epic story in such a short time! I thought it would go on too long, but the length was perfect! What's great about this movie is just how there's no bullcrap.There's no attempt in the least for this film to be fancy or elaborate. Instead, it works so hard to be as realistic as possible. As the end of the credits say, it is in fact based on a true story and was confirmed by this website. Maybe the reason this really struck me was because it was about this new family moving into an apartment. Well, it's not new for me anymore, but it definitely reminds me of the struggles I've had to deal with. Even last night, I had a dream about going back to our old house. It wasn't a bad dream, it wasn't even anything I've been thinking about lately. It's just well, a dream. I'm happy to have matured and moved on just like this movie.And yeah, it makes me think about having kids too. I still seriously consider that. I think the most intense scene in the whole film is probably when the dad is playing the ET game. You just have absolutely no idea whether he'll win or lose. The great part is how he does win the ET doll and for the rest of the movie, we see that doll in the background. It's the great details like that which make a film great. Everything that goes on is important. I love the little girl as the narrator. There's cam footage, but not that much, so it never becomes annoying.I think the implication at the end is that the guy gives his life to save the baby. It doesn't even explicitly state he dies. I honestly thought it would be the father in that role. Instead, it had a happy ending, well as happy as a realistic film like this can. While it didn't make me as emotional as "United 93" or "Bridge To Terabithia", it's still a great piece of work. I just love finding out about all the details of their lives, like Halloween, religion, and snow. You'd think this would be Bandit Keith's favorite movie. He said, "In America!" all the time! He's a character from a show called "Yu-Gi-Oh" made into an Internet parody, Mom. Don't cry, Mom. I'm living my life to the fullest right now and even things can seem bleak, they will get better eventually. Thank you for supporting me in these reviews. I may have more disliked than liked ones, but I still love doing this. ****

I just saw 'In America' again, on the Sundance channel. I'd seen it years ago, remembered liking it, and it is still a very good movie to me. I'm not sure why, but it's a very moving film. I don't think it's melodrama or sentimentality. It touches a nerve in me about loss and grief and trying to move forward from that pain. It may not do that for everyone (and apparently doesn't, judging from the negative reviews). Also, the undercurrent of this 'magic' in the movie, a view that one of the girls sees in her life. It's a nice little theme (or plot line or ?) in the movie, a part that some may deem 'sentimental' but not a big enough part of the film to be anything more than the sweet look of the world through this girl's eyes.Well acted, good story, nice soundtrack. Highly recommended.

Rather than a gritty drama about Irish immigrants struggling to make due, Jim Sheridan has turned the downtrodden parts of New York City into the backdrop for a real-life fairy tale in his film "In America."Instead of frightening us with frank confrontations of real-world problems in the form of drug dealers, trouble paying the rent and following one's dreams, the film holds closer to the family's two little girls, presenting events with a sense of wonder and at times a more raw child-like fear rather than true danger. So what seems like a film about an Irish-American family with Irish-American issues is actually a film about a unique family with its own unique issues, namely a ghost of the past that burdens all of them.The Sullivans, Johnny (Paddy Considine), Sarah (Samantha Morton), Christy (Sarah Bolger) and Ariel (Emma Bolger) move to Manhattan in hopes that Johnny can launch his acting career. They move into an apartment in the rough part of town and try to settle in, except from the very beginning it's clear that the family is still grieving the loss of its only son, Frankie, who died of a tumor.Whereas Frankie's death has impacted Johnny and Sarah in real ways, the girls have a unique understand and perspective on their departed brother. Christy, the film's narrator and a brilliant little girl (as both character and actress) asks him to grant her three wishes throughout the course of the film at pivotal moments. Both Bolger girls are quite gifted and they give the film its wholesome and at times even magical tone.Frankie's death is both the spoken and unspoken source of conflict in the film, which otherwise serves as a portrait of American life in one particular time in one particular place. Some scenes provide humor and levity whereas others are more thought-provoking. One such scene takes place at a street carnival where Johnny nearly throws away an entire paycheck on a carnival game in order to win Ariel a stuffed animal version of E.T. That scene almost says it all about this little gem.The most powerful chapter of the film, however, involves Mateo (Djimon Hounsou), an African-American artist living downstairs. He's painted "Keep Away" on his door and the girls have often heard screaming from inside his apartment, but on Halloween they bravely knock on his door and they form an unusual friendship that has quite emotional results."In America" has a very personal feel to it and that's evidenced by the dedication before the credits to his late brother Frankie (and also given that he collaborated on the script with this siblings). Although not quite what you're expected in terms of dramatics, "In America" is moving and an absolute pleasure to watch.~Steven CVisit my site at http://moviemusereviews.com

It is not a very bad movie. But it does not make much sense either. Frankie fell down the stairs, or later on they say he climbed the gate. But that is not what he died from, he died from a brain tumor. So what is all the stair fuss about? And what is the meaning of all the loose scenes of stuff happening? There is no real story to speak of, except that of making an effort to get over the loss of a child. But even that is not depicted very well.Furthermore, no parent, especially one who has lost a child before, will let their child enter the house of a madman like Mateo appeared to be. They would not let their children go off by themselves to knock on the doors of junkies to go trick-or-treating.The man dying while the baby lives is pretty much a cliché. Anyone could have thought of that. The tear-drawing hopefulness and prayers, and the wishes the girl makes are touching but not very creative. The hospital bill suddenly having been paid by Mateo is also a disappointment - it just is too easy a solution.And how come the child and the mother both survived, even though the doctors had clearly said this would not happen? Another case of 'if you want it enough, it will happen'. That is disappointing. Real life is not like that. This made the movie into a feel-good-movie after all.All in all, the movie appears like a wanna-be-extra-special movie, which actually is not that special or creative. This style of movie is far from innovative anymore. The movie just ends up missing a good plot and looking quite like a standard movie.