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259 comments in total

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70 out of 82 people found the following comment useful :-
Two Stars Are Born, in a Touching, Powerful, Sensitive, Positive and Magnificent Movie, 18 February 2005

Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Johnny (Paddy Considine), Sarah (Samantha Morton), Christy (Sarah Bolger) and Ariel (Emma Bolger) are a catholic Irish family, looking for a better life in America. They lost their beloved son and brother Frankie in an accident, and the family, specially Johnny and Sarah, is traumatized with his death. Johnny tries to find a job as an actor, but he lost his emotions and feelings with the death of Frankie and can not find a job, working as a taxi driver to support his family. Without any money, they move to a junkie building, where they become friend of Mateo (Djimon Hounsou), an African painter who has a serious disease, apparently AIDS. Their lives change and Johnny and Sarah learn to face and heal their wounds with the arrival of the baby and the friendship of Mateo.

"In America" is a magnificent and very positive tale of friendship and survival. The story is very simple and dramatic, but never corny, and the very convincing performance of the cast is amazing and touching. Jim Sheridan was able to direct the six years old Emma Bolger and achieve an outstanding performance in the role of Ariel. Her eleven years old sister, Sarah Bolger, has also a stunning dramatic and key role in the story. I dare to write that two stars are born! Summarizing, "In America" is a highly recommended touching, powerful, sensitive, positive and magnificent movie. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Terra dos Sonhos" ("Land of the Dreams")

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81 out of 112 people found the following comment useful :-
I was blown away by other's neg comments. I enjoyed it!!, 22 October 2004

Author: bertelv from USA, San Diego

The story is if a family running away from a tragedy. They find a tenement in a big city and try to survive. They do okay. Then through a neighbor who has AIDS and a new baby they learn to face their problem.

I read some of the comments of others. They all seem to be negative. I really enjoyed it. My family and I were riveted the whole time. I saw neither inconsistencies nor over melodrama. That is, I saw no more that in any other movies. All movies are just snapshots and almost all are lies. This one is no more or less in that regard. It was a melodrama about over coming tragedy. It communicated to me.

The actors were realistic. I especially enjoyed the girls. I also enjoy seeing

Sorry for you naysayers. You are just picking the nits from the nats.

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68 out of 87 people found the following comment useful :-
Beautiful, 25 October 2004

Author: meritt

I love this little film. I was pregnant at the time when I saw it with my husband who is from Ireland. We both enjoyed the film for it's romance, it's humanity, and qualities that were so earthy and yet somehow ethereal. It was both beautiful and moving--one of those rare finds that illuminates, truth, beauty, and the honesty that art can evoke. Art--especially the theater and cinema has the power to inspire and can be so powerful. This film is living proof of that. The film has an integrity and a quality of strength that few films ever capture. It is my dream to both create and perform in little films like this. I want to inspire and create something that makes a spiritual leap--something that lasts and endures for all time because of its quality of a diamond in the rough. If you want to see something a bit unusual, though provoking, emotional, and rare--see this film.

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56 out of 68 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the most authentically felt films I've ever seen., 21 November 2003
Author: RealScience from Los Angeles, CA

I'm not really big on this kind of film, but this one won me over in a big way. Jim Sheridan has such a sure hand as a director that even as the story meanders along, and you're not quite sure where things are going, you know HE knows and you end up trusting him and going along for whatever ride he wants to take you on. The characters and the actors portraying them are so winning, you don't want the movie to end. You just want to stay with them forever.

Every role, right down to the two border guards and the hospital administrator are perfectly cast and performed. The two sisters playing the daughters are amazing. But the acting in the film really belongs to Samantha Morton. It really is a high wire act. In lesser hands this character might have been completely unbelievable. But her love for her husband and children is so palpable, you completely buy everything she has to go through with them.

There were so many chances for cheap sentiment here, but the movie never went there. Really beautiful.

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32 out of 39 people found the following comment useful :-
Angels in Manhattan, 20 December 2003

Author: jotix100 from New York

Two of the reasons for going to see this film are: Emma and Christy Bolger. They steal the movie from under more established stars. They make us see their new world through their eyes. It is magic to them to be in a new city, where they discover new things every day. They are disarming.

America, the land that receives so many immigrants can be a hostile environment for a lot of people. For Johnny and Sarah, New York is a place full of surprises, as it must be to a lot of people whose dream is to make it there. This film is about their struggle to survive in pursuing a dream that turns out to be a nightmare for them, in many respects.

Paddy Considine and Samantha Morton make the struggling Irish immigrants very real under the direction of Jim Sheridan, who is supposed to be the Johnny of the story. What they have to deal with in their new home, eventually make them conquer a world that's not kind to them. Nothing is given to them on a silver platter, which is the case with most illegal people in the country, so their tale is very believable and true to the pioneer spirit they have within themselves.

It is the fantastic performance of the two Bolger sisters, as the daughters, which brings this film into focus. They have their feet on the ground and they know the ordeal their parents are facing. Their luminous faces and natural endear them to us in a special way.

We owe Mr. Sheridan and family a lot for their courage to show us what they went through at their arrival in America.

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34 out of 47 people found the following comment useful :-
Welcome to America, 10 March 2005

Author: leftyguns2 from Woodbridge Twp NJ

This is the story of an Irish family who comes into the US via Canada and settles in a rundown New York City neighborhood as n immigrant (exile) myself, I can very much relate to what the family was going through . Hot summers , different culture, eccentric neighbors, theft., illness. I recall my own bout with Nephritis shortly after arrival, along with a long hospital stay.My family settled in the most rundown corrupt city in the US . Newark NJ. So I know how it is to land in an undesirable town location.

The family consists of a father , mother , two young girls, and the subtle presence of a boy who died shortly before the family emigrated. His presence however is felt through the film. .

The mother becomes pregnant soon after , but must make a choice. If the child is born too early he/she would probably not survive, if carried to term the mother's life would be in peril.

A subplot develops when the family befriend an eccentric black painter. Mateo. played brilliantly by Djimon Hounsou. They establish a bond that transcends their different backgrounds.

The pregnant mother takes the courageous step not to terminate her pregnancy.

As it is my practice I will not divulge anymore information, since It is my function as an author to comment on a film in order to either promote it or tell the reader it isn't worth his/her time. Also i'm not going to give away the best scenes and dialogue. That my dear reader you will see for yourself when you view this masterpiece of a film.

You must see it.

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23 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :-
3 Wishes, 10 December 2003

Author: David Ferguson (fergusontx@gmail.com) from Dallas, Texas

Greetings again from the darkness. I have no idea what has taken so long for this film to be released. Director/Producer/Writer Jim Sheridan ("My Left Foot", "In the Name of the Father" "The Boxer") has always been a tremendous filmmaker and with "In America" he has become a wonderful story teller. This semi-autobiographical picture was co-written by Sheridan and his two daughters and is the story of an Irish family's immigration to New York. I am a fan of Levinson's "Avalon" and Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" and I will rank this with both. It causes what I call "crossover". That is when I no longer feel I am watching a movie, but that I become part of the story. The characters are no longer actors, but real people. The writing, directing and acting are all terrific. Paddy Considine (a Stephen Rea lookalike), Samantha Morton ("Minority Report"), Djimon Hounsou ("Gladiator") are all exceptional in their roles. However, this movie belongs to the real-life Bolger sisters, Sarah and Emma, who play Christy and Ariel. Ariel's innocence and need to believe along with Christy's wisdom-beyond-her-years truly make this film work. Rarely do child actors carry a movie of significance. While these two bring joy, laughter, sadness and tears, they never cross the line of overly cute or overly sympathetic. Another odd twist to this film is the importance that Spielberg's "ET" plays. The dream of home and the presence of aliens (drug dealers, etc) in their tenemant tie in nicely. Their friendship with Mateo (Hounsou) is both bizarre and heartwarming. This is an extremely emotional ride for the audience, but one well worth taking.

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17 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
True to life, true to people, true to emotion, true to the audience., 27 October 2005

Author: S.C. Skafte from Nova Scotia, Canada

"In America" is a rare film that brought out more emotion in me than I would have thought possible. The pull of the film lies in the brilliant acting from Sarah & Emma Bolger, Paddy Considine, Samantha Morton, and Djimon Hounsou, under the expect hand of Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father).

I've seen several stories of immigration, but none so heartfelt and wonderful as this one. Even through the most difficult times, you can look through the eyes of Christy and Ariel, and see the big picture, all the wonderful things about life, and how truly great it is in the end.

A lot of the praise should go to Jim & Naomi Sheridan for their wonderful script, but the film may have fallen flat without the amazing eye that Declan Quinn has for cinematography. "In America" is recommended for anyone and everyone.

9.1 out of 10

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9 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Sensitive family portrait, 23 May 2005

Author: Travis_Bickle01

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Heartwarming movie about an Irish family who emigrates to the U.S. in order to find happiness, a better future for their children and above all to get over the death of their son Frankie. The story is told from the point of view of the eldest daughter Christy. The movie starts when the family crosses the American border. What follows is the struggle that comes with starting up a new life as a lower class Irish family.

'In America' is a wonderful movie with a touching story and outstanding acting performances. Paddy Considine was the only one who was a bit disappointing, although he wasn't bad at all. Samantha Morton was excellent and very believable as a strong Irish mother. Djimon Hounsou was truly amazing. It's hard to describe how good his acting was! Although his role wasn't that big, he has made quite an impression on me. Personally, I loved the following two scenes the most. First there was the scene were Ariel and Christy tell Mateo about the loss of their brother Frankie. Mateo spontaneously starts crying, but what makes the scene unforgettable is the small white hand of Ariel on the strong black arm of Mateo. Beautiful! The second scene that I loved a lot, was the scene where Johnny comes to Mateo. He tells him a bit about his lost son, tells him about the fact he can't laugh or cry anymore, asks him if he's in love with his wife. The answer of Mateo, he tells him he's in love with anything that lives, is another strong scene with breathtaking acting from Hounsou's part! And then there are the two girls. Charming, heartwarming, very touching and sweet, spontaneous and honest! Both give amazing performances. The stole my heart from the minute I saw them. The funny detail is that they really are two sisters.

I don't know anymore how often I have to repeat it, but this movie is a must see for everyone. This is the kind of movie you enjoy every time you'll see it again. Jim Sheridan made (again!) a great movie. See it!

9/10

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8 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
life and death, 27 December 2005

Author: mgrindberg from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

An Irish family settles in a rundown Manhattan tenement apartment not because of famine back home but to overcome their sadness about the accidental death of their young son. The father (Paddy Considine) gets work as a taxi driver but his real ambition is to be a stage actor. On one audition the director tells him acting comes from the gut and not the head. It's a great role for Considine, who shows frustration and struggle as if he's been there himself. It's a nicely detailed, graphic look at the family emotions and the environment, a new, exciting, and at times dangerous world which is beautifully captured in some terrific scenes, one of which at a carnival with Considine nearly losing every dollar they have while trying to win an ET doll for his daughter, is practically brilliant.

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