The Shipping News (2001)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers (WGA):

Annie Proulx (novel)
Robert Nelson Jacobs (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 January 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Dive Beneath The Surface

Plot:

An emotionally-beaten man with his young daughter moves to his ancestral home in Newfoundland to reclaim his life.

Plot Keywords:

Newfoundland | Newspaper | Car Crash | Outsider | Capsize

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Kevin Spacey	...	Quoyle
Julianne Moore	...	Wavey Prowse
Judi Dench	...	Agnis Hamm
Cate Blanchett	...	Petal
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Tert Card
Scott Glenn	...	Jack Buggit
Rhys Ifans	...	Beaufield Nutbeem
Gordon Pinsent	...	Billy Pretty
Jason Behr	...	Dennis Buggit
Larry Pine	...	Bayonet Melville
Jeanetta Arnette	...	Silver Melville (as Jeannetta Arnette)
Robert Joy	...	EMS Officer
Alyssa Gainer	...	Bunny Quoyle
Kaitlyn Gainer	...	Bunny Quoyle
Lauren Gainer	...	Bunny Quoyle

MPAA:

Rated R for some language, sexuality and disturbing images.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | Germany:12 (f) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Netherlands:12 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

John Travolta at one time was attached to star, along with his wife, Kelly Preston. Later, Billy Bob Thornton was also linked with the project.

Goofs:

Continuity: Dennis Buggit's wedding ring disappears as he sits at the counter in the restaurant.

Quotes:

Billy: It's women that's shaped like leaves, and men fall.

Movie Connections:

References The Shining (1980)

Soundtrack:

Billy Peddle

Spacey and Hallstrom shine in a moving story

Director Lasse Halstrom continues to prove himself to be outstanding at presenting sensitive human dramas with this touching film about a broken man's retreat to his ancestral roots. This poignant tale unwinds deliberately and delicately as each of the main characters shares his or her dark secrets buried in the past.

Halstrom is an inspired actors' director who entices outstanding performances from his troupe. He has a wonderful ability to make simple characters appear bigger than life. I continue to admire his unobtrusive presentation, forgoing ostentatious directorial stylizing in favor of simple shots that let the story and the characters dominate. The cinematography and choice of locations in this film are understated and lovely without the need for garishness.

The acting is superb. Kevin Spacey, as Quoyle, once again shows his range, taking on an emotionally crippled character that is quite unlike the confident and clever characters that jump off his resume. Spacey relinquishes all traces of the cockiness that is his trademark and brilliantly renders a pathetic nebbish whose greatest daily struggle is to overcome his own ennui. For Spacey to suppress his natural dynamism to slip this character on so effectively is a testimony to his excellence as an actor.

While this is clearly Spacey's film, the supporting cast of accomplished veterans weaves a splendid tapestry. Julianne Moore is excellent as Quoyle's love interest with a delicate portrayal of a character that is simultaneously supportive and insecure. Judi Dench is marvelous as Quoyle's crusty old aunt, who drags him back to Newfoundland to find himself among the ashes of his unseemly clan. Cate Blanchett is bodacious as the impulsive vamp who ravishes Quoyle and stays with him only long enough to give him a daughter. Scott Glenn is terrific as the cantankerous publisher of the local newspaper who turns Quoyle from a typesetter into a reporter.

This film is not for everyone. It is extremely deliberate and will fray the patience of the average viewer. However, for those who have a love of human interest stories with flawed but lovable characters, this will be a treat. I rated it a 9/10. It is a gem of human foibles and interactions that is moving and insightful.