The Shipping News [DVD]

I enjoyed the film after having just read the book. As with all things the film is missing some of the story but it was really enjoyable to watch.

I stumbled onto this movie when it was shown on terrestrial TV a couple of years ago and have loved it ever since. It is gentle but compelling fable on the nature of love and family (in the wider term) set against the bleak but beautiful landscape of Newfoundland. A man damaged by his youth and his relationship with his wife, by his nature an outsider, returns to the place of his fathers birth to start a new life away from his heartaches and disappointments. What he finds is a remarkable collection of charaters subtley humoured and all memorable. Here, against the bitter cold and the complexities of his heritage, he slowly lets himself be embraced by his new surroundings and finally finds his place in life. It is a gentle and even paced movie which will carry you along if you will surrender to it, just absorb the feelings it evokes and you will have made a friend for life. The cinematography beautifully captures the Newfoundland vistas and the acting is superb, especially from Kevin Spacey as Quoyle and Dame Judi Dench as his Aunt. As a final note this adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Annie Proulx is a credit to it. Although edited it still captures and evokes the novels extraordinary nature. Give that a read too.

This is a film to make you appreciate being wrapped up warm and watching a movie.

A slow film for quiet reflection, in contrast to the landscape and climate which are both bleak and dramatic; for me the film would be worth seeing for the photography alone. Pleasingly the numerous issues affecting the cast are not revealed all at once, more a steady drip-feed, resulting in story-telling of the old (and underrated) kind. Lasse Hallström's ability to assemble great talent and to draw out their finest performances was immense around 2000, and amply demonstrated here. Judi Dench and Julianne Moore are simply magnificent, Kevin Spacey is less sympathetic, but again thoroughly credible. More minor roles are filled with equal care and considerable panache by the likes of Cate Blanchett, Rhys Ifans and Pete Postlethwaite (a personal favourite) right down to the triplet Gainer sisters used to cover a single character without breaking child-labour rules.Though not precisely cheery, the plot has its lighter moments and is not one to leave the viewer feeling depressed. Although incest and domestic violence both feature, they do not dominate.I had heard of Newfoundland, even read a little about it, I doubt I could live there but quite fancy a visit.

I watched this film days after finishing reading the book, normally that is a pretty fatal thing to do because it's rare that a film can (1) capture everything from a book (2) accurately bring to life things in the way you had imagined, but although different from the book, the film captured all the key parts of the story that I held so close to my heart. The scenery is stunning and atmospheric (famously Hollywood tried to film it somewhere other than Newfoundland, but realised their error before filming began) and it has a stellar cast.I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, but the film was even better, and I will go back and watch it again. It's a thoroughly enjoyable piece of drama that you can get wholly absorbed in and watch the plot slowly evolving against the backdrop of the bewitching Canadian east coast.

I would definitely give Annie Proulx's book a 5-star rating so was keen to see the film - which is all too rarely shown on TV. It is well cast and I particularly enjoyed Kevin Spacey cast as the protagonist, even though his hair colour was a bit bizarre at times. Some good comedy moments and some great scenery. So why not 5 stars for the film? I feel the book allows more insight into the feelings of all concerned. I'd have gladly seen a longer version of the film - this is only 1 hour 47 minutes, if memory serves. Nevertheless, it's well worth watching and I'm sure it'll be on my list of regular films to watch, particularly for watching alone and thinking.

This is the movie adaptation of an excellent novel written by E. Annie Proulx. Not entirely faithful to the book as there are bits missing (a black character and his wife who recommends Quoyle to the Gammy Bird weekly newspaper and one nasty rape towards the end of the story which is totally overlooked). However, Kevin Spacey is excellent as Quoyle even though he isn't the fat bloke described in the book. The acting by the children in the film is well played and believable. Cate Blanchett has a brief cameo role as Quoyle's totally amoral and wicked wife (Petal) who meets a deserved sticky end. On the whole a very enjoyable film with an excellent cast that includes Pete Postlethwaite, Rhyse Ifans, Judi Dench and Julianne Moore. Recommended, but read the book first.

After reading the book I was keen to watch the film. I really enjoyed it.