In America

There are times when you listen to somebody tell a story, and you can tell that something about the story is just a little off, but you can’t quite put your finger on it. Maybe there aren’t enough details, or there are too many details. It is then that you realize: The person is lying. In the film industry, that is the defining quality between an excellent screenplay and a mediocre one.

In America has the perfect balance that reinforces the idea that this movie is told from somebody’s first person experience. This depth of the screenplay add a strong depth of realism that pulls you into the character’s lives. Each character lives and breathes through the common struggles that afflict us all, from finding a job, to staying happy, to finding joy in a dreary world.

The story follows a family of Irish Immigrants who sneak into the United States to grasp for their piece of the American Dream. They find themselves only able to afford to live in the slums of New York after selling their car. They struggle for money and struggle with the recent death of one of their children. They struggle with a dangerous pregnancy, and they struggle with the acceptance of death and misery around them. In the end, they find happiness, and you are left with a wonderful feeling of hope and compassion.

The story lives and breaths, and the characters have nuance. Writer / director Jim Sheridan perfects the film to portray the struggles of the family. Dark shots are used to convey the glum outlook, followed by bright scenes full of color to portray faint glimmers of hope. Lead actor Paddy Considine and actress Samantha Morton are almost over showered completely by the efforts of their on-screen children Sarah Bolger and Emma Bolger.

If this movie doesn’t touch your heart and beg you to become a better person or make this world a happier place for those around you, then you are not human.