The Shipping News
2001
Lasse Hallstrom (CHOCOLAT, MY LIFE AS A DOG) presents this strong, quiet, chillingly deep adaptation of the popular novel by E. Annie Proulx. In a fishing port set in the Canadian province of Newfoundland, newspaper journalist Quoyle (Kevin Spacey), his young daughter Bunny (Alyssa Gainer), and his stern aunt Agnis Hamm (Dame .. Read more
| Starring | Kevin Spacey, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench |
|---|---|
| Director | Lasse Hallstrom |
| Genres | Drama |
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The Shipping News
Lasse Hallstrom (CHOCOLAT, MY LIFE AS A DOG) presents this strong, quiet, chillingly deep adaptation of the popular novel by E. Annie Proulx. In a fishing port set in the Canadian province of Newfoundland, newspaper journalist Quoyle (Kevin Spacey), his young daughter Bunny (Alyssa Gainer), and his stern aunt Agnis Hamm (Dame Judi Dench) have reclaimed their ancestral home, which stood vacant for 40 years perched over the raging sea on the edge of a cliff. The fresh air and the mundane routine of the sleepy village act as a balm for Quoyle's wounds. Having grown up with unhappy parents who cautioned him that he'd never amount to anything, Quoyle thought he'd finally found a stroke of luck when he fell in love with Petal (a surprisingly slutty but no less beautiful Cate Blanchett), Bunny's mother. However, after Petal's sudden death, and the simultaneous passing of his loveless parents, Quoyle's migration from downtrodden Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to coastal Canada is his salvation. As Quoyle gains confidence and pride daily through his coworkers at the tiny newspaper the Gammy Bird, through his friendship with Wavey (a lovely Julianne Moore), and through his reconciliation with some spooky family secrets from the distant past, Quoyle, Bunny, and Agnis slowly find new direction, new hope, and the beginnings of a new life.
| Starring | Kevin Spacey, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, Rhys Ifans, Pete Postlethwaite, Gordon Pinsent, Robert Joy, Jeanetta Arnette |
|---|---|
| Director | Lasse Hallstrom |
| Studio | WALT DISNEY STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 51 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Dubbed | Italian |
| Subtitles | DVD: English, Italian |
| Released | DVD: 05 Aug 2002 Production year: 2001 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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The icy mists, haunting sounds and shadows of the Newfoundland shores imbue The Shipping News with a bleak sadness that the intriguing storyline and strong performances fail to dispel. A miscast Kevin Spacey stars as Quoyle, a dull, uninspired man who is seduced into marriage and fatherhood by the sluttish Petal Bear (Cate Blanchett), then deserted and widowed in short order. An estranged aunt (Judi Dench) invites him and his daughter to return with her to the family home — a fishing village in Newfoundland, seemingly populated solely by eccentrics. Quoyle lands a job writing the shipping news on the local paper and begins a tentative love affair with widow Julianne Moore. However this glimmer of romantic hope and the eventual uncovering of disturbing family secrets aren't enough to energise Lasse Hallström's muted movie. Still, the always watchable Moore and Dench go a long way to compensate for the film's overall emotional chilliness, investing their characters with warmth and life.
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Weakly-told, sentimental fable that has all the depth and interest of a small puddle.
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Most helpful member's review
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34 out of 36 people found this review helpful
All performances by the actors were fantatic, great film!
It is a quietly moving story of a damaged soul, beaten down emotionally, decent, shy man, going thro life in a dream.
Kevin Spacey plays the main charater, Quoyle, whose only experience of love,
is a heart-breakingly one-sided marriage to Petal (Cate Blanchett).
Traumatised by her death he is left with their daughter Bunny, (Gainer triplets). Aunt Agnis (Judi Dench) takes them to Newfoundland to their ancestral home to discover his roots.
There is something magical about this film. When they get to Newfoundland there are colourful characters & mysteries that unfold.
Quoyle must discover if he can love & be loved in return without pain.
Now he starts to learn about himself, his family & his capabilities.
This is a slowly unfolding & richly rewarding film that will stay with you for a long time. -
Most recent members' review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Tender and beautiful
The Shipping News is a story of human frailty and self discovery set against the harsh, rugged beauty of Newfoundland. It is a place where the realities of a hard land and unforgiving climate are cushioned by the shy generosity of spirit of the Newfoundlanders themselves. Quoyle, his troubled daughter and stoic aunt embark on their separate, but linked, journeys of self discovery to find peace with themselves and their circumstance. The characters are handled sensitively and their imperfections and human frailities are acknowledged with a tenderness and respect that only serves to give them greater depth. Kevin Spacey does credit to a difficult and complex role and Judi Dench is, as always, superb. Camera work and music conspire well to enhance the troubled tension and desperate hope.
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News and features
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Away From Her
- 08 Feb 2008
After 40 years of marriage, Fiona (Julie Christie) decides it is time to move on. This is no reflection on her husband, Grant (Gordon Pinsent), but an acknowledgment that her mind is already drifting out the door. As the Alzheimer's worsens she will require round-the-clock attention. Grant agrees in principle, but he's distraught when the nursing home bars him for the first 30 days, and then bereft to find that his wife has transferred her affections to another patient, Aubrey (Michael Murphy). Read more
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Lasse Hallstrom (CHOCOLAT, MY LIFE AS A DOG) presents this strong, quiet, chillingly deep adaptation of the popular novel by E. Annie Proulx. In a fishing port set in the Canadian province of ... -