Kevin Spacey plays a man looking to restart his life, after his unhinged wife dies in a car crash, by moving to the home of his ancestors in Newfoundland, along with his grieving daughter and recently found aunt.
Based on the book by Annie Proulx, The Shipping News is the segment of the local paper which Quoyle (Spacey) finds himself writing, through a small connection to journalism, luck, and his family name. Once there, the man finds a new purpose and talent, becoming a welcomed figure in this tight-knit community. Having moved to the old family house, which stands precariously on a dangerous cliff top, Quoyle attempts to forget the agonies of his past, but finds his own troubles combining with that of the Quoyle family legacy, and soon faces new hurdles to overcome.
Judi Dench plays Quoyle’s quick-witted aunt, who is also returning to her homeland in order to overcome secrets and tragedies of her own, whilst Julianne Moore plays a local widow, who attracts the attention of Quoyle, but has had her share of grief in this unusual little town by the sea too.
A picturesque and involving film, The Shipping News takes an A List cast, a dramatic literary plot, and throws in some beautiful scenery to make a great film. The story is plotted well, moving from scene to scene like a book would chapter to chapter, giving us more revelations as we go, and enticing us with the mystery and drama.
Spacey is on his usual top form, giving us the portrayal of a sensitive character with plenty of emotion and poignancy. Moore is also captivating during the movie, making her character seem equally beautiful and broken.
If you are a fan of romantic/dramatic fiction, then this is a wonderful film, one that offers a simple story but in a way that is uplifting and heartbreaking in almost every scene.
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