A solid emotional rollercoaster. Bring the tissues.
A lighthouse keeper and his wife living off the coast of Western Australia raise a baby they rescue from an adrift rowboat.
Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander are phenomenal performers. Both are no stranger to blockbusters or superhero films, but brilliantly use subtlety in this film to convey the in-depth serious emotions of well rounded characters. They are now a real life couple - and you can tell they have a real chemistry in this film. Racel Weisz and Brian Brown both stand out in the ensemble cast.
The pacing of the film can be a little slow, I didn’t mind the length - but I can see how many would find it a little tedious at times.
As we enter “Oscar season” where all the films are after the major awards in my opinion this isn’t an Oscar contender - as there are faults. It is full of stereotypes and stock characters and while the performances are outstanding I think that upcoming films “Jackie” and “La La Land” will have a stronger chance - based on early screening feedback. The only potential win would be for Best Cinematography, it looks beautiful and demonstrates how amazing Australia can look on film.
Overall its well written, directed, very emotional and it does feature great performances, however, its nothing new either. I’d still check it out to support one of the better movies made in Australia.
3.5 Stars
Review by Benjamin Maio Mackay
Screening courtesy of Palace Nova Cinemas
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