Dancing At Lughnasa
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Movie Reviews of Dancing At Lughnasa
Movie Review: Sad and wistful, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie is not one of those showcasing Meryl Streep's tour-de-force acting...thank goodness! With all due respect to Ms. Streep, she has shown herself quite capable of riding roughshod over the other players in the movies she's been in simply by virtue of her bravura style that, however unintentionally, focuses all eyes on HER. She's far more effective when she tones it down, stops ACTING, and becomes part of the team, and DANCERS AT LUGHNASA is one the best examples of her doing just that. It's a sweet, sad movie that shows the slice of life of five spinster sisters whose lives are on the edge of a downturn that's alluded to at the end of the film. It shows all of the different qualities they have through the eyes of Michael, the son of the youngest sister, born out of wedlock but cared for and loved by them all. There's no real story to speak of, just a study of the consequences of lives spent in anticipation of living rather than really being lived. Streep as the eldest sister Kate has been the strong, no-nonsense one who sees over the course of the film her well-intentioned iron hand being chafed at by the others, particularly the slow-minded but sweet Rose, who is desperate for any happiness she can get after a life of unfulfilled dreams. Michael, it becomes evident as the film ends, will become his own man after he leaves the sister's protective nest, but if the movie is "about" anything, it's about the lessons he's learned and knowledge he's gained from growing up amongst these five unique women. A very sobering but loving film that can break your heart.Movie Review: Gorgeous film, slow but sad and entrancing
Summary: 4 Stars
"Dancing at Lughnasa" (pronounced Loon-Nasa, by the way) is about five sisters and their family in Donegal, Ireland. Poor as only the Irish can be, the sisters make their living, unmarried, by knitting gloves, teaching, and keeping house by gardening potatoes, cabbages and cutting turf.
One sister is "simple" (ie, rather slow) and is in love with a man whose wife has abandoned him. Another has an illegitimate son Michael by a drifting Welshman who comes by from time to time to visit, and another is a teacher in the local school, Kate. Kate is the mother hen, nicknamed "The Gander" for her overbearing ways and mannish "head of the family" attitude. Agnes, the quiet one, is the knitter and the deep one. Another sister is fun-loving and a follower.
One golden summer, Michael's father shows up on his motorbike and the brother of the sisters, a priest from Uganda, comes home as well. All of them spend a summer out of time, a summer that changes their life forever. The surprise is the depth of each person and how they step out of their assigned roles to change each other's lives forever.
The end is rather sad, and almost a let-down, but the film is unforgettable and well-acted by a stellar cast including Meryl Streep as Kate (The Gander), Michael Gambon and a supporting cast of Irish actors that I wish I could see more of. A different take on poor childhoods in Ireland (Angela's Ashes) and a beautiful film in general.
Movie Review: Grim, but beautiful
Summary: 4 Stars
It's 1936 Ireland, and the world is on the verge of many things. The five Mundy sisters live together in a small cottage with Michael, the love child they all share.
Comes summer and two men come to change their lives. Father John, the elder brother, has returned from his mission in Africa--he says, to die. Gerry, Michael's father also comes to stay the summer before he goes to enlist to fight Franco in Spain.
The film depicts a world of contrasts--Catholic strictures versus Ireland's pagan Lughnasa rituals, cottage industry versus industrialism. They country is on the brink of a war that will change the world irrevocably--and the family itself is changing, getting restless, and moving in different directions.
I won't kid you, "Lughnasa" is grim. It's Irish, but it's also lovely. The casting is great---Meryl Streep as the strait laced schoolteacher is a bit over the top, but Michael Gambon as Father John is just delightful. And there's the scenery--and the music. "Dancing at Lughnasa" is a very worthwhile watch and an essential for fans of Irish film.
Movie Review: Honestly reviewed
Summary: 4 Stars
I am studying the play by Brian Friel, which is absolutely wonderful, the film whilst completely convincing and beautifully directed, strays from the original script occasionally, which is a shame, but essentially ends up not to matter, due to a few main factors, the direction really captures the nature and real essence of the play, and is beautifully done showing every actress and actor in their best light. and Meryl Streep is absolutely fantastic as the rather clipped, kate.
The Story is a tale following 5 sisters a son and a brother, and how they release and show their emotions through dancing to music from their new radio, which in the end contributes to the break down of the family. While the story ends sadly it is strangly uplifting.
It is a film i would recommend to people who enjoy a film which is incredibly honest and naturalistic. What is astounding is the way the concepts of the story linger in your mind and you eventually begin to notice a deeper meaning or reference.
A very understated film, which deserved a lot more credit and recognition.
Fabulous.
Movie Review: A quiet film, and hauntingly lovely
Summary: 4 Stars
Dancing at Lughnasa, a movie adapted from an autobiography, delves into the lives of five women, unmarried sisters living in rural Ireland in the 30s. The youngest sister has given birth to an illegitimate son, and at the beginning of the movie Michael, the little boy, is 8 year old. There's a pagan ritual that the village observes every August, a night when they dance around a fire in honor of the god Lugh, the ancient god of light. But wait? Aren't these villagers good Catholics? It's Ireland, after all. The answer is yes...at least, sort of.Tensions increase with the arrival of 2 men. One is the only brother in this family, an elderly priest returning from missionary work in Africa, where he apparently slowly lost his mind. The other is Gerry (Rhys Ifans), Michael's long-absent father who's still not about to commit to much of anything. Meryl Streep plays the eldest sister, often a shrew, but always riveting.
It's a good one, augmented with gorgeous music and stunning cinematography of the incomparable Irish countryside.