In America (2002)

Director:

Jim Sheridan

Writers (WGA):

Jim Sheridan (written by) &
Naomi Sheridan (written by) ...

Release Date:

31 October 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

An Irish immigrant family adjusts to life in the United States.

Plot Keywords:

Neighbor | New York City | Actor | Border Crossing | Immigration

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 33 nominations

Cast

Paddy Considine	...	Johnny
Samantha Morton	...	Sarah
Sarah Bolger	...	Christy
Emma Bolger	...	Ariel
Neal Jones	...	Immigration Officer #1
Randall Carlton	...	Immigration Officer #2
Ciaran Cronin	...	Frankie
Djimon Hounsou	...	Mateo
Juan Carlos Hernández	...	Papo (as Juan Hernandez)
Nye Heron	...	Blind Man
Jason Salkey	...	Tony
Rene Millan	...	Steve
Sara James	...	Papo's Girlfriend
Bob Gallico	...	Theatre Director
Jason Killalee	...	Assistant Theatre Director

Also Known As:

East of Harlem (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexuality, drug references, brief violence and language. (edited version)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Ireland | UK | USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Denmark:7 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 (bw) | Netherlands:MG6 | Norway:11 | Philippines:R-13 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (edited for re-rating) (certificate #39306) | USA:R (original rating) | Ireland:12PG

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

Ewan McGregor and Kate Winslet were originally approach to play Johnny and Sarah at the film's early stages of production when it was entitled "East of Harlem".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The camcorder would not be able to play back video in slow motion, as we see in the early frisbee scene. The shot was clearly made on film, overcranked, and then transferred to video to display on the LCD screen.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Christy: [voiceover] There's some things you should wish for and some things you shouldn't. That's what my little brother Frankie told me. He told me I only had three wishes, and I looked into his eyes, and I don't know why I believed him.

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars (1977)

Soundtrack:

Tempest

Emotionally honest view from one of our top directors.

"In America" is one of the most honest, intelligent movies that I've seen in several years.

It is the story of an immigrant family coming to live in Manhattan and try to scratch out a better life for themselves. But it is so much more.

It is about loss, not just of a loved one, but losing yourself, as well. It is about the coming to terms with grief, and being able to move on. It shows you how a family can not recover, until each individual recovers.

It is about the hope and promise of a new life, in a new country. The struggle to survive and the need to lean on those you love.

Jim Sheridan captures all of these feelings in this wonderful movie. His movies (My Left Foot, The Boxer, In The Name of the Father) are about complex, intelligent, real emotions and people. He is clearly one of the top directors today, and he is perhaps Britain's best director today.

The cast, especially Emma and Sara Bolger are extraordinary, to say the least.

This was a wonderful film from start to finish.

10 out of 10