Islander (2006) User Reviews

Maine, the way it could be.

[photo2-3 · 7/10 · 24 November 2006]

Good movie. Low budget. Very realistic character development. Maine is depicted the way it is in many fishing communities. Good camera work, lots of non actors in the film. I especially enjoyed the take of the couple in the kitchen and their daughter sleeping on the couch. Wonderful light and mood setting in that clip. On the other side, I think that the cameraman could have been more patient with filming and wait for some morning fog rolling over the boat. It would depict Maine atmosphere better. The sound work in the movie could probably use a little improvement but none of these complains detract from the movie. I would recommend you seeing it if you are looking for non-Hollywood movie without any fluff.

I enjoyed it very much.

Like the Tide, It Ebbs and Flows...

[joetheauthor · 7/10 · 15 March 2011]

Despite some major shortcomings, I still enjoyed Islander. The pacing seemed a bit uneven, the interaction between characters somewhat forced at times, and the script a bit rough. However, I thought the casting was superb, as were the acting, the music, and the photography. Probably with a larger budget this movie could have been superb. As it was it was still quite good. The theme of redemption is a common one, but always provides a solid foundation for a good story. I've never been a lobster fisherman, nor have I lived along the Maine coast. But, I've spent time in the area, and I felt the overall atmosphere was authentic. If you are drawn to the stark landscape and individualistic characters of the Northeast, you'll enjoy this film. It's flawed, but eminently watchable.

Great atmosphere, mediocre script

[birck · 7/10 · 19 March 2010]

The acting is decent, the story is believable, the characters are convincing, the script is mediocre, but the photography and visuals are stunning. The story is as much about life on the island as it is about the main character(s), and the plot synopsis says it all. There's nothing to "spoil". I've never lived on an island off the Maine coast or fished for lobster, or built a boat, but after watching this film I can appreciate all those things more, even if there are some inaccuracies. If you like "atmosphere" in a film, this has it. By the second hour, you can smell the lobster pots and diesel fumes. My only reason for giving it a 7 instead of 9 or 10 is the clunky script.

Not Great

[Wellenstock · 4/10 · 23 August 2010]

This is a low budget film with mediocre everything. I would say that it's watchable but just barely. The story, while not great, moves along. If you're interested in Maine then see it but expect some awkward timing, poor character development, poor sound quality, poor camera work, poor acting and a story that's somewhat hard to swallow. You never know if it's the director, script or actors but the dialog doesn't flow, there's little in the way of chemistry among the actors. The mother's inflections are over the top and just don't seem real. It might be one to watch with your parents except for an oddly shot sex scene early on. In short, to enjoy this, you have to cut them a lot of slack and not be a hard nosed critic.

Film as storytelling, like a yarn spun by an old Yankee salt

[ngstudio-1 · 10/10 · 30 November 2006]

I'm lucky enough to live in a coastal New Hampshire town with a fabulous film program which was lucky enough to score a one-night screening of The Islander. What a film. I knew going in that many of the cast were non-professionals, but I was darned if I could tell which were which. The storytelling was spare, honest and compelling, and everything about the production, right down to the spectacular cinematography of coastal Maine, was there to simply serve the story. The acting was minimalistic and restrained -- and moved me to tears more than once. I also had the luxury of listening to a Q&A with lead actor-writer-producer Tom Hildreth afterward -- what an inspiration he is. Serious, articulate, proud and humble, with wonderful stories about filming on Vinylhaven. This is indie film-making at its very best, and deserves to be seen by the widest audience possible. I know I'll be out there spreading the word...

Decent Story, Clumsily and Amateurishly Written

[jmbellin · 4/10 · 20 March 2007]

This is the sort of movie that might have been a Movie of the Week many years ago, but without the slickness. The plot points are fairly trite. There is not much nuance in this movie. I hate it when a director or writer has to resort to black and white contrasts in order for you to get the point. You want to make someone be less sympathetic? Have that person rape someone. How 'bout making someone more sympathetic? Make sure they get a disfiguring, bloody injury.

Not many characters in this film are very thoughtful, except when the plot calls for that character to shine relative to a not very thoughtful character. Many act out of knee-jerk reactions.

Many speak with a phony hyped-up Maine accent. For some reason, everybody who lives in Bahston or Mayen have wicked accents. Anyone else laugh at the dialect of the educated psychiatrist in "The Departed"? This could have been a very good story about rehabilitation and redemption, and it's not terrible overall, but there are too many groaners in the form of badly written dialogue or plot points.

Perhaps my view of this film is tainted by having just seen a beautiful film, an HBO production called "Langford", based on a member of British Parliament who befriended a convicted child killer. "Langford" was a beautifully written, nuanced film, with lots of room for the viewers to think in the gray areas.

I wish the writers and filmmaker had more trust in the audience.

Live on the Island where the film was shot

[abarker20 · 10/10 · 25 July 2006]

I live and work in the community where this film was shot. I am a lobster fishermen and in some ways, an outsider, having returned to the island after several years living away. Islander does a wonderful job of capturing just what it is like to try to reinsert yourself into the community after being gone for so long, and a lot of the themes in the movie are very real in our day to day life. If you are not well liked, or if you do something that is deemed unacceptable, you AND your family will be harassed about it. You will have a hard time finding work. You will be looked down upon by your peers. However, you can redeem yourself, and that is the very essence of this movie. Trying to out your life back together in a place that has cast you aside.

Now that I have covered the theme and how it relates to real life, I will cover the technical aspects.

1. If a fishermen has a dispute with people crossing the boundaries (marked by gps numbers and generally accepted by all surrounding communities) they will not publicly attack the outsiders. There will be several attempts to get them to leave peacefully.

2. Things are much more fast paced aboard a lobster boat. However, in the essence of trying to show what is going on, I am giving them creative license on this one, as it opens up this world to an unknowing audience.

3. (Potential Spoiler) Whether you are in a panic situation or not, any TRUE boat captain knows that you do not go from zero to full throttle right away, but rather you have to ease into it or it causes the engine to lag.

4. The way the lobster boat scenes are set up (As in gear placement and crew movement) does not match up with the real way we do it, however I believe this was done to allow the camera crew to capture as much as they could and give the actors some room to work with, so again, creative license.

5. If you aren't from Maine, please don't attempt the Maine accent. We appreciate the effort, but never in the history of film has an outsider ever got the accent right, and it would probably be better served to just use your natural voice.

Of course, being, more or less, the real life equivalent of what this movie was trying to portray, I am probably just nit picking and most audiences would not know the difference and be amazed by this new lifestyle presented to them on screen. I thought the movie turned out quite well and would gladly go see it a few more times. If you get a chance, you should definitely check out Islander. It is one of those movies that exceeds all expectation.

Insulting

[mrspotatofish · 1/10 · 4 March 2009]

I live on the island where this film takes place. I was shocked when I saw the final cut. I was insulted, and ashamed. It was obviously written by someone who's true knowledge of the island community is sadly lacking. This film has an extremely narrow minded view of the fishing community, portraying commercial fisherman as uneducated drunks and wife beaters. NOTHING could be more far from the truth. I was so hurt watching this film.

I come from a fishing family, and it is filled with intelligent, sober,caring people. I tell everyone who comes across this film, to avoid it on principal.

Pulls you in; great visuals and sound track

[Carhart · 9/10 · 28 June 2006]

I just saw Islander at the LA Film Festival and liked it very much. It's a story about lobster fishermen living on a island 16 miles off the coast of Maine: their lives and their livelihood. The focus is on acceptance within this close-knit community. I found it surprisingly persuasive. The scenes on and about the island (off Rockport, Maine -- filmed on location) were stunning and the development of the key characters was quite well done. Expect to see this film in theaters soon, hopefully in distribution not confined to "art" theaters. This is a professional movie in every way and deserved to be seen. I suspect it will do well in the LA Film Festival and others.

Terrific film

[waynebe452 · 10/10 · 21 October 2006]

I saw this wonderful film two days ago and this morning it dawned on me that so much of it still remains with me. I can't say that about any other film that I've seen in a long time. It is a beautifully-observed, wonderfully acted, pitch-perfect film. VARIETY invoked IN THE BEDROOM as a point of comparison only to say that the story here is more plausible than that film - but it's very much it's own movie. See it. That is, see it if you can - it has not been widely distributed yet; it does not appear to have a general distributor yet despite the glowing reviews. If there is an art-house theater in your town, ask them to get it. It played a local theater here because it was shot nearby.

Great Movie

[scott4240 · 8/10 · 31 December 2007]

Watched this movie at Sedona Film Festival in March 2007. The movie did very well and won the people's choice award.

Great story with very good storyline and character development. None of the flash from scene to scene to keep your attention tactics.

Very well done movie with a great lesson in living life.

The director provided a detailed account of the making of the film in a question and answer session after the viewing. He and a few others that worked with him on the film believe that they truly captured the essence of the island life in the film.

If memory serves me correctly, there were numerous people in the movie that were actually residents of the island.

"Islander" is a neglected gem.

[stuartwhoward · 9/10 · 31 December 2008]

I was fortunate to see this film at a private screening in Los Angeles and liked it so much that I rushed to a repeat showing at the LA Film Festival. How a work of art of this caliber, evoking a corner of our country heretofore neglected by filmmakers, could have passed so far under the public and critical and distribution radar is a vexing mystery. "Islander" was, quite simply, one of the finest films I saw in 2006, a year that included "Pan's Labyrinth", "The Queen", and "Children of Men." I will even go so far as to assert that, to my personal taste, "Islander" is superior to that year's Oscar winner, the overrated "The Departed"! This is not because I prefer smaller, independent films to larger, slicker, more mainstream products: I don't, at least not habitually. It's just that "Islander" is so much more substantial emotionally, its characters more accessible and real, its concerns more familiar to most of us. Small in scope, yes. Lacking in box-office "name" clout, yes. A simple, intimate tale about ordinary people, yes. Nonetheless, this tale of transgression and redemption moved me deeply, convinced me, compelled me, impressed me. From every point of view -- story structure, acting, score, direction, you name it -- this film is well worth your time.

Islander: The Way Life in Lobstering is in Maine

[trebor47 · 10/10 · 24 February 2012]

I am not from Maine but have visited Maine several times and have been to Vinalhaven as have been members of my family. The movie depicts life as the way it should be on the island. I first saw the movie in Rangeley Maine at a little theater where the producer had been there only a few days prior to me. I purchased the film for me and for family who are lobster fisherman up in Maine. They said it was true to life. I watch the movie over and over again since it depicts life as it is in Maine and also has many story lines as well. It is an excellent film and is too bad it was not shared with the rest of America on the big screen.

Hollywood: Can't touch this!

[zabokrugby8 · 10/10 · 9 February 2015]

Nothing these days in the movie industry surprises me; so learning that this 'gem' was produced by an independent film maker had little shock value...

What did catch me napping though was the 'quality' throughout; especially breathtaking was the cinematography. The camera crew certainly had the right focus. The shots/scenes on Maine's coastal waters left an indelible effect; made me want to visit there; Lickity split!

The plot/theme is 'all American'. In its simplicity, the director used the touching story-line to capture the real cultural milieu of life on a small island. In that small microcosm, everything and every living soul are interconnected; right on down from the economy to personal relationships including family and the tight-knit bonds and camaraderie of the fisherman, we, the viewer catch a genuine upfront and in-your-face view of what living in a 'fishbowl 'so-to- speak is all about.

Then there's the tragedy; when main character, Eben Cole, loses his cool and in a fit of anger causes the loss of life of a fellow fisherman though by accident, we see, through the director's skillful control of the scenes how the entire community closes ranks. Once favored but now shunned and shuffled off to prison for 5 years on a manslaughter plea bargain deal, Eben, prepares for his detention. After his release, he begins the long road to redemption. Thomas Hildreth, as Eben, is rock solid; his portrayal is near perfect; but flawed enough to evoke our pathos.

The rest of the cast deliver equally moving and plausible performances; especially note worthy is Amy Jo Johnson. Cast as Cheryl, Eben's wife, Amy is a good fit: she handles the role of a distraught and then subsequently estranged spouse with ease. Judy Prescott as Emily, the island's doctor, projects a genuine sensitivity about living alone on an island that is not that easy to capture on film. With the director's help though she through her feminine charms becomes the healing balm that Eben is in dire need of...

Then there's Philip Baker Hall; as 'Popper' the savvy actor provides the much needed perspective for not only to the tragedy but as the wise, village elder he represents the entire community's historical roots; his role is akin to that of an anchor for the boats and the lives of the crew in real danger of being cast adrift during a tempest; scuza the pun.

Make no mistake; this is a man's film; told primarily from a male perspective and bias; an American Classic. Its core theme is all about real life fishermen, many of which are trying to stay alive and in the process still provide for their families; in good times as well as when trouble arrives.

As I said in the beginning: the real beauty of this film is its simplicity; no throw away lines; no wasted dialog; no hackneyed clichés; just real honest discourse; spoken in the manner and at a level that every local person would understand.

Just the way I like them...

Oh, by the way. The soundtrack, 'Start Over' is out-of-this-world haunting yet cathartic at the same time. The guitar riffs throughout provide the emphasis in just the right places; does not get much better than that.

Bravo! I doff my cap to everyone associated with bringing this great film to the public. Need more like this; many more from the 'independents'.

Heartfelt, real redemption story

[wisdomwasp · 10/10 · 13 September 2022]

This is a great film. For a smaller scale film, to have the great acting (you feel they are people in Maine, not actors playing someone from Maine), great pacing and great soundtrack it does (finally an Indie/smaller scale film with good music!) is a real credit.

The characters are all three dimensional, with flaws and positives. And watching the protagonist try and heal the destruction and pain he left is not always predictable but always interesting.

The small town setting is fantastic, the soundtrack suits and interesting to learn more about an industry I didn't really know about (Lobster fishing). Some of the setups of relationships is a bit unnatural but that's a very small flaw in an otherwise brilliant film. All the key actors deserve credit, they all do a pretty much flawless job, when you see less talented people in Hollywood making more for a film than this movies whole budget there must be something wrong in the world. But as long as movies like this are still made there is still a lot right.

Wonderfully heartfelt, unexpectedly impactful - very well done!

[I_Ailurophile · 8/10 · 23 December 2022]

My commendations to filmmaker Ian McCrudden, star and co-writer Thomas Hildreth, editor Marc Jozefowicz, the cast, crew, and all others involved - put very simply, this is excellent. Aided in part by Billy Mallery's softly variable, somber score, there's a pall of dreariness hanging over the picture like a persistent low fog rolling in off the coast, paired with a yearnful hopefulness. The movie is exceptionally smart about conveying the passage of time early in its length, thanks in no small part to Jozefowicz but also some keen collection of shots generally. Lent power by McCrudden's direction and Dan Coplan's cinematography, the very filming locations seem to pop to life, Maine itself becoming a character - beauty, isolation, time passing only of its own accord and change coming slowly but definitively. The story is sharp and vivid, with complicated and real characters, and cutting dialogue and scene writing. 'Islander' is a quiet drama, but a very compelling and heartfelt one, and it deserves much more recognition as far as I'm concerned.

Superb as every constituent element is, there's no one part of this that is particularly striking, demanding viewership. It's definitely an instance of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, and that's true despite mindful direction, intelligent writing, and a splendid cast. Everyone involved turns in a performance of terrific nuance, realizing their characters with measured restraint and finesse that makes each all the more believable. Philip Baker Hall was nothing if not reliable; Amy Jo Johnson, having already demonstrated solid capability up to this point in her career, gives what might be one of her best displays of skill in her supporting part. Hildreth, Judy Prescott, young Emma Ford, and all others distinctly impress with the soulful, emotive acting they pour into the movie, more than I assumed sights unseen. And that quite goes for 'Islander' at large, brimming with stark honesty in its tale of bad judgment, learning to live with mistakes, and the connections and resentments of small communities. There's no questioning that this is a very independent film, but it digs its claws in gradually and firmly with a fierce strength and presence I just never would have anticipated.

Some big studio productions get more attention than they ever truly earn; even in the age of the Internet, when the looming stature of the studios has slightly dwindled, smaller titles still often fail to get all their due. This, I believe, is certainly one of the latter. I sat for it not knowing what to expect, and figured on some tropes that are overdone. What I got was an earnest, meaningful, impactful drama that ultimately strikes major chords that some of the most well-financed tour de forces can only dream of. I'm not saying that this is perfect; some beats are a little too on the nose, especially in the last act, and with such exactness comes a vague feeling of ham-handedness. By and large, however, this is expansively warm and engrossing, rich and flavorful from its most downtrodden through to its most welcoming. For lack of any especial vibrancy I can understand how it won't appeal to all comers, yet I'm so roundly pleased with how good this is, and frankly I'd give it a blanket recommendation for one and all. As is the way with such pictures it isn't necessarily the most readily available, but if you have the chance to watch, 'Islander' is well worth 100 minutes of your time.

A small independent movie with a nice story regarding Maine lobster fishermen.

[TxMike · 16 June 2009]

I have a very specific and very brief connection to the Maine lobster industry. In 1997 my wife and I were there visiting Maine relatives and one of them, a cousin-in-law, was a lobster fisherman. One of the highlights of the visit was the lobster boil at aunt Marie's house overlooking the Atlantic. The critters were caught that morning and cooked in ocean water. Indescribably good!

So, with that small connection I found this movie, "Islander", very interesting. It deals with the occasional boundary disputes between mainlanders and islanders for the location of the lobster traps.

Thomas Hildreth co-wrote the script and stars as Eben Cole, one of the fishermen, like his father and his grandfather before him. But he is somewhat of a hot-head and unwisely uses a shotgun to threaten another fisherman at sea. This results indirectly in an accident which changes everything for Eben.

Most of the actors have extensive TV and stage experience and are good enough for this production. The best actor in the cast is Philip Baker Hall as the old fisherman Popper. I also particularly enjoyed Amy Jo Johnson, of "Felicity" fame, as Cheryl, Eben's wife.

The movie is primarily a study of the characters and their lives, living and working on the somewhat isolated island off the coast of Maine. I enjoyed it for what it is.

SPOILERS: The incident with Eben resulted in a young man falling off the boat and, tangled in ropes, drowned. Eben, unable to afford a good lawyer, is assigned a public defender who advises him to accept a plea bargain of manslaughter and serve 5 to 7 years in prison, which he does. Upon getting out his wife has divorced him and she and the young daughter moved in with a rival fisherman. Much of the last half of the movie is Eben trying to rebuild his life and overcome all the hate directed towards him. A town doctor whose husband left her upon finding she planned to go back to the island to practice becomes Eben's new love interest, and he gradually gets back into fishing.