A Shine of Rainbows (2010)

Absolutely Fantastic

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Tomás (John Bell) is a shy, stuttering orphan bullied by the other kids. He is adopted by Maire (Connie Nielsen) but her husband Alec (Aidan Quinn) is reluctant. They live in an isolated farm house on remote Corrie Island, Ireland. Alec has yet to sign the adoption papers. They find an abandoned baby seal and Tomás takes care of it.This has a nice quiet charm but it's lacking in drama. There is no tension in the story. These are perfectly nice characters. It needs a hurdle but the only hurdle exists in Alec. That's not enough unless the movie intends to make him a villain. There are slight attempts at magical realism. While they are nice, they are not big enough to be awesome. This is a nice little movie but not much more.

I give this movie a "10" on the cinematography alone, but it's so much more than that. The story is heartwarming, directing is perfect, acting is superb (even young John Bell in what is likely his first role), and the musical score is worth purchasing on its own. Loved every piece of it.The story centers around an orphan (Bell) who is adopted by a beautiful and 'colorful' Irish woman (Connie Nielson, an actress new to me but I will definitely look for her again) and her reluctant husband (Quinn, an A-list actor who never ever disappoints) and whisked off to picturesque Corrie Island in County Donegal. The film tugs at your heart without being maudlin or without even a hint at 'over-acting,' so common in movies about orphans. (Kudos to the director.)I cannot recommend this film highly enough and am shocked that I had never heard of it before renting it on a lark.

I LOVED this love story. Its rare that a movie fully captures the love of a parent and child so fully but this one did. I caught it on cable the other day and did not expect to be so moved.The actor who plays Tomas is simply astounding. His eyes convey more emotion than any adult actor I've seen in the last year. Connie Nielson, who I've only seen in Gladiator and LO-SVU, is gloriously heartbreaking in her maternal love. Aiden Quinn is excellent as the Dad who was expecting another type of child. There is not a false note in the entire movie. While the plot had no real surprises, the unfolding of the story was just beautiful. As an added bonus, the countryside is breathtaking. Highly recommend this film.

I saw this film in December, of 2009 in Indianapolis. I am one of the judges for the Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award. A Truly Moving Picture "…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Heartland gave that award to this film.Tomas is a young boy that is bullied and unhappy at an orphanage. He is suddenly and mysteriously adopted by a childless couple, who live simply and modestly on a very remote Irish island. The Mother, although in ill health, is a woman of astounding positive energy and beauty and sets herself to healing the mental and physical scars of the boy's unfortunate upbringing. The Father meanwhile loves his wife dearly, but is far less excited by the recovering, damaged boy.Intertwined with this awkward triangle relationship is light fantasy and legend and mystery of the gorgeous Irish coast. The Irish coast is so beautifully rendered that it is like a fourth character.There is suddenly a great change in circumstances and two parts of the triangle have to come to terms with this tragedy. It takes courage and resolve and change and love.The three actors of the triangle are vivid and hold your attention and each ultimately moves you emotionally in three different ways.FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.