The War Bride (2001)

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Excellent but underrated film

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I can't think of one thing wrong with this movie? Oh...(speaking as a total teenage girl here,) NOT ENOUGH ADEN YOUNG! (ok now that that's over with....) I first became interested in this movie when I first become interested in Loren Dean, who plays Joe in this film. I searched for it everywhere on DVD, couldn't find it, and after a year or so gave up. 3 months ago, I watch Space Cowboys, also with Loren Dean, and I wonder to myself "Hmm, what ever happened with The War Bride." So I hop on Netflix.com and lo and behold, there it is. I immediately move it to the top of my queue, and within 2 days I have it.I rush into my room, slam it into the DVD Player (the one in our living room wasn't working) and began to watch this incredible movie. First off, my teenage girl senses kicked in and I'm drooling over Aden Young in no time flat! Anna Friel, who'd I'd seen in one other film just the night before, was amazing as Lily. I probably would have acted the same way as she did. I don't know. If people talked about me the way they talked about her, I definitely would have worn the red dress! ****SPOILERS*****My favorite scene I think has to be where Charley breaks down after showing Lily his journal. A sucker for men unafraid to show their emotions I cried right along with him. As well as when Sofie comes to the house after learning of Louie's death. I cried with Lily and Sofie and said along with Lily "Why didn't you tell me?" Brenda Fricker has been one of my favorites ever since she was The Bird Lady in "Home Alone 2." I was thrilled to learn she was in this movie. ***SPOILER***I love the part where Lily fixes everyone dinner, and everyone except Joe and Betty (Fricker) are sitting back away from their plate while Joe and Betty are leaning over their plates and loving every bite! My Dad sat on the couch watching it with me a few days later and said, rather loudly, "WELL...MAMA'S ENJOYING IT!" Anna Friel, Brenda Fricker, Aden Young and Loren Dean, as well as everyone else cast in this wonderful movie was perfect for the role they were given. I loved every minute of this wonderful movie. I recommend that if you ever see it anywhere, to rent or to buy, that you rent or buy it immediately! It is one of my favorites!

I love this film. It's a powerful story about war. But not from the usual point of view. But rather from a woman's point of view. Far from the war zone. Anna Friel, Brenda Fricker and Molly Parker combine to form a trio of women struglling,each in their own way, to come to terms with the war. They are great in this film. Both induvidualy and as a greater trio. They have to fight for their own place in a world out of their control. Struggling, bonding and clawing for every inch they can, It's inspiring to see how they build a new life. A good life constructed out of desperation . I first saw this film when in won the HeartLand film festival. I saw it again on DVD and feel in love all over again.

Lily (Anna Friel) and Sophie (Julie Cox) are childhood friends who have grown up together in a London orphanage. It is now wartime London during the Blitz and the two women both have whirlwind romances with two Canadian soldiers. Lily falls in love with Joe, marries him and gets pregnant almost immediately before he is sent off to fight. Lily, along with many other women in England, becomes classified as a war bride and for safety reasons emigrates to join her husband's family in Canada. Arriving with her baby daughter in Alberta, she is met with a hostile reception by her new mother-in-law (Brenda Fricker) and sister-in-law (Molly Parker) and begins a fresh, wholly alien rural life on a remote farm. Lily is nevertheless a spirited, young woman (Anna Friel is excellent in the main role), refuses to be ground down by her new circumstances and successfully fights to become part of a very insular community. The War Bride is a fascinating, touching and powerfully authentic drama filled with good humour. The film also has excellent production values, clean and crisp visuals, and is carefully directed by Lyndon Chubbuck.

Why why why do we keep trying to make movies in this country? We produce good wine...fine authors...great opera singers and ballet dancers. We've even produced one or two respectable politicians. BUT WE ARE INCOMPETENT AT MAKING MOVIES. Where do I start... War brides were not shipped to Canada until after the war... They certainly didn't travel on warships... There never was any railway called Canadian Central... Even during the war, Canada was not using 1860 vintage wood burning locomotives. But bad as all this may be, it is nothing compared to the absurd characterizations. Whoever wrote this dreadful script had absolutely no comprehension of prairie farm life or of the psychological impact of war service. It was stupidly shallow sophomoric twaddle. But by god, they did give it a happy ending. I love my country. I hate my country's movies.