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Friday, April 16, 2010

MOVIE REVIEW
The Eclipse
In This Ireland: Men Lie, And Sprits Fly
Iben Hjejle as Lena and Ciaran Hinds as Michael in Conor McPherson's "The Eclipse", which expanded its release today in select cities in the U.S.  
Magnolia Pictures

By Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com        Follow popcornreel on Twitter FOLLOW 
Friday, April 16, 2010

Conor McPherson directs a marvelous mix of love, longing and supernatural phenomena in the drama "The Eclipse", which opened today in San Francisco, Sacramento, Seattle and Highland Park in Illinois, among other U.S. cities.  It's one of the best films so far in 2010 and deserves a vast audience beyond the selected cities that will get to see it.  Audiences of all stripes will embrace and enjoy this film, which premiered in the U.S. at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.

It is September 2009 in Ireland, and the Cobh Literary Festival is underway.  Michael (Ciarán Hinds) is a woodshop school teacher and festival volunteer who drives guests to the location.  He's having a tough time with the passing of his wife.  Michael appears to see visions.  By contrast, his young kids have moved forward.  His ailing father-in-law has words of wisdom for him.  But over nine days in Cobh, two men will lie.  Two men will engage with spirits of distinct kinds: one alcoholic, the other otherworldly.

Lena (Iben Hjejle) and Nicholas (Aidan Quinn) are authors at the Festival.  Their history is a comedy of errors.  They will meet again.  One of them has written a book about witnessing ghosts.  The other is as hollow as a ghost.  One is insecure and careless, the other is pretentious and narcissistic.  Meanwhile, a grieving Michael has a lot on his mind. 

Based on Billy Roche's book Tales From Rainwater Pond, and written by Mr. Roche and Mr. McPherson, "The Eclipse" is a smart thriller that like "Paranormal Activity" doesn't rely on digital special effects to jolt its audience.  More scares per square inch are here though, and Mr. McPherson's triumph of integrating Hollywood-type horror with a mature, authentic adult love story is notable.  Another director may have overplayed his or her hand by daring to mixing these genres, but Mr. McPherson audaciously builds suspense, tension and mood in his story, supplying a credibility that absorbs and envelops the audience.  It's a highly confident effort.

The primary success of "The Eclipse", a quiet, haunting and honest film, is the sincerity of the story from which its horror arises.  The superb camerawork by Ivan McCollough sells this film so very well.  Mr. McCollough's work is as impressive and beautiful as any cinematography this year, born of subtlety and simplicity.  His shot-making, selection and composition are integral to the film's atmosphere and its power, poetry and beauty are augmented by Fionnauala Ní Chiosáin's discreet music score.

The secondary success of the film is its great acting. 

Belfast-born Ciarán Hinds ("Miami Vice") is excellent here as the anguished Michael, in one of the best performances of his career.  Mr. Hinds blends physical comedy, despair and psychological torment to round out a solemn, palpable character.  Danish thespian Iben Hjejle ("High Fidelity", "Defiance") gives Lena a strength and maturity that makes her smart, serious and truthful.  A real woman!  On screen!  In 2010!  Women are critical to the story and are heroines in the lives of their men.  Mr. Quinn is also fine here as Nicholas, serving as the film's punch-line and its comic relief, but Nicholas is an important character that shapes "The Eclipse" and its intimacy.

There's a scene -- maybe a tricky or fanciful one -- in the third act of "The Eclipse" that is so good it almost torpedoes all that has preceded it.  Given the tone of the film however, it belongs.  No music score is needed.  No overacting is encouraged.  And no words are necessary.  It feels real.  It is breathtaking.  And absolutely beautiful. 


With: Jim Norton, Eanna Hardwicke and Hannah Lynch.

"The Eclipse" is rated R by the Motion Picture Association Of America for language and some disturbing images.  Prepare to be jolted out of your seat.  The film's running time is one hour and 28 minutes.


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Read more movie reviews and stories from Omar here.

Read Omar's "Far-Flung Correspondent" reports for America's pre-eminent Film Critic Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times - here



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