My Sailor, My Love

My Sailor, My Love is a movie that revolves around an autumnal romance intertwined with familial issues. Howard (James Cosmo) is a retired sailor and widower who resides in a seaside house. Howard's daughter, Grace (Catherine Walker), hires a mature female carer named Annie (Brid Brennan). As Howard and Annie develop a romantic relationship, Grace is gradually excluded, and the complexities that arise become the movie's central focus.

The movie starts lightheartedly but gradually transitions toward an increasingly thorny tone, depicting flawed and complex characters portrayed by a cast of senior actors. The performances by the actors are strong, and the dialogue is sharp realistic, and reveals the characters' emotions and motivations. Although some lines are overly dramatic, the story's contemplative nature and slow pace suit the movie's overall tone. The cinematography captures the beauty of the Irish setting, which adds to the movie's appeal.

If you enjoy slow-paced dramas with senior actors and are interested in exploring familial issues and romance, My Sailor, My Love is worth a watch.

I have been wanting to see this movie ever since it was released. I finally rented it on Amazon Prime. Every one of the actors was brilliant. You get emotionally invested right from the beginning. It really was believable and I'm sure lots of people could relate to this story. I know I could. It's great to see a movie which isn't totally "Hollywood " if you get what I mean. Plus you get to see the beautiful scenery of Ireland. I really can't find any fault with this film. I'm not sure what else I can add, however, it seems that you now have to have a minimum amount of words? Anyway, I highly recommend this movie.

This is another interesting Finn-Irish film. English dialogue. It is set on Achill island on the west of Ireland and the scenery captured by the cinematography is one of the stars. The story is a tad manipulative and predictable with a quickly malleable, reclusive curmudgeon, Howard (James Cosmo) having a housekeeper, Annie (Brid Brennan) thrust upon him. There is some dysfunction and 'history' in the family and all is not plain sailing. However, the movie is lifted by excellent acting and direction and as a family drama it is better than many around. There is some complexity and pain, leavened by the developing affection of the protagonists. Some discomfort, some uplifting and affecting moments. Definitely worth a trip to the pictures.

When a retired, curmudgeonly, self-centered Irish sea captain has trouble caring for himself, his overprotective, controlling daughter hires a new housekeeper to tend to his needs, a move the fiercely independent protagonist initially resents. However, before long, the once-tentative relationship blossoms into something more substantial, a move the skipper's daughter questions and grows to resent. So how will this fundamental dilemma be resolved? That's the central question raised in director Klaus Härö's latest effort, a well-crafted, if occasionally predictable, romantic drama reminiscent of the similarly themed "Nobody Has to Know" (2021). Set against the sweeping Irish seacoast, this beautifully photographed backdrop provides the perfect stage for this heartfelt saga, one that verges on a tearjerker at times but never slides into a sappy, melodramatic, manipulative hanky fest. In large part this is due to the restrained but powerful performances of James Cosmo and Brid Brennan, who keep their characters real without becoming sentimental, histrionic caricatures. Add to this a finely polished soundtrack, and you've got a quality cinematic offering that deserves a look for a variety of reasons.

My Review - My Sailor My Love In Cinemas now. My Rating. 8/10

Irish Cinema is booming at the moment I think it's because it manages to combine simple entertaining human interest stories with relatable characters that resonate with discerning audiences who are tired of violence or action hero cardboard cut out characters in movies devoid of any pathos or humour .

My Sailor My Love has the look and mood of European cinema not surprising as this movie is a combined project of Irish and Finnish and Belgium cinema .

Skilfully directed by Klaus Haro who received the Ingmar Bergman Award in 2003 and was chosen by Ingmar Bergman himself.

This is a mature age love story filmed in County Mayo on the Galway Coast with three excellent finely nuanced performances from James Cosmo who plays Howard an elderly retired sea Captain , Catherine Walker cast as Grace his complex and possessive daughter who employs Annie as a housekeeper to her gruff and unapproachable father.

Annie is delightfully played by Brid Brennan who I recall from movies like Brooklyn 2015 and Dancing at Lughnasa 1998.

The trio of characters in this story bring with them a suite of complex emotions the daughter Grace has deep unresolved issues from childhood when Howard her sea captain father went to sea leaving her with her unwell mother.

Grace now sole carer of her father at the expense of her own marriage employs Annie as housekeeper against her fathers wishes then becomes bitterly resentful when Annie usurps her role and manages what she can't do to thaw out her fathers withdrawn and austere attitude to life.

Annie is a compassionate widow and Grandmother who soon shows the rough and rude Howard when he offers her more money than Grace to stay away and not come back that she can manage very well without the abuse of another male in her life .

Set in Achill Island and County Mayo this movie is a joy to watch the score by Michelino Bisceglia is so effective and the screenplay by Jimmy Karlsson and Kirsi Vikman is excellent .

I'm so glad independent movies with great casts and relatively modest production budgets that feature great actors that are not necessarily huge box office names can still be made.