This Is My Father

I just wanted to do a fancy Irish jig after watching this film. Coming in with little to no expectations, I was elated to sit back and actually watch a good old fashion romantic tragedy unfold. The Quinn brothers (Aidan, Paul, Declan) should be immensely proud of this hard won film achievement. It was a treat to watch. James Caan stars as a emotionally distant man who has little information on his past, more specifically, on who his father was. He travels to Ireland with his nephew to find his roots.

The film is really a triumph of writing and acting. Aidan Quinn, who stars as the farmboy, gives his most powerful performance ever. After nearly sleepwalking through his entire career, it is this film that the actor truly digs deep and takes the audience through the wringer of emotions. It's an astonishing performance and will be remembered at the end of the year. Caan also brings something new to his table, restraint. Newcomer Moya Farrelly shines brightly as the young mother to be. I liked her spunk and her ability to make the role seem more believable than I suspect the page held. Director Paul Quinn has a steady eye for Ireland. While we've all seen the small village life in that country many times before, Quinn has the ability to make it all seem new and fresh. The screenplay isn't a joyous one. It's rather dark but the emotional impact is shattering. This is one solid movie in almost every way you can conceive. I hope more Irish tales are on the way from the brothers Quinn. --------------- 9