The Shipping News (2001): A Movie Review

The Shipping News is a drama starring Kevin Spacey as Quoyle, an emotional abused man who movies to Newfoundland with his aunt and daughter to start a new life. Judi Dench plays Agnis Hamm, Quoyle's aunt. Julianne Moore plays the widow Wavey Prose. Cate Blanchett plays Petal, the mother of Quoyle's daughter. Quoyle gets a job at the local newspaper "The Gammy Bird" and quickly gets immersed in town life.

The movie is very interesting and compelling. The director does a great job of slowly revealing each characters dark secrets buried in the past. Kevin Spacey is amazing as the broken Quoyle who recaptures his life in the small town in Newfoundland. The movie is about loss and the process of recovery.

The movie is emotional heart wrenching and definitely a tearjerker but enjoyable none the less. I think The Shipping News shows that people can recover from betrayal and still find happiness in life.

The movie does have a great cast of supporting actors. Julianne Moore is very touching as the widow Wavey. Rhys Ifans is entertaining as Beaufield Nutbeem, an Austrialian displaced on the island by a storm. Scott Glenn is excellent as Jack Buggit, the owner of the newspaper. Jason Behr plays his son, the local carpenter who is forbidden to go near the ocean after a week stranded at sea. All of the characters just make the story even more entertaining.

I don't want to say too much about the plot because I don't want to spoil the story for anyone. I think it is a most see movie but definitely not for anyone who doesn't like to see the gritty reality of life. I give the movie 4 out of 5 stars.