I don't really like weepie/tearjerker movies, but I don't particularly dislike them either. I went to see the following two within the last week.
"In America" was dire. It might as well have been set anywhere as, apart from a few shots of New York, most of the scenes are all set indoors, like a sitcom. It manages to make the Irish (the parents don't know what Trick or Treating on Halloween is!) and the Americans look stupid. America is apparently full of transvestites, drug addicts, black people, and AIDs victims ... as if we don't have them all in Ireland too. Too little plot and style, a movie that is as irritating as its child protagonists. Some sweet moments and some good acting (particularly from Samantha Morton, who was also excellent in her small but pivtol role in "Minority Report") doesn't hold this tripe together. It doesn't even manage to be an effective weepie. Avoid.
On the other hand, "My Life Without Me", isn't great either. It's certainly much better than "In America" (but that wouldn't be hard), it's more stylish, and the whole thing is carried by Sarah Polley's (she was excellent in "Go") central performance, and a rather good and very un-glam performance from Deborah Harry, of Blondie fame. But it's too boring and long and ultimately you're just waiting for her to die and get it over with. Wait for video.
"In America" was dire. It might as well have been set anywhere as, apart from a few shots of New York, most of the scenes are all set indoors, like a sitcom. It manages to make the Irish (the parents don't know what Trick or Treating on Halloween is!) and the Americans look stupid. America is apparently full of transvestites, drug addicts, black people, and AIDs victims ... as if we don't have them all in Ireland too. Too little plot and style, a movie that is as irritating as its child protagonists. Some sweet moments and some good acting (particularly from Samantha Morton, who was also excellent in her small but pivtol role in "Minority Report") doesn't hold this tripe together. It doesn't even manage to be an effective weepie. Avoid.
On the other hand, "My Life Without Me", isn't great either. It's certainly much better than "In America" (but that wouldn't be hard), it's more stylish, and the whole thing is carried by Sarah Polley's (she was excellent in "Go") central performance, and a rather good and very un-glam performance from Deborah Harry, of Blondie fame. But it's too boring and long and ultimately you're just waiting for her to die and get it over with. Wait for video.