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THE SHIPPING NEWS Send This Review to a Friend
Seeing "The Shipping News" is akin to reading a rich novel, which is not surprising, since the film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by E. Annie Proulx. In the hands of director Lasse Hallstrom, whose works include "My Life as a Dog" and "Cider House Rules," the film becomes an impressive tapestry of life, not only because of the astute screenplay by Robert Nelson Jacobs and the admirable acting to go with it, but also due in large measure to Oliver Stapleton's cinematography that captures the austere beauty of Newfoundland.
The story itself is compelling, with Kevin Spacey in the main role of Quoyle, a meek loner who must begin a new life after his sexy but increasingly hostile wife Petal runs off with their young daughter and a newly-acquired boyfriend only to die in an auto accident. Quoyle, who lives in upstate New York, still longs for her even though she treated him like dirt. Cate Blanchett doesn't have a large role as Petal, but she shows yet another side of her acting ability and leaves a vivid impression.
Things begin to change for Quoyle when he meats his aunt, Agnis Hamm, played by Judi Dench in another one of her sharp performances. He and his daughter accompany her to a fishing port in Newfoundland, where Aunt Agnis has roots, and a haunting family history is there for discovery. There's a broken down family home that they fix up and inhabit until the fierce winter winds force them to move elsewhere. Quoyle gets a most unlikely job as a reporter for the local newspaper and there is much humor in following his learning process for his shipping news beat. But he definitely has potential. The feisty publisher, played by Scott Glenn with the right weather-beaten look, is a boat and fishing enthusiast and he becomes the inspiration for Quoyle beginning an affair with the sea even though he is still traumatized by the way in which his cruel father tossed him into the water to make him swim. It's an image that begins the film and recurs in Quoyle's mind.
Quoyle's life takes a further turn when he meets Wavey Prowse, who runs a center for children and has a backward son who needs special care. Quolye's daughter and the boy establish a friendship. Wavey is played by Julianne Moore, who expands the texture of the film with the kind of skill we have come to expect from her. It is a lovely, warm performance and Wavey changes Quoyle's life as well as her own.
The story, the characters and the setting make a powerful combination. We follow Quoyle's transformation as he gets a new grip on life and becomes a better, more interesting person, and we watch the story move to a startling climactic discovery. "The Shipping News" is very good news for audiences who thrive on a full-bodied movie experience. A Miramax Films release.
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