In America

" 💛 IN AMERICA is a little dream; a small triumph in cinema that shows you just how important small triumphs really are in life and in art. It features performances that shouldn't feel as authentic as they do. One could watch it and understand more or less how certain events will unfold, and how some characters are written to tie up loose ends that may not happen in "real" life. Yet, the characters are brought to life by the actors with such passion and reckless abandon that what could be a device, and probably is, becomes real. Perhaps the biggest example is the character Matteo, played by Djimon Hounsou. We could see his place in the film as merely a means to an end for a certain aspect of the plot, but with immaculate direction, and great sensitivity and gravitas by the actor himself, we witness the life and sanctuary within the movie. His character shows how with enough vision and love, any character can become more than the sum total of their parts. Of course, every performance here runs this risk a little, considering that it lives within the realm of melodrama, but through the rawness of heart, it rises above the cliches and archetypes that are employed for the sake of moving the narrative forward. What helps a great deal is the style in which it is shot and edited, employing the techniques of pure cinema to connect dialogue and image in such a way that we are not just watching actors and following events that constitute a plot, but inhabiting characters and a world that are interconnected to deliver a mix of intimate and vast fantasy that could be from the mind of a child, while still feeling grounded and true. The storm scene is a great example; it lives on the fringes of expressionistic truth and impressionistic, symbolic beauty, feeling as if the two are dancing together to celebrate the wonders of shared human experience. There is no way I can do this film justice in a review that allows only 2000 characters. A great gem rooted in simple goodness - 0"

"This is a perfect movie to watch if you're looking to stretch your senses, cry a little, get ******, wish you could put your arms around someone you've lost, and remember how sweet and sick life is. This film started me making my own sort of King Cake for one of my family's holidays as a remembrance to what or who I dare not say."

"Love this movie"