The Light Between Oceans

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, Thomas Unger, Anthony Hayes
Directed by: Derek Cianfrance
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Romance
2016

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A lighthouse keeper (Michael Fassbender) and his wife (Alicia Vikander) raise a baby they find drifting in a boat.

Review:

Tim: I love the cast of The Light Between Oceans and director Derek Cianfrance has done some interesting things in his career, so I was excited to see this movie. It looked like an emotional film that would allow the cast to deliver powerhouse performances. It looked like the kind of film that wins Oscars. I guess the movie is okay, but it came in so far below my expectations. The movie moves at a glacial pace, which makes the 2 hours, 13 minute run time feel like 20 hours. There just wasn't enough here to hold our attention. Every second of the film is a slow burn. This felt like one of the slowest movies I have seen in a long time. There's nothing wrong with a slow movie in and of itself, but when it offers so little payoff, you start to wonder why you've spent so much of your life watching the movie.

At the heart of this film is a tragic, emotional story. It offers some unexpected twists and turns and it does hit you in the emotions on more than one occasion. The problem is that by the time you get to the parts of the film that truly matter, the boring aspects of the film have so numbed your senses that you almost can't feel anymore. The sharp emotional pains you should be feeling are blunted, far too easy to shake off and move on. That's the inherent issue in this film. Cianfrance assembled a great cast, had a good story, but perhaps was too faithful to the book, I don't know. What I do know is that this movie feels like it takes an eternity to get started and by the time it builds momentum, we just don't care anymore. Look, I did not hate this movie. There's a lot to like here. The pacing was all off, though, which resulted in a numbing experience.

I feel bad for the cast, because they are all really good. The pairing of Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander is a great one. These are two of the younger, more talented actors we have working today. Both can deliver in blockbuster movies, but both have true talent that a worthwhile director can tap into. While neither of their performances were truly award worthy, they both show up strongly in the film. They deliver strong, emotional performances. They are enjoyable interacting together. This movie is further evidence both can be among the great actors if they continue to hone their craft. There just needed to be more urgency to the film to help move them along. I've always been a big fan of Rachel Weisz and very much enjoyed her performance here. She's such a talented actress and that is on display in every scene she's in. It was also nice seeing Bryan Brown- it feels like a long time since I last saw him in anything.

The story and the idea behind The Light Between Oceans is strong, but Cianfrance's execution is lacking. It's no surprise that this film received no Academy Award nominations. It could have, but Cianfrance lets the movie get away from him. It's too long, too slow, and therefore, doesn't deliver the emotional punch needed. The movie is okay, but it's not exactly enjoyable to watch. I'm glad I saw it, but I would never, ever subject myself to sitting through this again. You can't call that a win.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 6


If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Place Beyond the Pines, Blue Valentine