Monday Movie: In America

Usually, when I hear a movie described as being "uplifting" or even "family oriented," I know that it's terrible. However, strangely, those are probably among the best words that I can think of to describe the utterly stunning In America.

The movie tells the story of a family of recent Irish immigrants (two parents and two young daughters). They've just moved to New York and are trying to make it. They live in a hot, dirty apartment, and the father of the family wants to become an actor. The movie basically follows them as they try to get enough money to survive, and deal with a recent tragedy. It's told from the perspective of the oldest daughter.

The movie is set in contemporary society (as opposed to a lot of immigrant movies that are set in the early 20th century). It is also "heart-warming" without being sickeningly sentimental. It's basically a straight-faced telling of an immigrant experience. It's not gratuitious or bleak (or trying to hard to be hip), but also doesn't gloss over the difficulty that immigrants have. So if you're looking for a movie that's both uplifting and intellectually stimulating (which is a rare thing indeed), check out In America.