
SummaryFrom master storyteller Jim Sheridan comes a deeply personal and emotionally raw tale of a family finding its soul In America. Through the wide-open eyes of two young heroines, Sheridan transforms a devastating human tragedy into a riveting, humor-tinged story about memory, secrets, love, loss, coming together and starting over. (Fox Searchligh... Read More
Directed By:Jim Sheridan
Written By:Jim Sheridan, Naomi Sheridan, Kirsten Sheridan
In America
Metascore
Generally Favorable
76
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.2
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
76
85% Positive
35 Reviews
35 Reviews
15% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100
In America is the most unexpected and personal triumph yet from Jim Sheridan.
90
Magic suffuses this film -- performances that approach perfection, or achieve it, moments of exceptional grace as a troubled family plays out a contemporary version of a classic immigration saga, healing itself in the process.
83
It's a fresh-hearted film that only frustrates when you sense how close it is to being exceptional.
75
In the end, is In America slight in its sentimentality and manipulative in its moral? Sure, but that's the job of any fable or myth.
70
The film is not emotionally subtle, but it is beautifully shot, by cinematographer Declan Quinn, with a grainy, impressionistic eye that mimics a perpetual dance of shards of remembered experience.
70
Warm and borderline sentimental...also brimming with true and privileged moments, as well as an optimism in the face of tough circumstances that serves as a corrective to some of the more fashionably grim modern accounts of similar stories.
50
In short, the Sheridan of In America wants us to pity his characters for the rough ride that they endure, yet at the same time he traps them inside a bubble of the picturesque and the outlandish. Even if you like this movie, you have to ask: What has it done to deserve its title? [1 December 2003, p. 118]
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.2
95% Positive
19 Ratings
19 Ratings
5% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Feb 20, 2017
10
This is My absolute Favorite Movie of what I think was one of the greatest years in movie history, Wonderful cast, great music score, and an unforgettable performance by Djimon Hounsou.I will remember this movie forever as it will remain as one of my top 10 movies for years to come.
Nov 24, 2021
7
I quite enjoyed the movie, although I did feel that, personally, it suffered a bit from confusion. Perhaps it was just me, as I have alot on my mind at the moment but I did find that the story was a bit confusing, when the character of Mateo gives a rather surprising outburst and some of what the daughters said, trying to keep track of who their referring to (the character of Frankie, thats often mentioned during the narration, I found I got confused as to who exactly they meant, though after having checked this after seeing all of the movie, im more clear on this now and it makes a bit more sense). I think that for some, it'll seem a bit slow and probably rather more sad than they might like or expect, possibly, as well as giving slightly confusing messages, as I say. It would have been classified by myself as a rather negative movie, in terms of being full of sadness from whats learnt about the families past but actually it is pretty uplifting too, especially when the character of Mateo is shown his real colours beneath the different surface and this in a way saves the movie, I feel. It would be too depressing, had the ending not been what it was and I suppose for others, maybe they would feel that the ending makes it a bit too Hollywood-ised but I don't, I think, to me, it all happened in a believable way that made me left feeling hopeful and yet still sad but in a reminiscent way for the family. I suppose this won't make a great deal of sense until you watch the movie but perhaps it helps you decide if this is of interest to you(?). All in all, I felt that the movie was somewhat different to what I was expecting, there isn't a great deal of mention about how the family feel about the country and it isn't any kind of a roadtrip movie or exploration of the American culture really either. Its alot more insular and it doesn't have so much of an obvious 'goal' that we wait for the end to see the outcome of, its a movie that plods along and instead as the movie continues, we're given more insights into the family and their background instead. In that way, its not really that fast paced and its not got any real romance elements, though there is a sexual scene, which I also mention under classification. This is a good general movie that is heartwarming and touching, if not rather confusing as well. Its a shame, if it had been done possibly in a different way, it would have got a better rating from me but I do feel like I did still enjoy it, hence my 7 out of 10 rating.
Production Company:
- Hell's Kitchen Films
- East of Harlem (UK) Ltd.
- Irish Film Industry
- Harlem Film Productions Ltd.
Release Date:Nov 26, 2003
Duration:1 h 45 m
Rating:PG-13
Tagline:One family's coming of age story.
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 3 Nominations
Golden Globes, USA
• 2 Nominations
Online Film & Television Association
• 8 Nominations




























