Into the West Reviews

This one was a bit confusing. It is based on some Irish folklore that is at times hard to follow and/or understand. The kids were cute, and their relationship with the horse was adorable. The story itself was charming enough, but I think that some of the translation was lost somehow. Cute enough, though, for light entertainment...

Silly little film about Gabriel Byrne and his screen children. Shouldn't be watching by anyone over the age of 10.

A family of members of the Irish travelling community tries to get back their beloved stallion Tir na nÓg after he was illegally sold off of them by the cops. Though the film can come across as an interesting commercialised portrait of the Irish travelling community and the magic of Irish legend storytelling, in reality it has an underwhelming plot and many cheesy moments that seem to row against the initial premise and any expectations the film may have carried.

(*** 1/2): Thumbs Up

Brilliant family film with a great feel-good factor.
This is one film which you can watch over and over again!

Jim Sheridan probably should have directed this, but overall it's perfectly serviceable family fare. Gabriel Byrne is awesome - one of the most underrated actors of the 90s. He even shines in utter turds like The Man in the Iron Mask, so when he's actually given good material, he really runs with it. Some great character actors pop up, including David Kelly, Jim Norton, and a young Brendan Gleeson as a corrupt cop. I thought the film could have done with a more distinctly western flavour instead of the very Irish feeling, just to hone what I think Sheridan was going for. I loved Newton Thomas Sigel's cinematography, as I often do, and Patrick Doyle delivers a memorable score. I'm not sure what Ellen Barkin was doing in the film though. Thankless role that she pulls off, but it just seems like odd casting.

This is one of those films that not many people know about, but should take a look at. "Into the West" is a family movie that contains some heavy material that is best recommended for viewing with older audiences. This movie that has been praised by critics everywhere, but it's a film everyone's ignored. It's definitely a one-of-a-kind production that needs to be seen to get a broader perspective on. The movie is great, yet not without its flaws, but the overall finished product is well worth viewing. "Into the West" may be an ignored film, but now it's about time we give it the proper recognition it deserves.

The plot of the film revolves around two boys, named Ossie and Tito, living in the slums of Ireland with their dad trying to live on what little they have. The father is somewhat of a jerk, as he doesn't care for the people around him, but he loves his sons dearly. One day, Ossie and Tito's grandfather comes along and brings a white horse that has a special ability to jump any obstacle in a single bound. The boys, despite their father's words, keep the horse in a rundown apartment where the family is staying. This poses as a problem to the other residents living in the building, and the horse is soon taken away by the police. The horse is eventually sold to a rich business man, who wants to make a profit on the horse, but the boys find it and ride on an adventure, while dodging the local authorities, and go on a journey of great magnitude across the country.

"Into the West" excels in its production values for a movie. We get a large amount of scenery from Ireland and it's just beautiful to look at. The cinematography in this film reminds of another great movie that was shot in Ireland: The Quiet Man (1952). Both films are great, but "The Quiet Man" is better, in my opinion. Now, here's a fun fact: Did you know that the director behind the fourth Harry Potter film also did this movie? It's true, and the direction here is way better than "Goblet of Fire". The movie is very enjoyable, but that doesn't mean it's perfect; it's good, but not without the setbacks.

The movie could have improved a lot with the editing department. Why? Because there are so many close-up shots of the horse, like showing what it's thinking and what it's planning, but all these close-ups are really unnecessary. We want to see what happens next, but here, the answer of showing us what's going to happen, ruins our disbelief. Another problem I had with the film is that while the cast did a good job, I would have liked to see more character development going on. The movie does have a villain, he's evil for sure, but it just seems like his only purpose is to get money. The villain is underdeveloped and needs more of a back-story. But nonetheless, this film is not that bad, despite all its flaws.

Overall, "Into the West" is an overlooked film that's definitely worth taking a view. Even though I'm notwithstanding its problems; the movie is great and will truly get a wider audience once everyone hears about this film.

I rented this for the grandchildren but ended up watching with my husband. It was so enjoyable I am renting it again to show to friends and family. This movie is a real treasure. Maybe Santa will leave a copy in my stocking.