In America

The Bolger sisters steal the show here, a story based on Jim Sheridan's own early experiences as an illegal emigrant in New York. Paddy Considine and Samantha Morton are believable as the parents carrying the grief for their dead son locked tightly within them putting on a brave show for the world. The Bolgers delight and charm every inch of the way. A little too sentimental at times and the ending was too pat and a little over the top. It needed to be reined in rather than wrung out for every single drop of emotion. 8 out of 10.

A totally implausible concept, unless you really think this is how naive, dumb, clueless and sugar-sweet the Irish are, this corn-ball movie keeps you waiting to see what will this hapless couple do next? Because they thrust themselves into the filthy maw of uptown New York and because this couple brings with them two of the best little actresses since Shirley Temple, it does keep your attention. How in the world will they survive? Cheap cine tricks like menacing looks, and ominous music add to the faux suspense of the story which will have to end....guess how? And it does. My wife cracked that I am intolerant. In fact, the movie makers themselves are the condescending ones. But if you love smart little girls don't miss this one. Just keep your expectations under control. Sort of like hanging over the edge to kiss the Blarney Stone.

This is a terrific film. It has romance, mystery, and most of all, grace. It is extremely well casted, as well. I love it, especially Emma (the youngest daughter), who is played by 10 year old Sarah Bolger. A must-see, higly underrated film.

I was reluctant to watch this movie based on a review I read here, but then I love Jim Sheridan and it got good ratings, so I decided to see it anyway. It was a wonderful movie. I don't know why whenever a movie deals with real emotion in a way that people actually feel, someone will call that "over-dramatic." This movie is not over-dramatic or melodramatic at all. The family has faced a tragedy, and they are attempting to move on. The children still act like children. The parents still act like parents. This movie is about life, and I personally think it's a shame I never heard of it when it was in the theaters. I'm so glad I watched it now. I think it is one of the two best movies I have seen this year.

this movie goes beyond the others made about the same subject: Poor Family comes to the U.S (I refuse to say America, because it's a continent, not a country) looking for the so - called "american dream". This movie is not about that, it's about finding integrity, about family, love, prejudice, self-pity, and on top of all that, it's about humanity. What we do when tragedy hits our existence, how we manage it and overcome it. the characters are human beings: the father, an actor who can no longer feel, a mother who won't be able to be a mother again, two little dreamers and a man who's big body is not enough to hold his gigantic soul. Impossible not to cry in the end, with the first credits. I gave it a 9 only because I hate when you people say "America", I repeat: IT'S THE WHOLE CONTINENT, NOT YOUR COUNTRY.

Story of an Irish immigrant family with 2 charming daughters, their history and travails, well told and well acted. Samantha Moton,Emma Bolger and Djimon Houson perform well.

Unless you like movies which are completely predictable at every step, try to jerk your tears at every corner and are full of corny and tacky clichés, look elsewhere. Case in point: baby opening her eyes in an incubator for the first time while a family friend with Aids dies. Or take the ghastly final scene where father and daughters are staring at the moon watching the dead man ride by on his bicycle and say goodbye to him, the man's daughters persuading him to finally also say goodbye to his son, who died from a fall down the stairs. This is the worst movie since Dear God or maybe even Death Becomes Her. The only redeeming feature here is the acting, which is good. Too bad it's wasted on the pathetic excuse for a story.