Kindness and care without frills. . . How many new movies are released in a year? Hundreds, thousands, maybe a few thousand? But only a few dozen of them deserve more attention than the rest. And, mainly, noteworthy films belong to the category of blockbusters with multi-million budgets or to the tapes, which are still in development as candidates for prestigious awards in the world of cinema. And not so often it happens when out of the total number of novelties of the film world there are works that are also worthy of attention even for a biased audience. And it is possible that this category, albeit with some stretch, can be attributed to the dramatic film of the Canadian-Irish production “Rainbow Shining”, which was released in 2009. By the way, this tape took several awards and had several nominations for not so well-known film awards, but among them there is a nomination for the best adapted script of the Canadian “Genie Awards”.
The script for Rainbow Shining is considered adapted because it was based on the novel of the same name, A Shine of Rainbows, by English writer Lillian Beckwitt, which was first published in 1984. It should be added that on health issues, the doctor prescribed Lillian Beckuit sea air and then she and her husband moved to the place of permanent residence on the island of Skye in the town of Elgol. It was there that Lillian Beckwitt began her literary career. But the fact is that the writer was engaged in semi-biographical novels, taking images for her characters close to real people living with Lillian Beckwitt next door. Not everyone liked it, so many later began to shun Lillian. One of Bequit’s works became the plot for the series of the popular in the UK series “Gecanori”, but “Rainbow Shining” is to date the first and so far the last adaptation of her novels in cinema. And it turned out pretty well.
The film centers around a young orphan named Thomas (John Bell). In the shelter, he is ridiculed by older guys because of his excessive modesty and stuttering. But one day, a nice woman named Mairi O’Donnell (Connie Nielsen) arrives at the orphanage to find a child for adoption. And her choice fell on Thomas and with him Meiri goes to a small island, where the woman lives with her husband Alec (Aidan Quinn). Mairi surrounds Thomas with care and real motherly love, often spending time with him. The boy attaches his heart to Mairi, although everyone knows that until Thomas is adopted, it will take some time before that and only after the consent of all parties, the boy can be legally adopted. However, Alec is very cold to Thomas, rarely even honoring him with a frown. Mairi tries to break the ice in her husband’s heart, but at one point a real tragedy bursts into their lives and then all of Thomas’ dreams about family are in jeopardy. . .
The director of “Rainbow Shining” was the Canadian director of Indian origin Vic Sarin, who has long occupied a niche in independent cinema. For our viewer, his name will say almost nothing, but "Rainbow Shining" is considered the best work of the director. And there really is something to see. First of all, it is worth noting the excellent camerawork that Vic Sarin also did. The film conveys the atmosphere and conditions of a small island village where the main characters live. There are small metaphors in the Rainbow Shining, including those associated with a newly born seal that lives on the shore of the island. But the main condition for the expressiveness of "Rainbow Shining" was the relationship of Thomas, Mayrie and Alec. They will awaken a solid emotional scale in a person with an open heart, and the acting presentation will literally penetrate to the very soul with its sincerity and realism. Let the plot of "Rainbow Shining" in some ways and foreseeable, but in the film there is nothing superfluous, there is no pathos and desire to greatly deepen the drama, and that is why "Rainbow Shining" is an honest and intimate tape.
In summing up the review, I would like to note the acting game. Connie Nielsen is best known for his films The Devil's Advocate (1997), Gladiator (2000) and Clayton Base (2003), but Nielsen never became a Hollywood star of the first magnitude. And in the “Rainbow Shining”, the actress unexpectedly reveals her dramatic talent, which makes it impossible not to feel deep sympathy and adoration for her heroine. Aidanne Quinn in “Rainbow Shining” played a rather cold man, who became the opposite of Nielsen’s heroine, besides the actor himself, despite his roles in “Benny and June” (1993), “Legends of Autumn” (1994) and “Hi, Julie!” (2010), also did not become a status actor, but he showed himself from the best side in “Rainbow Shining”. And, of course, a very touching game was shown by young John Bell, to whom one is imbued with sympathy because of his kindness, naivety and sensuality. One wonders why John Bell has not yet become a popular actor.
8 out of 10