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Oscar Bait month: The Shipping News

 A retrospective by Brooks Rich

Lasse Hallstrom is one of those directors I think is incredibly talented but his films normally don't do a thing for me. There just always that comes up short for me, whether its the story or how its shot or the acting or something. Most people will know Hallstrom as the director of What's Eating Gilbert Grape, the breakout role of Leonardo Dicaprio. That is probably my favorite of his films. I know everyone loves Chocolat. Great, enjoy, I think it's lame. But today let's discuss his follow up to The Cider House Rules, his film from 1999 which did very well come awards season, and Chocolat. Both of these films did very well, especially The Cider House Rules. The big reward it got was Best Supporting Actor for Michael Caine. It also won Best Adapted Screenplay for John Irving. This isn't fair to Cider House Rules but I think it's overrated as far as nominations go. 1999 is one of the greatest years in cinema and really? We nominate Cider House Rules but not The Matrix or Being John Malkovich or The Talented Mr. Ripley? Give me a break. Anyway I digress. Let's discuss The Shipping News.

This looked like a clear Oscar contender. I mean Oscar Bait in capital letters and bright lights at Mann's Chinese. Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, and Cate Blanchett in a Lasse Hallstrom adaptation of a beloved Pulitzer Prize winning book by Annie Proloux? Do we give it Best Picture now or later? This seemed like a surefire thing. Then the movie came out and performed poorly at the box office. I'm guessing word of mouth spread. People excited to see it did so early and then were either meh or downright didn't like it. Critics pretty much hated this thing. They found it dull and lifeless and trying way too hard. Another swing and a miss Oscar Bait entry for Spacey following 2000's schmaltzy disaster Pay It Forward. Spacey is okay in this. He has his moments but also the performance can come across as trying too hard. Cate Blanchett is really the only standout from the cast and she's out of the film fifteen minutes in. 

This film just doesn't work. It cuts too much from the book where it feels like a cliff notes version. The film feels melodramatic and downright maudlin at times. This book deserved so much better than a film that seems to be on its hands and knees, begging for an award.



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