A Shine Of Rainbows
(Released in 2010)
(Released in 2010)
MOVIE SYNOPSIS
This is a touching story about a childless couple Alec and Maire O’Donnell. The O’Donnell’s live on Corrie Island, a remote island off the coast of Ireland. Maire is a gentle, fun loving, and nurturing woman who longs to have a child. This desire takes her to an orphanage where she discovers a boy named Tomas. Maire adopts Tomas and quickly takes him back to her colorful home with Alec. Maire begins Tomas’ journey to his new home by sharing with him the fanciful stories of local folklore, she tells Tomas of the ‘secret of the seals’ which allows them to carry messages to loved ones who have passed on.
Tomas likes Maire but is very shy and does not speak much at all, which Alec does not understand and disapproves of. Tomas sees Alec’s disappointment which only makes his reluctance to open up greater. Tomas wonders if he will ever fit in.
Before long, Tomas makes friends with local children who stretch him to break out of his shell by going on adventures to a secret cave.
Alec and Tomas begin to bond when they save a stranded seal together on the beach. But soon tragedy strikes and Tomas is faced with his greatest challenge yet. He risks everything and embarks on a treacherous journey that requires him to believe in himself and to remember the things that Maire has taught him in order to succeed.
A Shine Of Rainbows is a tale about the power of love, learning to be accepting of differences, finding courage, and finding joy in the colors that are all around us.
Starring: Connie Nielsen (Gladiator), Aidan Quinn (Benny & Joon), and introducing John Bell
Directed by: Vic Sarin
MOVIE TRAILER
MOVIE RATING - PG
(Rating and Parental Info. from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/shine-rainbows)
What parents need to know: *spoiler warning*
Parents need to know that this poignant coming-of-age story set in the beautiful Irish countryside includes the death of a parental figure. Themes of bullying, loss, and abandonment are throughout this heartrending film, and while such topics may be difficult for younger or less mature children, A Shine of Rainbows should spark interesting discussions within families about these issues.Expect some strong positive lessons about compassion and the value of parental love mixed in with the hard stuff.
Positive messages: The movie expresses how valuable the love of a parent is to a child. A child learns to overcome his timidity, his stuttering, and his past experiences of being bullied at the orphanage with the help of a loving mother figure. The positives of adopting older children are shown. Characters show compassion for suffering animals.
Positive role models: Maire is a patient, kind, and loving adoptive mother. Tomas learns to be more confident in himself and his place in the world, and his deep sensitivity, initially treated as a weakness, is shown to be one of his great strengths. As someone who grew up an orphan herself, Maire shows great compassion for the orphan boy. Tomas also takes care of an abandoned baby seal he names Smudge.
Violence: Early in the film, a character is bullied by having a stool kicked out from under him, getting slapped in the head, and having his pencils broken in half by other boys. One character gets attacked by a bird while trying to steal its eggs. Another is tossed out of a boat while trying to row through choppy waters. A main character dies of an illness.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: One character smokes a pipe, and he later drinks whiskey to cope with grief, and is found passed out at the kitchen table with a bottle in his hands.
Talk to your kids
- Families can talk about the effects of bullying. Does this movie depict bullying in a realistic way? What are the long-term effects of bullying? What can kinds and parents do when confronted with bullying?
- How is this movie different from those produced in Hollywood? How would this movie have been different, do you think, if it was made specifically for an American audience?
- How does this film depict grief? Does it seem accurate? How can kids and adults cope with grief in a healthy way?
MOVIE REVIEW
Outside of that, this is a story of love and acceptance, of finding courage in spite of tragedy, and of the power of family love.
I like the movies tagline "The Greatest Journey, is the One that Brings You Home."
Warning: You may want to have some tissue handy...
Happy Movie Watching,
Jessica
You would make a good movie review columnist. The review is informative, insightful and helpful. The issue of bullying is not only very real, but for kids going through it, it can be a daily nightmare. This review would help open that topic up for discussion.
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