In America" (2002) is a semi-autobiographical film directed by Jim Sheridan and written by Sheridan and his daughters, Naomi and Kirsten. "In America" follows the story of the Sullivan family as they simultaneously try to adjust to life in New York City and heal after the death of their youngest child, Frankie. The family consists of Johnny, the playful yet temperamental father, who has not been able to come to terms with Frankie's death; Sarah, the optimistic but struggling mother; Ariel, the comparatively carefree youngest daughter and Christy, the oldest daughter who is trying to keep the family afloat by communicating with her dead brother.
"In America" is a family affair. The film is loosely based on the Sheridan family's immigration to America from Ireland, with aspects of Jim Sheridan's childhood mixed in. In the film, the Sullivan family illegally enters the United States through Canada, traveling to New York so that Johnny can pursue his acting career. This situation mirrors the real-life circumstances of the Sheridans - with Johnny serving as the fictional stand-in for Jim. Similarly, Ariel and Christy are based on Naomi and Kirsten. Emma and Sarah Bolger, who play Ariel and Christy, respectively, are also real-life sisters, furthering the familial aspect of the film. The overarching narrative of Frankie's death and its effects on the family comes from Jim Sheridan's childhood. His own brother, also named Frankie, died at the age of 10, and the film is dedicated to his memory.
The film opens with a voiceover by 10-year-old Christy, who explains her relationship with Frankie - the dead brother with whom she continues to communicate. She says that Frankie now has the ability to grant her three wishes but that she has to be careful how she uses them. When American border guards question the family, dubious of their claim of "being on holiday," Christy uses her first wish to get them in.
Christy, always filming her surroundings with a camcorder, narrates much of the movie, and the cinematography occasionally flips in order to show us what she sees through her camera. The movie is (sometimes literally) told through Christy's lens. Seeing her family's pain, Christy tries to use her wishes to gain some sense of normalcy.
Since Frankie's death, Johnny has become emotionally numb and, consequently, struggles to find acting jobs due to his inability to truly feel or express anything. Sarah originally seems to have handled Frankie's death better than Johnny, but when she becomes pregnant and learns of potential dangers to herself and the child, she begins to view the birth of a healthy baby as a way to relive and reverse Frankie's death. Christy tries to help her parents - particularly her father - heal, but eventually realizes that she too is viewing life from a distance - through the lens of her camera.
Despite the sad overarching narrative, "In America" features some humorous moments. Following a heat wave, Johnny finally decides it's time to get an air conditioner and, when he cannot get the cart that is carrying it over the curb, he ends up dragging the machine behind him down the middle of the street. This, apparently, is an exact retelling of Jim Sheridan stealing an air conditioner and dragging it through the city.
In addition to their intra-familial relationships, the Sullivans also meet and briefly befriend Mateo, their downstairs neighbor. Mateo, portrayed by DjimonHounsou (who received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for the role), is alone and dying of AIDS. Nonetheless, when he and the Sullivans cross paths, they are able to offer each other wisdom and solace as they both grieve.
While "In America" is a definite tearjerker, the ending leaves the viewer with a sense of hope. We feel that this family is finally going to be okay.
Next week's film: "The Crying Game."
Megan Clark is a senior who is majoring in English and history. She can be reached at Megan.Clark@tufts.edu.
