The Light Between the Oceans will rip your heart out

Movie Title:   The Light Between Oceans

Grade:  B

Rating:   PG-13, 132 minutes

In a Nutshell:  DreamWorks Pictures brings the popular book of the same name by M.L. Stedman to the big screen.   With three strong leads and a story that will rip your heart out, this movie is not for the faint-hearted. 

Guys, this is a Chick Flick, but not for the reasons you might think.  If you watch this with a girl, her heart-strings will be tugging at her tear ducts and she won’t be able to shake the melancholy for a while.  I just want you to be prepared.

Light has long been a symbol for truth, so it’s interesting and appropriate that the story is centered around a lighthouse.

Uplifting theme: 

• “You only have to forgive once.  To resent, you have to do it all day, every day, all the time.  You have to keep remembering the bad things.  It’s too much work.” -  Frank Roennfeldt (Leon Ford)
• “People are responsible for their own actions and when they cross certain lines there needs to be consequences.” – Sergeant Vernon Knuckey (Anthony Hayes)
• People have long been irrational when it comes to their children.
• Sacrifice, family, parenting, love, loyalty, forgiveness, truth, choices, consequences.

Things I liked:

• Beautiful cinematography.
• I think Alicia Vikander is wonderful in everything she does.
• Michael Fassbender does a great job too and you really feel his tortured soul.  I did think he seemed too old for Alicia’s character though.  I can't wait to see him in Assassin's Creed!  Did you know he and Alicia Vikander are dating in real life?
• I’ve always thought it was interesting to see what people do for a living.
• Rachel Weisz is lovely and provides some depth to the story.
• I loved that there are no evil, malicious characters, just real people who are flawed and doing their best to live life and be happy.
• It addresses the very real emotional pain soldiers experience after war has ended.

Things I didn’t like:

• It’s pretty slow-moving.
• There is a constant sound of crashing waves and wind.
• The ending is very choppy.
• Most of the movie is covered in shades of sadness and grief for various things.
• The subject of miscarriages is a particular sensitive subject for me.  I had several and it broke my heart each time.  A mother never forgets the pain, even after many years.  If you’re still suffering from a loss, you should probably skip this movie.
• There is really no humor or levity in the film to beak up the constant string of sad moments.

Interesting lines:

• “So, what do you wish for?”-  Isabel Graysmark

“Life.  That’ll do me, I reckon.” -  Tom Sherbourne

• “You make me feel…” – Tom
• “Sins catch up with you in the end.” – Tom

Tips for parents: 

• Children and teens will be bored and not be able to relate to the sensitive emotional coaster that is parenthood.
• Awkward sex scene where you see some flesh and hear some noises.  There is also another scene where you see a lot of Alicia Vikander’s mid-section.

@trinaboice