Review of The Light Between Oceans (2016) by Steven S — 03 Sep 2016

Out of all the book to movie adaptations that have come out in theaters this year, this one seems to have captured my attention the most. Not just because it's a drama or the fact that it has some of my favorite actors in it, but because when I first saw a poster, I thought this was just simply another rom-com book adaptation about true love that takes place in the early 1900s, but then when I saw the trailer for it, I realized that that was not what this movie was at all. So naturally, it interested me. One thing I'd like to note about this review though, is that I have never read the original book. So this is going to be coming from the perspective of a new comer. Anyways, when it comes down to the movie itself, Will it hold up the book's reputation in movie form, or will this make me want to shoot the light out until it's pitch black? Let's find out by taking a look at, "The Light Between Oceans".

THE STORY.

As I said earlier, when I first heard about this movie, I thought this was another rom com, but when I saw the trailer, I saw it was completely different. And by different, I mean a GOOD different. Maybe even great. This movie is about a WWI veteran who takes a job as a lighthouse keeper who marries the daughter of a school's headmaster, after having two miscarriages, a boat washes ashore with a baby and a deceased man, they take the baby as there own, but then the original owner of the child learns that she's still alive and is desperate to find her. Obviously, the story is not original, but I'm cutting it slack for that because most movies today aren't original. (Unlike "Hell Or High Water"). Anyways, What makes this movie so interesting is actually the story's execution. Derek Cianfrance really takes his time to get the audience involved in what's going on, rather it be Tom and Isabel raising Lucy as their own, Tom and Isabel arguing over what's best for Lucy, Tom having a hard time figuring out what to do when he discovers that Hannah is Lucy's original owner, or how Hannah is desperate to know who's telling her that they have her daughter. Another nice touch is the heart of this movie, mostly when you see Isabel caring for Lucy and how she doesn't want to let her go, especially after having two miscarriages. So in that regard, this is a movie where one of it's strongest points. However, there is one issue I do have with the story, and that is the emotion. I know from some people that the book has lots of sad moments, (which clearly shows in the film) but the problem is that the emotions and heartbreaking moments happen way too often in the film. Sure I understand why they're happening and that they're what helps keep the story flowing, and yes, I'll admit that I did feel the emotions that we're being conveyed, but the thing is it's hard to focus on what's going on when the movie is too busy making the audience cry, even if it is for the right reasons. And that's a major problem when the whole point of many of these movies is to tell a story. The story is very well executed and perfectly told, but it takes a while to get into it due to the amount of emotional and heartbreaking moments.

THE VISUALS.

Not only to the ideas and events of M.L. Stedman's novel sound good, but they even look good as well. Even if I haven't read the original book, I can really tell that a lot of effort was put into the visuals. Saying that the visuals are outstanding is an absolute understatement. Seriously, where do I start with this? Well, I'll start by saying that the setting of the 1910s in Eastern Australia really makes it feel like you're a part of that world. With the way that the people are dressed, the form of transportation, and the interior design of the homes and buildings, this is the type of setting where it's almost like you're just walking around seeing the visuals for yourself. But the biggest part of the visuals that really got me leaning in my seat, was the island on Janus Rock where the lighthouse stands. Sure it may look like a simple island with a small lighthouse and a little cottage or house below it, but when you see it in this movie, it actually looks really nice, especially when the wind picks up from the ocean breeze or how it gets really heavy when a storm comes in during the night time. Not to mention when Tom or Isabel look out at the vast horizon on the island, it really does look beautiful, especially when the sun is rising or setting. And what makes it all look even nicer is how it all came out in the editing. The camera movements used in this movie play a huge roll in the film. Rather it be a distance shot when Tom and Isabel are debating on Lucy, or when someone is holding the camera when the boat containing Lucy washes ashore on Janus Rock, the editing makes it all look believable, and as I've stated previously, it makes you feel like you're really in that setting. When you get the idea of what the visuals are supposed to be, they seem generic, but when you actually see them, they are nothing short of phenomenal.

THE CHARACTERS.

Ok, so what do we have so far, a pretty nicely done story, very amazing visuals, what are we missing here?.... Ah yes, characters that are very relatable and very well developed. Well believe it or not, for the most part, we actually have some of those in this movie. We have a pretty big cast of characters in this film, but the ones that we focus on are the main ones. First off we have Tom, a young WWI veteran who's still numb from his years of service who takes the job of the lighthouse keeper whose used to being in solitude and living alone. What makes Tom interesting is how he takes his job and his family life very seriously, but when him and Isabel learn of Lucy's original family, he's torn between doing the right thing, or making his wife happy. It really makes you feel for him and you're always wondering what he's thinking of doing. As for Isabel, Tom's wife, she offers most of the heart in the movie by showing how much she loves Tom even before they get married and how she feels that keeping Lucy instead of returning her is better for the both of them. Plus when you see her taking care of and holding on to Lucy, she shows that she's got what it takes to be a great mother, even if she's technically not doing it legally. Then we have Hannah, Lucy's original mother who knows her daughter as Grace, and is desperate to find her after receiving an "anonymous" letter saying that her daughter is still alive. Hannah at first seems like an antagonist or a generic character serving as an obstacle for the main characters, but when you learn her backstory, then you realize that she's much more and you really feel for her when it comes to wanting her daughter to be in her arms again. As for her sister Grace, she's more of the person that looks after Hannah during the time she hasn't seen her daughter and doesn't really have much development, but she's not really pointless considering how she's had to look after her sister for the past four years. The only other character worth mentioning here is Lucy, Hannah's daughter who was washed up on shore with her deceased father and was taken in and raised by Tom and Isabel. She really doesn't have much of a personality or any sort of development, and she seems to be more of the cute and loveable character that will bring some good laughs and awes. But the interesting thing is, you still end up feeling for her because she grows attached to Tom and Isabel and when you see the connection and the bond that she has with them, it even makes it hard for the audience to accept that they're not her real parents. As for the rest of the characters that are in the film, they're not really that important aside from Tom's friends and the rest of Hannah's family, but I will say that they do have their own points in the plot where they become useful. It's not so much about how many characters that we have, it's mostly about which ones you're meant to focus on.

It's been a while since a movie since a movie has made me cry and laugh all at the same time, and all it took was Derek Cianfrance's directing skills to make that happen. The Light Between Oceans may have some minor problems when it comes to the amount of emotion it offers, but when you get the fact that that's what helps the story progress, it may take a while, but it'll help you get into the feeling of the film. Plus, it makes up for that major flaw with a very well executed story adaptated of a book, Visuals that are absolutely nothing short of phenomenal, and some characters that are relatable, well-developed and offer a lot of great drama and heart to the film. This is a must watch for anyone who has read the book, but if you're looking for something to let your emotions out or something nicer to watch than other movies that have come out this year, then this is a very good choice. I can almost bet that you'll have a much better time watching this than the other film that came out this week (which I will not be watching so don't even bother asking me to review it). Sure this movie may not necessarily be perfect, but it doesn't have to be, this movie certainly knows how to stand on its own and be a great film, regardless of what anyone thinks of it.

STORY: 7/10.

VISUALS: 10/10.

CHARACTERS: 9/10.

FINAL SCORE: 8/10.