Review of The Mosquito Coast (1986) by Sean S — 12 Dec 2012
Although Harrison Ford's character, Allie Fox, isn't so easily likable, he's not supposed to be. Regardless, this sets up the premise of the film: Fox, disillusioned with the United States, its consumerism and convinced the world is falling apart and will inevitably lead to nuclear destruction, takes his family to live a "pure life" in Belize, where, after inventing an ice machine in the United States, he wants to be the first person to show natives a block of ice.
Ford as Fox and his on-screen son Charlie (River Phoenix) are the highlights here; Helen Mirren as the wife somewhat fades into the background in parts. There's quite a lot of interesting points here; the film's alternate form of living was a novel approach to take.
Throughout it all, the film maintains Peter Weir's trademark of representing modern America without his films always taking place in modern American society themselves and without Weir being American himself, and is all the better for it.
This review of The Mosquito Coast (1986) was written by Sean S on 12 Dec 2012.
The Mosquito Coast has generally received positive reviews.
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