Gripping story with well-crafted characters

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

After a tragedy, teenager Claire is brought to an coastal fishing village, which based on the closing credits must have been in Nova Scotia. Her mother Fiona has split up with Claire's father Max (who is not seen, though there is a phone conversation when the phone actually works). They are staying with Uncle Pete, and Claire hates being cut off from the world. In flashbacks, she is shown playing the violin with an orchestra of some sort, and she seems to like one of the boys in the orchestra. She brings the violin with her and does play once. A reference is made to the family living in Berlin, and the closing credits do refer to Berlin, Germany, but no one in this movie has an accent that would suggest they are German. I thought maybe these people were Scottish or Irish.One day while swimming in the ocean, Claire sees a package. It turns out to be a manuscript of a story by Celia, a cranky old woman. At first, Celia seems to want nothing to do with anyone else, but when Claire expresses an interest in the story, and this makes Celia happy. As Celia tells the story, we see it happen. Claire seems to cheer up whenever she visits Celia, but otherwise she remains quite bitter.A baby is born to Rose, the first baby of the fishing season, in a village that is one of the best places anywhere for fishermen. The people wonder if this baby will be "the one," as if she is something evil. The baby is baptized, and yet still people behave as if she is evil.Silly, the little girl, helps the fishermen out. She appears to be a hard worker. And shortly before she turns 16, she is pretty but quite a tomboy and certainly rough-natured. This must have been a family movie because surely such a girl in real life would have used language nice girls shouldn't hear, but Silly is almost G-rated. Almost.And then it happens. Every 50 years since the Vikings arrived nearly a thousand years earlier (probably not counting the years after the Vikings gave up on this place), there has been some sort of tragic death, and the fish have disappeared. It is called "the curse". The people are ready to give up, but Silly believes the fish will come back.After she steals the doctor's boat and wrecks it, Silly must go to work for the doctor, who also rents out rooms, to pay him back. He is a stern and demanding taskmaster, yet Silly continues with her attitude. Then comes the day a large ship docks in the community. Admiral Griggs wants to build a military base which would require changes that would put an end to fishing, even if the fish would have come back. Based on the date on a tombstone, all of this is taking place shortly after World War II. The admiral, his spoiled wife, and their handsome son James stay with the doctor, and Silly must tend to their every need. Actually, James stays in a tent on the beach, but Silly doesn't mind taking care of him, if you know what I mean.There are parallels to the present day. On the radio, it is announced that once again fishing has ended in this town and developers want to take over and make the community prosperous again.And Claire and Silly are both teens who are rebellious and misunderstood, who have had difficulties in their love life.Kirsten Dunst is the real reason to watch this movie. She does such a wonderful job, and of course her looks add something, even if her appearance isn't consistent with her character's background. I wouldn't have even known Lynn Regrave, but I guess she is getting up in years. She too gives a very good performance. And Brent Carver is quite good as Silly's frustrated father. I will say everyone with a leading role does a good job.I liked the traditional music at a dance.Overall, I found this movie depressing. I was glad there were some pleasant scenes and even some humor, but this movie is probably intended for women or girls who "enjoy a good cry." That isn't me. I was particularly distressed with the progress of Claire's character. But if you are someone who keeps a supply of Kleenex for your favorite movies, and you enjoy stories about life on the coast where civilization hasn't quite caught up, this is a good choice.

A beautiful story. truly the best acting job I have seen in a movie in years. Dunst does a wonderful job as a happy go lucky teenager. She does a great job showing how love can possess anyone. The story of the 50 year heist of fish leaves one wondering who is can be. Dunstdoes a wonderful job acting, but Lynn Redgrave does an even better job in the end. It doesn't come out until the end that Redgrave is Silly. One of the best dramatic acting rolls I have seen in ages. Perhaps the best acting job is done by Julia Brendler. You don't see that she too is the 50 year recipient. The pain and anger she feels at losing her first love comes to play as she realizes she is the one. the movie ends with her accepting this fate and starts to play her violin again. A truly great movie, every piece falls into place at the end. wonderfully written, wonderfully acted, wonderfully directed!

A remote fishing village located off the coast of Canada is the setting for this tale of a close-knit community of people who make their living from the sea, while abiding the customs and superstitions that have been handed down from one generation to the next for hundreds of years. `Deeply,' written and directed by Sheri Elwood, is a story of love and survival, and of what it sometimes takes just to get on with life; but more than that, it's about a dark secret that has been a part of this village since before remembrance, and the effects of a collective belief in something few care to contemplate and even fewer dare to speak of openly, even in a contemporary, modern world in which such things no longer exist-- and yet still do.When her teenage daughter, Claire (Julia Brendler), cannot escape the memories of a tragic accident, Fiona McKay (Alberta Watson) takes her to the island and the village that was her own home as a child. Fiona hopes the change will enable Claire to put all that has happened behind her. Claire's depression continues, however, and she becomes increasingly withdrawn and uncommunicative, even with her mother, who is desperately trying to reach out and help her. Things begin to change, however, when Claire finds a manuscript on the beach that's been rejected and returned by the publisher, and she delivers it to the owner, a reclusive writer named Celia (Lynn Redgrave), a long time resident of the island who lives alone in a small house at the edge of the sea. Initially their relationship is tentative, but gradually Claire finds herself drawn to Celia, who agrees to tell Claire the story contained in the manuscript; and it's a story in which Claire finds a parallel to her own life-- and it just may prove to be the catharsis that will enable Claire to move on with her life.Writer/director Elwood uses the story-within-a-story technique nicely to present her tale, which contains elements that make it something of a cross between `The Secret of Roan Inish' and `The Wicker Man.' It's beautifully filmed (cinematography by Sebastian Edschmid), and the transitions between the present and the depiction of Celia's story are executed quite well. The story itself, though, while engaging to a point, is wrapped in a fairly obvious mystery, which in retrospect may have been Elwood's intent, as she creates the dots but leaves it up to the viewer to connect them. It's effective in that it invites involvement on any number of levels, while leaving it up to the individual to decide upon one and to what extent they want to take it. Celia's story, which involves a young girl named Silly (Kirsten Dunst) is interesting, but the real appeal of the film is rooted in Claire's gradual awareness of her deep connection to Silly, and how the story subsequently affects her. And it's in the telling of Claire's story that Elwood's work shines the brightest, as that is where she manages somewhat to connect emotionally with her audience.One of the best young actors in the business, Kirsten Dunst is to be commended for taking on a role that is quite a departure for her (with the exception of her portrayal of Marion Davies in the more recent `The Cat's Meow,' in which she was terrific). Dunst has a charismatic screen presence and talent to match, which has served her so well in films like `The Virgin Suicides' and the aforementioned `The Cat's Meow,' and it's obvious that she put a great deal of effort into her portrayal of Silly in this film; and though it's a decent job, she somehow never manages to fully realize the character, and though she has her moments, Silly is never entirely convincing. Part of the blame has to fall on Elwood, of course, who should have taken measures to correct the most obvious flaw in Dunst's performance, which is the inconsistency of the accent she affects. Part of the time her manner of speech most resembles Lux Lisbon, while at other times she sounds more like Ma Kettle's daughter. It is, perhaps, a minor flaw in an otherwise solid performance, but it's enough to prevent Dunst from `finding' the character, and it is so distracting that it diminishes the effectiveness of her portrayal, and in turn the credibility of the film. And there are a couple of scenes in which Silly smokes a pipe that simply do not work at all. Still, you have to admire Dunst for wanting to expand her repertoire and explore new territory; many actors who have achieved a similar level of success lack the courage to challenge themselves artistically as Dunst has done here, and it's an attribute that will continue to set her apart from the dime-a-dozen actors who flow through the business without making so much as a dent.As Claire, Julia Brendler gives a performance that is honest and affecting, and as much as the story itself, it's what establishes her as the focus of the film. She conveys emotions that transcend the typical teen angst, and it makes her situation real and believable. Her portrayal of Claire is sensitive and (with Elwood's help, of course) is developed with great care, which is what makes it so effective. The film, in fact, would have benefited had Claire's part been expanded, perhaps with more interaction between her and Celia. As presented, however, it is definitely the strength of the film.Lynn Redgrave does a good job as Celia, though she isn't afforded enough screen time to fully develop her character with any nuance; but it is a convincing performance. Interestingly enough, this was filmed the same year her sister, Vanessa, played a similar role, that of a reclusive old woman living by the sea, in `A Rumor of Angels.' A good film, but nothing special, `Deeply' is worth a look; just don't expect to be too emotionally engaged by it. 6/10.

One thing I really liked about this film was the old-fashioned story-telling feel it had. So many movies now-a-days are all about fast-paced roller coaster rides full of explosions and digital effects. This movie was the opposite of that. This movie did not change my life. It wasn't a must-rent. Although I appreciated the non-Hollywoodness of this, the story and characters were not nearly as in-depth and thoughtful as they could have been. The kind of film that relies on story and character instead of bang and zoom demands a level of depth and insight that was not fully realized here. This is all beside the point, but Kirsten Dunst's accent was terrible, and I laughed out loud when she smoked a pipe because it was obvious she had no idea how to even hold it properly.