Angela's Ashes

Contrary to what seemed to be the point of view of many when this film was released at the beginning of the year, this is not a depressing film. It is light-hearted autobiographical account by Frank McCourt about growing up in the slums of Limerick in Ireland during the Depression as seen through the eyes of a child.

The film is based on McCourt's Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name which won worldwide adoration, even as far a field as Japan.

The story begins in New York in 1935. After the death of their seven week old daughter, Angela (Watson) and Malachy (Carlyle) McCourt decide to move their four children back to Ireland and as McCourt points out they must have been the only Irish family at the time to be waving goodbye to the Statue of Liberty.

On arriving their Protestant father receives a frosty reception from their mother's Catholic family and the two youngest children die of consumption within weeks of each other. On top of this Malachy, a proud idealist, cannot find work and denies his family the little money he does earn by squandering it on drink.

Life is by no means easy for the McCourts, for the most part pretty horrific. But the innocence with which Frank tries to make sense of his circumstances is humorous, endearing and touching.

From all the misery, McCourt manages to salvage a few precious things. His mother, who he watches continuously having to swallow her own pride to make ends meet, provides him with self-belief and dignity. His father gives him the love of a good story and his English teacher the love of learning.

There are many stunning performances in this film, and but the show is definitely stolen by eight year old Joe Breen who was chosen from 15,000 actors who auditioned for the parts of Frank and his friends to play the young Frank.

Siobhan Balfour