Angela's Ashes (DVD)

ANGELA'S ASHES
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I read the book first, but the review I am going to do Is about the film Itself, and wow and what a film.


This film came to our screens in January 2000 I was actually waiting for it to explode into the cinema after reading the book and being besotted with the characters as their lives unfold.

The stars of the film are, Robert Carlyle, Emily Watson, and Joe Breen.
...Frank McCourt. He and his family live in Limerick, In the Republic of Ireland.

My opinion of the film is portrayed by my discription of the people and happenings as the review progresses.

It may seem that I am telling you too much about the film ,however I am really just touching on it, there is a whole lot more to the McCourts trials and tribulaions than i could possibly write about so here goes, and please enjoy..
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ANGELA'S ASHES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I read the book first, but the review I am going to do Is about the film Itself, and wow and what a film.

This film came to our screens in January 2000 I was actually waiting for it to explode into the cinema after reading the book and being besotted with the characters as their lives unfold.

The stars of the film are, Robert Carlyle, Emily Watson, and Joe Breen.

This is the story of Frank McCourt. He and his family live in Limerick, In the Republic of Ireland.

My opinion of the film is portrayed by my discription of the people and happenings as the review progresses.

It may seem that I am telling you too much about the film ,however I am really just touching on it, there is a whole lot more to the McCourts trials and tribulaions than i could possibly write about so here goes, and please enjoy..

They are An Irish-Catholic family who return to Ireland from America where Angela and Malachy met and married.

Angela originates from Limerick but Malachy is from the north of Ireland.

The family consists of.. The Mother, Angela (Emily Watson) who is married to dad Malachy (Robert Carlyle.)

The kids, Frank, who this film is based on and is the story of, the twins Oliver, and Eugene, Malachy the son, Michael and lastly Alfie.

The baby girl Margaret Mary they were all so proud of died while they were in America and is mainly the reason for the return of the family to Limerick.

The Family..

Father.. Malachy, His character is very likeable to start off with, he is a very proud man when it comes to his family.

He wants the best for them but it has to coincide with his spending every penny he manages to blag on beer at the pub, he then is a different man, he pay's young Frank and his brother Malachy a penny to swear that they will die for Ireland.

He becomes very unlike able when he abandons his family for life in England..

Mother Angela, I have described Malachy first even though the film is so named after Angela, this is because he is the more predominant character in the film.

Angela is wrapped up in her family she too is very proud but not too proud to beg for a crumb to offer her children, and not too proud to pick up coal from the streets left from a delivery to burn on the fire to warm her poor family.

Angela Is a lovely character and you can't help feeling for her as she see's her husband drink every penny he earns from lasting a day or two in job's that he seldom manages to find.
She loves her family and would die for them.

The story is about Frank he wrote the book and tells the tale, Frankie his family call him and he finds very patronising.. This little boy who in the film is 5 going on 6 Is so likeable, the character who plays the part is very cute and has a lovely way of speaking.

The writing of this is very funny at times and some of the thoughts he has a really heart-warming and comical.

One of my favourite pieces are when Frank takes his first communion, he is given a traditional communion breakfast his grand mother provides afterwards, well he isn't used to eating so much and so goes on to throw up outside.
His grandmother then goes mad and drags them all to church where Frank goes into confession to tell them he has sinned and that he threw up outside and therefore god was in his grandma's backyard.
Frank is loveable and although gets into trouble at school his teacher likes him and helps him out on occasion.

He tells the story of how poor they are, how he is disgusted as his dad does some awful things such as drinking in the pub with his dead brother's coffin in with him and a pint of beer stood on top of it..

He looks out for his family and protects them throughout the film. With one thought on his mind as the film progresses and that is to save up enough money to go to America.

Malachy (son) is in the film throughout but plays a very quiet boy and the story doesn't really involve him much, he is with frank a lot and at one point because of illness Frank ends up in the same class as malachy for a short time.

The twins Oliver and Eugene, they are two when first Oliver dies probably down to malnutrition and the Eugene some months later also dies.
So we see these children for a while and we feel for their deaths but they don't play a predominant role in the film.

The Grandma, well she is a very religious lady old fashioned in her approach to life, again very likeable and a funny character.
Her daughter, Frank's Aunt Aggie and husband Pat, who live with her are quite some characters.
The Aunt try's to be unhappy and miserable but really cares for frank and helps him out with his very first real job, she's quite funny, and Pat , well he is full of daft storeys and sniggers at franks downfalls but in a nice way..

These are the main characters but others come into the story of franks life, the film can break your heart but it can also leave you with a tear and a smile at the same time.

I do not wish to spoil the film for anyone who would like to see it, so I'm not going to tell you any more than I have, but I would tell anyone to watch this film, and I defy them not to be moved by the events that unfurl ,as the story of a poor Irish catholic family goes from poverty to even deeper poverty but they pull together and manage to get by.

Frank McCourt's story of his childhood is touching moving and at times very funny.

He is now living in New York with his wife and family.

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As I tend to say in my reviews, this opinion of a film is based on my viewing of it and therefore my thoughts and feelings of the film. I have not copyed or cut and pasted any of the material used in any way.

Please enjoy my review of one of my favourite films of all time..

Caz. xx

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