In America

In In America an Irish family, Sarah and Johnny Sullivan and their two little daughters Christy and Ariel, move to New York to make a fresh start. They have almost no money, so they have to make do with a dilapidated flat in a poor neighbourhood. Johnny, who is an actor, goes to theatre auditions, but without success. Meanwhile the family tries to get by from day to day.

Although the Sullivan family have travelled a long way and given up their entire former life for a new, unknown and uncertain existence, they cannot escape what they have fled from: a great grief over the youngest son's death.

Not everything is dark and depressing, though. One of the bright spots in the little girls' lives is their downstairs neighbour, the painter Mateo, who is very standoffish at first but later becomes an important support for the family. Another happy event occurs when Sarah becomes pregnant again. There are complications, however, but even though Sarah may be putting her life at risk, she will not have an abortion. In America ends with both life and death, and very much against my will the tears began streaming down my cheeks at the end of the film.

Jim Sheridan's very personal film is not exciting in the conventional sense. It also has its dead stretches, especially towards the end, but all in all it is a warm-hearted, moving and life-affirming everyday fairy tale.