It’s not hard to see why John Crawley’s (Boy A, Intermission) latest film played to rapt audiences at Sundance this year, setting off a bidding war to secure what is tipped to be one of the art house hits of the year.
Based on the well-loved novel by Colm Tóibín, and expertly adapted for screen by Nick Hornby, the film follows Ellis Lacey (a captivating Saoirse Ronan) as she leaves 1950s Ireland for brighter work prospects in New York. Initially reticent to the possibilities of her new home’s charm; new friendships, the pleasures of work and an unexpected romance buoy her as she settles into her fresh surroundings. As home ties pull her painfully back to Ireland, she is forced to choose between two men, two countries and two futures.
A warm and affecting drama at the heart of which lies universal dilemma between the ties of home and family, and the painful process of forging one’s own identity.