INTO THE WEST
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Rating (Linear 0 to 10): 6.3
Date Released: 9/17/93 Running Length: 1:37 Rated: PG (Potentially intense moments for young children)
Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Ruaidhri Conroy, David Kelly, Ellen Barkin, Colm Meaney Director: Mike Newell Producers: Jonathan Cavendish and Tim Palmer Screenplay: Jim Sheridan based on a story by Tom Sigel Music: various Released by Miramax Films
In the run-down projects of Dublin lives Papa Riley (Gabriel Byrne), a widower, and his two young sons, Ossie (Ciaran Fitzgerald) and Tito (Ruaidhri Conroy). Their life is pretty bleak until the arrival of the boys' grandfather (David Kelly) with a glorious white stallion by the name of Tir na nOg, a figure out of Irish legends, who takes an instant liking to Ossie and Tito. Events conspire, however, to separate the horse from the children, as he is impounded by corrupt police officers and sold to a wealthy businessman. Never fear, though--Ossie and Tito to the rescue. They steal back Tir na nOg and, with father and police in pursuit, head westward.
INTO THE WEST is probably the first-ever Western to take place in Ireland. Actually, it isn't a Western per se, but more of a modern-day fairy tale. Certainly, a great deal of what happens is beyond the realm of reality and requires a willing suspension of disbelief. Director Mike Newell perhaps put it best when he said, "There are certain things that happen in the film that cannot happen unless the world is a very odd, mysterious, and unreal sort of place."
Gabriel Byrne, in a fine performance as a grief-embittered widower, plays a member of a gypsy-like group of nomads called the travelers. In 1985, with the death of his wife Mary in childbirth, he rejected the band and headed for the civilized world, where he ended up eking out an existence and spending far too much time in Dublin's bars. While much of INTO THE WEST focuses on the adventures of the children, Papa Riley's redemption is not ignored.
In typical fairy tale fashion, there's a clear delineation between who the audience is supposed to sympathize with and who they aren't. At the end, the good guys are rewarded and the bad guys get their comeuppance, so those who don't like happy endings might be galled by INTO THE WEST's final moments. Then again, Newell isn't known for doing downbeat projects.
The juxtaposition of reality and fantasy somehow doesn't gel perfectly. The blending of the two is not seamless, and this sometimes makes the story's progression feel forced and unnatural. Also, for most of the movie, I was wondering if there was a point to all of this. Ultimately, there is--and a very telling one at that--but you have to wait the entire picture to discover it.
The two young actors who play Tito and Ossie are excellent with expressions and actions, but young Ciaran Fitzgerald has trouble delivering believable dialogue. Occasionally, his lines seem stilted and learned, rather than spontaneous.
There are a couple of highly-memorable scenes in INTO THE WEST, the best of which involve Tir na nOg in unusual surroundings. Seeing the horse prance around the inner corridors and elevator of the high-rise building where the children live is highly entertaining, but not nearly as much as watching him in a movie theater while his two young friends enjoy BACK TO THE FUTURE 3.
INTO THE WEST has its heart in the right place, even if frequently defies logic. The movie is not nearly as endearing as Newell's previous film, ENCHANTED APRIL, nor is it as poignant as screenwriter Jim Sheridan's MY LEFT FOOT, but it has its moments, and is definitely suitable for all but the youngest of children. Like THE SECRET GARDEN, it has moments to captivate adults as well, even if it lacks some of the emotional depth and serene beauty of that film. This is a nice family adventure--certainly not a great movie, but a solid one.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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