The Shadow Dancer

It would seem that you just can't please some people if the last review of this movie I read is deemed to be correct. As I was unable to find this movie on DVD locally I bought it from overseas.

I loved the story. OK, so it is a feel good movie, it doesn't contain violence, its not action packed and it won't give you the answers to life, the universe and everything, BUT it is a great movie for a rainy Sunday afternoon. It is filled with humour, wit and a touch of tenderness. It both puts a smile on your face and can bring a tear to the eye. The cinematography is beautiful, the actors are well cast, the dialogue snappy. Having watched this several times with friends and family, everyone has enjoyed it and its well worth the time.

I saw this film at an advance screening. Jeremy (Joshua Jackson) works for a publisher in London and dreams of being a writer. When he is sent to a small village in Tuscany to find Weldon Parish (Harvey Keitel) a reclusive writer who has stopped writing, his life is forever changed. What follows is a funny and heart-warming story of two men and their journey to overcome their fears. Keitel and Jackson are wonderful in their roles. I was not quite sure what to expect from Jackson having only seen him play teenage roles before, but he shows that he can hold his ground and carry and film on his own.

While there Jeremy meets Weldon's daughter Isabella, played by the stunningly beautiful Claire Forlani and soon the two of them fall in love.

Another star of this film is it's locations. They are absolutely breath-taking. If anyone knows the name of the village they filmed in I would love to know.

The director lets the actors do their job without obtrusive camera moves. In my opinion there are too few movies like this made today. There is no action here, just real characters, with real problems. This is a movie about dreams and having the courage and faith to follow them.

A Beautiful, beautiful movie.

When you hear about a romantic comedy in which an editor visited a secluded ex-writer won't impress you. And when the first fifteen minutes of the movie show some stereotypical images of rural Italy, you might even pass on it. Exactly out of these overplayed scenes bordering with B-comedy The Shadows in the Sun started to develop.

Eventually, we remained within romantic comedy genre, yet it gets the maximum out of it. At first the characters seemed as if they came from a regular romantic novel, but this evened out to create a framework for some genuine emotion, despite occasional cheesy moments.

If Harvey Keitel was the expected heavyweight in the artistic crew, Claire Forlani was an unexpected surprise. She looked better than ever and mastered a perfect Italian accent.

We might argue what the purpose of cinema should be, but Shadows in the Sun was one of those movies that made me feel good without boring me or making me feel stupid. And this is a rare quality, in particular in romantic comedy.

The 'Shadow Dancer' is a very defined and entertaining film. It delivered everything and met my very high expectations, after watching a box of delights flourish in an amazing backdrop of rural Italy. This film is such a light hearted treat it would be a crime if it did not get a worldwide release. The lead characters are awesome and the chemistry between them is a testament not only to their acting but Brad Mirman's script and direction of the movie.

A brilliant Harvey Keitel takes Joshua Jackson under his wing and the two deliver an entertaining insight into the world of writing with sublime performances. Then of course there is the beautiful Claire Forlani who adds sweetness and dexterity to a fabulous cast and story. I would like to see more films written and directed by Brad Mirman for here he has delivered a truly wonderful film that makes you feel alive and wanting to believe again. For this particular genre of film it is up there with the best. If you are a romantic and a dreamer then watch this film.

I completely fell in love with this movie. Every once in a while a movie comes along that touches your heart and soul. The Shadow Dancer is such a film. I saw it at the incredible ancient amphitheatre in Sicily at the Taormina Film Festival with an audience of some three thousand people and was completely swept up in the story... and I was not alone. Several times during the screening the audience broke out in spontaneous applause.

This film is for anyone who has ever dreamed. It follows the story of Jeremy (Joshua Jackson) a young writer who works for an English publishing house. Jeremy dreams of being a novelist but can't quite get past his fear of making the commitment needed to do so. He is sent to Italy to find a world-famous reclusive writer Weldon Parish (Harvey Keitel) and convince him to write again. What follows is a journey of exploration as Weldon tries to break Jeremy out of his shell, forcing him to experience life… but the sword cuts both ways as Jeremy tries to make Weldon face his own fears.

Keitel is absolutely fantastic as the older writer afraid he can never be what he once was. It is definitely his best performance since The Piano. He makes you laugh with his crazy antics, but let's you see deep enough inside him to realise it is all a front to hide the pain he feels at not being able to write.

Jackson in the much more understated role shows that there is life after 'Dawson's Creek'. The character of Jeremy is a long way off from Pacey Witter and he shows that he has made the move to the big screen with confidence.

Claire Forlani (looking absolutely gorgeous) plays Weldon's daughter and Jeremy's love interest. The chemistry between them works very well. Giancarlo Giannini is the village priest and is absolutely wonderful.

The look of the movie is stunning. Golden light and shadows in a little village tucked away in the Tuscan hills. Brad Mirman has created a world that invites you in and makes you feel at times as if you are there with them. The characters endear themselves to you and pull you into their lives. You laugh with them, cry with them, sharing each emotional turn in the story. There are scenes in the film where you definitely want to have a tissue handy and others where you may need a towel.

In my movie-going experience very few films have moved me like this one did. For me movies are about moments. If you have enough of them to take away with you your memories of a film are good. The Shadow Dancer is filled with many of these moments. It has only been a few days since I saw it, but the thoughts and images from the film have stayed with me. Surely, that's the best testament there is to a great film. (10/10)