Thomas et l'arc-en-ciel

Tomas is a young orphan who is rescued from a drab church orphanage in Ireland by a 'rainbow' in the form of Maire (Connie Neilsen) who takes him to live with her and her husband on a small island of the coast of Ireland with a view to the couple adopting him permanently.

We are spared the most of cruelties that Tomas must have suffered in the orphanage (this film steers completely clear of the clerical abuses suffered by many children in Ireland's church-run institutions of the period).

If Maire is a rainbow to Tomas, her husband Alec (Aidan Quinn), a decent but surly man, is a storm cloud. He doesn't warm to the boy, as Tomas falls short of his expectations. Throughout the film, chinks of light shine through the cloud as it seems Alec is warming to Tomas, but the cloud soon moves over again...

There are many emotional moments in the film, from the outset. Overall, it works very well, and ends on a high note, though there is much heart- wrenching in between. Slightly off-putting for me was Tomas' accent, which sounds Scottish rather than Irish, as well as my perception that the emerging acting talents of the young John Bell (Tomas) didn't seem quite capable of delivering with as much naturalness as I would have expected.

A moving and compelling film.

A shy, stuttering 8-year-old boy moves from the orphanage he's lived in since the death of his grandmother to an Irish island with his adoptive, free-spirited woman and her cold, silent husband. The story that unfolds is about both the boy and the husband coming out of their shells and learning to express and value what's important in their lives.

THE GOOD: The performances of every single actor in the film stand out. Particularly the child actors do an extraordinary job. The emotional fabric of the film is wonderful. You have to be touched if you have any emotions at all! The cinematography is jaw-dropping-gorgeous, owing mostly to the beautiful Irish setting.

THE BAD: There's no way around the simplicity of the script; you know everything that's going to happen long, long before it actually happens. In most films, this would be crippling; however, here it doesn't really matter because the story's about the characters, not the plot.

THE VERDICT: Heart-warming, beautiful, emotional, and family-friendly. You should most certainly watch this.

I LOVED this love story. Its rare that a movie fully captures the love of a parent and child so fully but this one did. I caught it on cable the other day and did not expect to be so moved.The actor who plays Tomas is simply astounding. His eyes convey more emotion than any adult actor I've seen in the last year. Connie Nielson, who I've only seen in Gladiator and LO-SVU, is gloriously heartbreaking in her maternal love. Aiden Quinn is excellent as the Dad who was expecting another type of child. There is not a false note in the entire movie. While the plot had no real surprises, the unfolding of the story was just beautiful. As an added bonus, the countryside is breathtaking. Highly recommend this film.

I saw this film in December, of 2009 in Indianapolis. I am one of the judges for the Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award. A Truly Moving Picture "…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Heartland gave that award to this film.

Tomas is a young boy that is bullied and unhappy at an orphanage. He is suddenly and mysteriously adopted by a childless couple, who live simply and modestly on a very remote Irish island. The Mother, although in ill health, is a woman of astounding positive energy and beauty and sets herself to healing the mental and physical scars of the boy's unfortunate upbringing. The Father meanwhile loves his wife dearly, but is far less excited by the recovering, damaged boy.

Intertwined with this awkward triangle relationship is light fantasy and legend and mystery of the gorgeous Irish coast. The Irish coast is so beautifully rendered that it is like a fourth character.

There is suddenly a great change in circumstances and two parts of the triangle have to come to terms with this tragedy. It takes courage and resolve and change and love.

The three actors of the triangle are vivid and hold your attention and each ultimately moves you emotionally in three different ways.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

Very sweet film that reunites Aiden Quinn and Connie Nielsen after their smoking "Return to Sender". Quinn is perfect as Alec O'Donnell, Irish countryman, who can't hide his disappointment in the timid boy whom his angelic wife brings home from the orphanage. He and Nielsen are very tight, but the main interaction of the story is between the beautiful and self-giving Maire and the very needy boy, Tomas, exquisitely played by John Bell. Under her loving grace he blossoms and learns to accept himself and to live a joyful life, but will he and Alec be able to stick together if Maire goes away?

Connie Nielsen is one of the most beautiful and gifted actresses working, and effortlessly fills this sugary roll with no false notes. For contrast see her sullen Charlotte in Return to Sender.