A Rumor of Angels

What else can be said about Vanessa Redgrave that hasn't been said yet?I think I have the answer for that difficult question. She makes me feel that she's acting specially for me. She makes me remember all I was taught by my parents and the world itself, that one should always be true to himself and never make any concessions to whatever might come between him and his or her beliefs.Nevertheless, this time she outdid herself and managed to have Trevor Morgan contribute with his huge talent to her brilliant performance , thus delighting us all. Bravo once again Vanessa! Bravo ,endearing child Travor who one day shall be sitting alongside all the "sacred monsters" of the film industry. Last but not least,I honestly hope that Peter O'Fallon continues selecting scripts that will hold audiences in suspense for a long long time.

A boy, James (Trevor Morgan) lost his mother in a car crash, which he witnessed, two years ago. His father, Nathan (Ray Liotta), has a new wife, Mary (Catherine McCormack), and is usually away on business. Nathan never talked to James about the tragedy so James has not yet finished grieving; he resents Mary and will not accept her as a mother. Maddy Bennett (Vanessa Redgrave) is an older but still vivacious neighbour who lost her son in the war. She befriends James and helps him through the trauma.

Redgrave's acting is superb and the message of the story is beautiful but the script and direction are very emotionally manipulative, sinking into maudlin melodrama too often. Those who just want a good story and can focus on the message and Redgrave's performance will love this film; others may be put off by the excessive sentimentality.

This looks like a made-for-TV movie, but Vanessa Redgrave and Trevor Morgan lift it at least a notch higher than that.

She is still gorgeous, yet her face has a leathery quality appropriate for her character. She is a magnificent presence on screen, and it was great watching her with Trevor, who must have had to really stretch to match her formidable skills. He does a great job, and I had no difficulty accepting his character on the same level as hers.

Yes, it is a "heart-warming" story, but it addresses death with honesty and some real-world strategies for getting past the grief of losing a loved one. It also has some fantasy strategies, but those don't get in the way of the real ones.

I loved the use of Mozart's music, particularly the "Ave Verum Corpus" choral piece.

A Rumor of Angels is a very well made movie! The story is unique, in that a young boy and older woman form a relationship and become best friends which is something you dont see in Hollywood very often! The acting is perfect, I could not find fault in anything the actors did, Trevor Morgan as James turns in the best performance of his career and leaves me in tears on more than one occaision. Vanessa Redgrave as usual is phenomenal, she pulls you deep into a character who on the outside seems hard and bitter but is really full of life and love. Ray Liotta, Catherine McCormack and Ron Livingston put in strong performances as a father still caught uo in his own grief, a stepmom trying to connect with James and an uncle who offers comical relief while still giving good advice. The setting is gorgeous, the direction is perfect. I like this independant movie because unlike all the big huge Hollywood blockbuster it has heart and soul and you can really see that.

10/10

A Rumor of Angels was screened on October 12, 2000 at the Mill Valley Film Festival. The film primarily explores the touching relationship between an older (but young at heart) woman and an adolescent boy who is conflicted by the loss of his mother. The setting in Nova Scotia is beautifully filmed and each character seemed essential to the plot. I laughed out loud more than once while later, it was impossible to hold back tears.