John and the Missus

It's very rare that a film manages to sear an image into one's mind powerful enough to stay for years. This simple little film from Newfoundland/Labrador really managed to do that for me. I first saw this film back in... I'm pretty sure it was in elementary school. Anyway, the storyline itself is very straightforward and plays with some fairly familiar 'human-centric' thematics. This focus on emotion can surely be appreciated on the narrative level. And, sure, the acting is commendable.

But the best films surely have something more than storyline/acting/narrative elements going for them. The best films have a *uniquely cinematic* element as well. A purely visual element. To my surprise, this unassuming film turned out to have that cinematic element. Or I've certainly realized so over the years, as it has stuck in my mind. Or one image in particular certainly has. As you're perhaps aware, there are a few things in life that are 'inherently cinematic', one could say. Fireworks? Human faces? Automobiles? ... Water. This film might actually contain the best use of water as an inherently cinematic element. It only comes near the end, if I'm recalling correctly, and involves the house in question.

You'll know it when you see it. It sticks in the mind. It's memorable as hell. ... So this is most certainly a sadly neglected film. Even when Canadian cinema is discussed, this very rarely gets mentioned. Well, fine, then it can always be remembered as an overlooked gem.

a truely amazing story about newfoundland's history, moreso than that of Canada. it's about resettlement, after confederation, when joey smallwood decided that small outport towns like that in this movie, were unnecessary and unuseful to the economy, so people in my province actually would cross their houses on the oceans to move them. people left their legacys because they had no choice.

it is a newfoundlanders history. it's the sacrifices we made to be a part of canada. not that we wanted to make them. there are houses here where i live from small communities across the bay that came here during resettlement. families that still have summer homes in those communities and revisit them ever summer religiously.

please don't refer to this as 'canada's east coast'. this isn't the history of canada, and considering the fact that gordon pinsent is a homegrown newfoundlander, i doubt that he, like many other people from our province would apprechiate our history referred to as that of the entire nation. it changed our lives and no one elses.

John and the Missus is a simple,touching and heartfelt story based on the novel of the same name by director, star and writer Gordon Pinsent. Concerning the trials and tribulations of a small mining community on Canada's east coast, the film contains beautiful scenery and excellent performances by all of the cast.

At times very tragic, the film manages to also convey feelings of hope when its characters must deal with the prospect of abandoning their lifelong community.

The film is metaphorically as well as visually rich, and is far superior to many films of exponentially higher budgets. A very potent human story, highly recommended.