The Darkest Light

I saw this film at the Edinburgh Film Fest, and although not the greatest film in the world, I can safely say that every person who was at the screening was deeply moved. The film deals primarily with two families, one Caucasian and one Indian. The Caucasian family is dealing with a son who has cancer, as well as farm animal difficulties (that description simplifies matters). The Indian family is new in town and dealing with settling down. The girls in the families discover a light on the moors, and this opens the film to a discussion regarding faith. What the audience gains from watching the film can't really be described, it needs to be experienced. There was a silence after the screening as people let the film absorb. There were those who cried and those who just let it sink in. I think everyone can take something different from it. As I said, it's not the most utterly fantastic film in the world, however it will affect the majority of people who watch it.

I just saw it at the Montreal Film Festival on a whim - I needed something to see in between two other movies so I had the time to kill. At first, I considered walking out because the film seemed like it was going to be terrible. A Yorkshire tale of a family whose child has cancer. Meanwhile, their new neighbors, a family of Indian neighbors, struggle to adjust to a somewhat (but not really) hostile environment. It aspired to be a Ken Loach or Mike Leigh film though with more of an after-school special style approach to narrative. I actually was tempted to walk out of it during the first half-hour, but once I stayed with it, it actually wasn't that awful. I was actually slightly moved by it. It's a low-key British Kitchen Sink-style domestic drama that takes an interesting second act turn for the better. Though the direction and editing was sometimes quite clumsy and amateurish, the cinematography (by a woman too which is a rarity!) was outstanding.

I saw the Darkest Light last night at about 1 in the morning. it was the perfect time to watch the film because at a time like that I am generally feeling extremely prepared to watch lesser quality movies. I was flicking through the movie channels when I came upon this film.

What first grabbed my attention was that I recognized the character 'Tom' and I'm glad I stopped flicking as the film turned out to be well acted, and dealt well with complex conceptual ideas which are mixed into the plot with the reality of a family trying to come to terms with their sons cancer.

Catherine the sister of the boy with cancer was in my opinion quite exceptionaly played by Keri Arnold. She was perfect in her role.

the film turned out to be exceptionally moving, and although the plot and screenplay skipped a beat once or twice, I came away from the film, feeling like I had experienced something worthwhile and thought provoking.

Not the most outstanding film but very good and though provoking also.