neumu [ cinematronic ]




	The Shipping News
	Lasse Hallstrom Kevin Spacey, Judi Dench, Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett 2001 Widescreen; closed caption; English, French audio tracks; Spanish subtitles; commentary by director Lasse Hallstrom; "Dive Beneath the Surface"; "Behind the Scenes" featurette; stills gallery; portrait gallery; scenery gallery.		Leave it to the tremendously talented actor Kevin Spacey. He dispenses with his sardonic side and gives vivid life to the internal conflict and quiet blossoming of Quoyle, a decent but dispirited chap who moves with his 9-year-old daughter from a tragic situation in the Northeastern U.S. to the weather-beaten desolation of a fishing village in Newfoundland. Once settled, Quoyle begins to emerge from his emotional cocoon. He gets a job as a reporter at the local paper, gaining confidence and uncovering long-buried secrets, even as he's reproved by a bitter editor. Spacey is supported by three exemplary actresses: fiery Cate Blanchett, indelible as the hell-raising mother of Quoyle's child; crusty Judi Dench, as the aunt who brings Quoyle to his ancestral Newfoundland home; and angelic Julianne Moore, as a single mom who runs the town's day-care center. But the film, directed elegantly by Lasse Hallstrom ("Chocolat") and based on E. Annie Proulx's novel, is foremost a showcase for Spacey's versatility.