Marion Bridge 2002

     This film is adapted from the play and the novel Marion Bridge written by Daniel MacIvor.  Thirty something Agnes returns to her hometown in Sydney Nova Scotia to reunite with her estranged sisters and care for her dying mother.  As they tend to their mother, family secrets emerge and disrupt the fragile dynamic between the sisters.  Agnes is a recovering alcoholic and she left because of child abuse by her father?  Theresa and Louise are also emotionally scarred.

     There is a prickly family dynamics and coolness between Agnes and Theresa and this continues for the remainder of the film?  Theresa has flown in from Toronto.  There is also a third sister  Louise and she lives with their mother.  Agnes and Theresa have returned to the family home because their mother is dying of cancer.  She is currently being treated at the local hospital.  As the story unfolds, family secrets are gradually revealed.  The scrip is smart and sensitive.  This has inspired exceptional performances from both the cast and the crew.  The mystery of Marion Bridge is slowly revealed without theatrics.  It arrives at a final act that is as elegantly understated as the opening sequence.  Except, that there is the effect of giving the viewer a punch to the gut!!  3* (This movie is OK)

90 min, Drama directed by Wiebke von Carolsfeld and written by Daniel MacIvor with Molly Parker, Rebecca Jenkins, Stacy Smith, Marguerite MdcNeil, Elliot Page, Hollis Mclaren, Emmy Alcorn, Joseph Rutten, Nicola Lipman, Jackie Torrens, Kevin Curran, Ashley MacIsaac, Heather Rankin, Linda Busby, Stephen Manuel.

Note:  Goodreads gives the book 3.87 out of 5* with 79 ratings and 4 reviews.  Imdb 6.7* out of 10* with 1287 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes 76% with 17 critic reviews 62% with 1000+ audience scores, Metacritic 71 out of 100 with 10 critic reviews, Amazon 3.7* out of 5* with 18 reviews, Letterboxd 3.4* out of 5*.

Special Note:  Elliot Page's film debut.  Agnes, Theresa and Louise are watching the movie The Five Senses 1999 on television.  The scene of the movie that is shown solely features actor Daniel MacIvor, he is the screenwriter for this movie, the author of the book and play that the film is based on.