Nice feel-good flick.

newfie

My grandfather was born in Newfoundland, and many of my relatives live there, mostly in the town of Botwood. I am intrigued to see this for the Newfoundland element alone. I also dig the cast (Gordon Pinsent deserved an Oscar nomination for Away from Her) and director.

To bring a factory—and jobs—to their dying Newfoundland fishing hamlet, a small populace must enlist a doctor for a five-year contract. When an urbane plastic surgeon (Taylor Kitsch) is sent there for a month of community service after he is caught with cocaine in an airport, they decide to try to seduce him to stay via an elaborate deceit. They pretend to share his interests in music and sport, for instance, and the new mayor (Brendan Gleeson) becomes a father figure to him after learning the doctor's own dad died many years ago. A beautiful female postal employee is also encouraged to flirt with him. This is, of course, very predictable cinematic ground: everyone knows the score when a jaded man from the city, particularly one in crisis, finds himself among the salt of the earth. The film also sidesteps and perhaps too easily forgives the cruel side of what the townspeople do to the doctor. After all, they listen in on his private phone calls and exploit his spiritual pain; they are not bad people—most are extremely charming and played by valuable character actors, including Away from Her's Gordon Pinsent—but there is still an uncomfortable air at certain points. Despite such concerns, however, The Grand Seduction still charmed me. For one, Gleeson is such a damn fine actor, and I can never resist him. In this role, he is charming, masculine, wise, a bit intimidating, and full of salty spirit, and he brings out a more genuine and relaxed side of the handsome Kitsch. And the on-location-in-Newfoundland photography is magical.

B

B

I have seen it twice now and I like it. It is a very very slight, feel-good film that is instantly likable. It has also proven to me that Taylor Kitsch can, in fact, act (I haven't watched "Friday Night Lights"). Brendan Gleeson and Gordon Pinsent remain the standouts here, though. It is thoroughly predictable and doesn't miss a beat when it comes to meeting expectations (good and bad), but it is charming enough to make one forget its flaws and its lack of originality (especially with it being a remake).