Shadows In The Sun

If you're a Joshua Jackson fan, as I am, you are in luck. He is in almost every frame of this movie. In the frames he is not in - and some of them where he is - you will see the beautiful Italian countryside and the quaint village where he is staying.This is the best kind of quiet little movie, one where you get invested in the characters and you can imagine yourself living in the almost fairy-tale-like Italian countryside. In a way, this movie is "Under the Tuscan Sun" for guys, but women will enjoy it, too.Joshua Jackson plays a book editor for a big London publisher. His boss sends him to Italy to convince a once-great writer who hasn't written anything in twenty years to start writing again. Jackson's character is also a writer, so although initially he clashes with the "great writer," the two soon develop a mentor/mentee bromance. It doesn't hurt that the writer has three beautiful daughters, one of whom Jackson's character falls for - hard.If you decide to watch this movie, be sure you have a couple of hours of quiet relaxation to savor the scenery, the characters, and the story. You won't regret it.

I love Harvey Keitel, but this certainly wasn't the meatiest part he has ever played! It's a pretty little film but also a fairly light little piece of entertainment.. But is it blasphemous, or unsuitable for Christians? I'm a Christian and I didn't find it so. After all, I watch my priest drink the "left-over" consecrated wine from the Chalice after every communion. (That's the required, habitual, reverent procedure.) I'm not saying that the writers here were very well-informed, or even cared to be (I found most of the dialogue and depictions pretty bland and superficial), but I don't think that scene was meant to be blasphemous. The writers were just being a bit clumsy, while continually using the priest-character for some occasional broad humor. But he's not portrayed as irreverent, or as a drunkard, and I certainly don't find his portrayal meant to be shocking or derogatory toward religion. (Someone drinking consecrated wine from the Chalice is otherwise a really shocking event. I almost didn't watch the film, because I wanted to watch a "nice" little romance this evening, and if that scene had been as described in another review, it would have been very disturbing and unnecessary. But as it turned out, I thought the film was just a very pretty little romance, and not trying to be very accurate on its cultural details. (The priest should have said "I'm just finishing up after the liturgy.") This film is sort of like a Hallmark movie, only about writers and with a bit of very-light nudity added, and set in Tuscany . . . Nothing here, I mean, worth getting riled up or judgmental about. And thanks to someone for explaining that Italian sentence she says. I wish they had made something out of that in the film.

Shadows in the Sun is a touching movie about a young editor, Jeremy (played by Joshua Jackson), who is told to convince an older author, Weldon Parish (played by Harvey Keitel), to write another book to be published by the company Jeremy works for. Weldon has not written a book for twenty years. He stopped writing after his wife was killed in a car accident. He is an off the wall kind of man who lives the way he wants to live not caring in the slightest what others might think. Jeremy wants to be a writer but doesn't know what he would have to say. He envies Weldon because the man has incredible talent. Jeremy also feels frustrated with Weldon because Weldon refuses to write. Weldon says he doesn't write because he believes he does not have anything left to say.The scene that I love the most in this movie is when Weldon sits before his typewriter with his fingers poised above the keys. Tears collect in his eyes, and his emotions overwhelm him. His fear and grief are written all over his face.The next scene that touches my heart is the one where Weldon says to his three beautiful adult daughters, "What? Haven't you ever seen a writer?" The daughters hug their father and cry because their father, whom they love dearly, has begun to write again.The movie is funny in many places. I love it when Weldon convinces Jeremy to steal a cow. The movie also moves me to tears.Weldon says something like this, "Aren't all artists crazy? There are many talented people out there who do not make any money. You don't choose to be an artist. It chooses you." I can relate. I did not wake up one day and say, "I suppose I should write novels. Yes, that's a good idea. I want to make pennies per hour and have a small chance of being read." True writers write simply to write regardless of the outcome. Writers write because they have something to say, and this movie captures that truth in an entertaining and moving way.

This movie told a story that lives in every heart. A story about a young man finding himself while trying to help another. About another man, one advanced in his age, about the man who by his own personal loss of one he loved, his very reason for his creative words for him to put on paper for others to enjoy and dream. Both men, the young man and the older, fighting feat, fearing to step out from the crowd and actually do something one's heart reaches out to do. Each hampered by his fear of failure, fear of the future and for the elder, a fear of the effort to just try, blocked by this fear that he could not live up to the man he was, before the passing of his wife. A grand showing of a multitude of emotions , expressed to some extent by each of the characters living their lives with gusto.

This movie just doesn't land. I liked the male leads and that made me want to like the movie but it just isn't good.

I enjoyed this film. Its "nice". Technically the direction is good the acting is great and the setting is beautiful. The story is a story, about a writer who has stopped writing and how he is encouraged (or not) back into writing. I actually felt myself being pulled into the scenes where, as a writer, Harvey Keitels character describes things. Those parts are almost educational if you are learning to be an author. Its a funny film in parts with characters you actually like. Which is a credit to the acting, even the ones you are not supposed to like, they do it well. Its easy watching, a film you dont have to think about but can just enjoy.

I really enjoyed this movie. Harve Keitel is always worth a look. He's been a world class novelist who has retired to an estate in Tuscany and has been abandoned by the muse. A young reporter arrives to do a profile and without giving the story away eventually persuades Harvey's character to start writing again. The young reporter (akin to the high powered executive in "Local Hero" in the Western Isles has to adjust to the rhythm of life in the Tuscan hills, allied to Harvey using his local contacts to try every ruse to send the young reporter back home, leading to some really amusing moments. A gentle comedy with some romantic interest against the backdrop of a stunning Tuscan landscape is worth a look. A real Sunday movie especially as the spring has still to arrive in Britain.

Didn't know what to expect, but I found the scenery magical and the gentle intro into the real story nicely handled. What an attractive Italian heroine, such a change from the usual selection plastic reproductions that are often inserted into movies these days. The Padre was particularly good, his almost concealed twinkle coming across gently but importantly. The tenor of warm innocence that was only really invaded by the hero's publisher, managed to maintain the pleasure that this movie maintained to the very end. I felt that the fairy tale ending could have been better handled. It was almost as if the Director had run out of steam, and stuck it on as an afterthought. But otherwise an enjoyable film with well drawn characters.

This is a lovely feel good movie about a young editor from London,very much a city boy, who is sent to Italy to find a writer who hasn't written a book in years, and urge him to write. He finds himself in unfamiliar territory, out of his comfort zone and falling in love with the daughter of the writer. The film is more about this young editor finding his creative self and learning to let go and live, than it is about him coercing the writer to write again. Sometimes funny, sometimes soulful, Harvey Keitel plays the old writer well. Beautiful Italian scenery and an easy watch on a lazy afternoon. I'd recommend this move, especially as the price is very good!

There is only one thing to say about this: we're loving it! This movie is expanding our collection of "Toscana-movies" and we can recommand it to all who love a story which is slowly and quietly unfolding before the spectacular surface of this very special Italian landscape. One can settle back and simply enjoy the performences in these surroundings, especially of Harvey Keitel playing joyfully and very unlike compared e.g. "The Bad Lieutenand" or others. Very much to be recommanded!