Support Shadows: Buy a Poster

It sounds extremely heartwarming--and indeed it is! But it's also well enough made to undercut the sweetness with earthy humour and authentic characters. Beresford knows that the story is a strong one, yet he wisely concentrates on the people, and as a result draws us in with real power. Brosnan goes against type here brilliantly, playing the underdog Jimmy Stewart role with raw honesty and real energy. And the rest of the cast is just as good, combining comedy with drama and even a bit of romance to keep us completely gripped to the strong, history-changing storyline. The only slightly false misstep is to vilify one nun (Irvine), who is indeed cruel, but is left as one of the movie-style villains of the piece. Yes, it's a bit warm and quaintly Irish (down to the freckled children and rosy-cheeked barmaid!), but it's also a crackling story about the difference between the law and justice.