A great movie that needs to be recommended. It is the story of the childhood hardships of Frank McCourt, based on his book. It is the story of Ireland and how living and growing up in Ireland influenced and affected the ordinary and poor families in the 1930s, a desperate and bleak time. Life in Limerick was a burden for anyone and nothing but an uncompassionate struggle for the very day-to-day existence. This story symbolizes the epitome of James Joyce's perception of Ireland as a society caught in paralysis, a society the capital of which he described as "the sow that eats her pigs". The historical paralysis as an eternal scar on the Irish mentality and the religious paralysis as being mentally chained by the stifling impact of the Catholic Church is even strengthened by the personal poverty and the manifold tragedies that afflicted the McCourts. In the center of this account stands Frankie, and we come to experience the scorning contemporary society which offers nothing but apathy towards its citizens' needs through his eyes as he grows up amidst bleak and dirty surroundings. It is an account moving in its simplicity and agonizing in its apodictic truth. The moments of joy and happiness in Frankie's life, rare as they are, allow temporary escapes from a society and a culture caught in its despair and paralysis. The movie tells the story of an Irish boy growing up and trying to find hope and love amidst despair and abject poverty. It is a valuable account that needs to be applauded for its authenticity and brutal candor. Highly recommended.
Review of Angela's Ashes
