Kaat1220
I find it a bit hard to quantify what makes this film so spectacular; it just is.It flows seamlessly from drama to mystery to comedy to horror to romance.Ciarin Hinds and Iben Hjejle have excellent on screen chemistry. These are two people who have been out in the world and experienced life. Hannah Lynch is not in the film a lot, but she brings much to the role as the caring daughter. Mac the dog does a great job as Ringo (gotta love a dog named after a Beatle). What makes Ciarin Hinds so special is that he is honest, mysterious, complicated, and vulnerable without even trying. He is a seasoned actor, and I cannot imagine anyone else in the lead role. He's simply a lovely man.The mark of a great film is that it is over before you want it to be over, and you feel satisfied.
Chris Hornberger
It was an hour and a half of disjointed, disconnected, lazy, poorly executed backdrop vignettes that were glued together like a preschooler with two broken arms who was blinded in an unfortunate puppy mill accident during a freak blizzard in April, somewhere in Northwestern PA. On a Tuesday. The acting was wooden and trite. The story was so empty, it might as well have been a trough holding an ounce of water. The "events" in the movie were not explained at all. The ghosts made no sense. The emerging love story was empty and felt forced. The protagonist had absolutely no fleshing out in the story; why was he so involved in driving these people around when he had a day job, a family and a home to look after. Nothing about this movie made any sense. $.02
fkkemble
There is a real magic in this film and I loved the pace and the charming simplicity. It's also unstintingly Irish and you feel that you are there in the thick of it all. I live in Canada but have been to Ireland twice and find the country to be full of intriguing paradoxes and ironies and quiet humour. You get a real feel for this in the film. I thought all three main actors were just brilliant especially Ciaran Hinds who played the part so naturally and so beautifully. I take my hat off to Aidan Quinn too who was a real sport and did an amazing job, Iben Hjejle was also great not to mention extremely attractive. In a film world constipated with so much doggerel, remakes and American action and teen movies, it makes a terrific change to see a movie that is refreshing and intelligent. The Irish, Australians and especially the British have a way with movie making that is so far and above the crap that comes from the US. Well done all who worked on The Eclipse, you should be proud.
Michael O'Keefe
A depressed widower Michael Farr(Ciaran Hinds) believes he is not only sharing his home in Ireland with his two children, but also a restless, angry spirit. He volunteers his services at the annual literary festival and is assigned chauffeuring and tending to the needs of Lena Morelle(Iben Hjejle), who is known for her insightful ghost novels. Also attending the festival is author Nicholas Holden(Aidan Quinn)and his reputation of womanizing. Guess what, Michael and Nicholas end up competing for Lena's affection. All the while, Michael's visits from his supernatural vision is becoming more pronounced. Also in the cast: Dorothy Cotter, Jim Norton and Hilary O'Shaughnessy. THE ECLIPSE is directed by notable Irish playwright Conor McPherson.