Liam Madden’s Film Review: Shadows In The Sun

If you fancy a night in watching a DVD, then take a look at the selection available at Island Libraries. At just £1 per night, they’re a great bargain. Ed

Liam Madden's Film Review: Shadows In The SunThe subtle and captured sunlight of intrigue that is referred to those who understand that inspiration can arrive through unexpected means is the talent of Ventnor Library.

Such is the ‘sleeper’ genre of ‘Shadows In The Sun’. Although surprisingly short at 90 minutes in length and released in 2006, it is a surprisingly nice piece of work.

Beautiful cinematography
As a film that manages to combine beautiful cinematography by Maurizio Calvesi, it would do little to discourage any viewer to get over to Italy at some part of their life.

However, a small village in the Italian countryside is merely the setting for a story of a writer who has reached the awful quandary of writer’s block.

The sun always shines on TV
Yes, ‘the sun always shines on TV’, as the Norwegian philosophers ‘A-Ha’ once cynically sang. Italy is one of the few countries in Europe than can perhaps inspire through film and cinema, as Fellini clearly understood well.

Therefore, adding to the mix of beauty, the irrepressible talent of Harvey Keitel as the writer, a film is formed that manages to be both moving and surprisingly well written.

The film is directed to not only be romantic and understated. ‘Shadows In The Sun’ has a majority of ‘sleeper’ qualities; the American marketing term for a film that is quietly successful rather than hyped to be so.

It is easy enough to the eye of the beholder and admirably, Harvey Keitel could easily have stolen the film. Yet instead he manages to share his character’s knowledge and does not step outside his part in the film, or his appearance in ‘Shadows In The Sun’.

A genuinely well-made film that captures part of the joy that Italy does manifest in summer and demonstrates the wisdom that “writing is not supposed to be easy.”

See Liam’s other film reviews