The Pilot's Wife

Rating:
Summary: A Pilot's Past
Review: This CBS TV movie was filmed in Ireland. It is the second Anita Shreve book to come to the screen. Her "The Weight of Water" which starred Sean Penn was well acted, but was laboriously edited. (My review for that one was called "The Weight of Editing." :) "The Pilot's Wife" fares a bit better overall, although Sean Penn is certainly one of our finest actors.

Christine Lahti who had her Oscar nomination for "Swing Shift" with Goldie Hawn does an incredibly excellent performance here. The variety of levels she hits as grieving wife, compassionate mother, angry widow and driven super-sleuth give us a sterling performance. Campbell Scott, real-life son of George C. Scott & Colleen Dewhurst, gives an excellent subtle performance as the pilot association representative who becomes emotionally involved. John Heard played a character named Jack who was about as devious as Jack Lyons in "Pilot's Wife" in his co-starring role with Goldie Hawn in "Deceived." While his performance here is in flashback and not as chilling, it equals the devious nature of his previous Jack from 1991. Particularly excellent is newcomer Kirsty Mitchell as Murie Boland, the Irish counterpart of Lyons' hidden life. Mitchell gives a brief but excellent portrayal of a woman whose life has been impacted by the violent struggles in Ireland. I haven't seen her previous film credit of "Capone's Boys," but certainly intend to seek it out on the basis of the strength of this performance. Alison Pill from "Pieces of April" with Katie Holmes who plays daughter Mattie turns in a good performance as a teen dealing as much with the struggles of her own adolescent social issues as with her father's untimely death.

The depth for this picture comes amid the backdrop of the Irish troubles. How the lives of the characters weave with the political turmoil of Ireland along with Lahti's performance elevates the picture from the mundane to the magical. The DVD doesn't offer a great deal of extras; but it is nice to appreciate the film as an uninterrupted whole. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: A Pilot's Past
Review: This CBS TV movie was filmed in Ireland. It is the second Anita Shreve book to come to the screen. Her "The Weight of Water" which starred Sean Penn was well acted, but was laboriously edited. (My review for that one was called "The Weight of Editing." :) "The Pilot's Wife" fares a bit better overall, although Sean Penn is certainly one of our finest actors.

Christine Lahti who had her Oscar nomination for "Swing Shift" with Goldie Hawn does an incredibly excellent performance here. The variety of levels she hits as grieving wife, compassionate mother, angry widow and driven super-sleuth give us a sterling performance. Campbell Scott, real-life son of George C. Scott & Colleen Dewhurst, gives an excellent subtle performance as the pilot association representative who becomes emotionally involved. John Heard played a character named Jack who was about as devious as Jack Lyons in "Pilot's Wife" in his co-starring role with Goldie Hawn in "Deceived." While his performance here is in flashback and not as chilling, it equals the devious nature of his previous Jack from 1991. Particularly excellent is newcomer Kirsty Mitchell as Murie Boland, the Irish counterpart of Lyons' hidden life. Mitchell gives a brief but excellent portrayal of a woman whose life has been impacted by the violent struggles in Ireland. I haven't seen her previous film credit of "Capone's Boys," but certainly intend to seek it out on the basis of the strength of this performance. Alison Pill from "Pieces of April" with Katie Holmes who plays daughter Mattie turns in a good performance as a teen dealing as much with the struggles of her own adolescent social issues as with her father's untimely death.

The depth for this picture comes amid the backdrop of the Irish troubles. How the lives of the characters weave with the political turmoil of Ireland along with Lahti's performance elevates the picture from the mundane to the magical. The DVD doesn't offer a great deal of extras; but it is nice to appreciate the film as an uninterrupted whole. Enjoy!