The Shipping News

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The Shipping News ★★ 2001 (R)

Spacey is Quoyle, a middleaged lifetime loser who returns to his childhood home of Newfoundland with his daughter and aunt (Dench) after his adulterous wife (Blanchett) dies. There, among the absurdly quirky citizenry, he meets Wavey (Moore) a widow who runs the daycare center and may hold the key to changing Quoyle's life around. Those who read the book (and there are many), will be deeply disappointed, and those who haven't may merely be deeply depressed. The desolate landscape is beautifully shot, but Spacey is badly miscast as the sad-sack loser, and subplots that could lead to some drama are dropped inexplicably. Blanchett and Moore distinguish themselves nicely. 120m/C VHS, DVD . US Kevin Spacey, Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Pete Postlethwaite, Scott Glenn, Rhys Ifans, Gordon Pinsent, Jason Behr, Larry Pine, Jeanetta Arnette, Robert Joy, Alyssa Gainer, Kaitlyn Gainer, Lauren Gainer; D: Lasse Hallstrom; W: Robert Nelson Jacobs; C: Oliver Stapleton; M: Christopher Young. Natl. Bd. of Review '01: Support. Actress (Blanchett).