Angela’s Ashes may be a depressing story, but it’s far from

disappointing on the big screen.

Angela’s Ashes recounts the childhood of Frank McCourt. It carries

the audience through the thick and thin of McCourt’s deprived childhood and

his depressing life.

This powerful film doesn’t let up as McCourt makes his way through life. He

grows up destitute with his family in pre-World War II Ireland where he

becomes the man of his family after his drunkard father fails to support

them. During these hard times McCourt must find a way to help keep both his

family and his sanity alive.

The dark colors and direction of the film, along with the infamously bad

weather of the British Isles, set the dreary mood of the story. The rainy

weather helps to drive the audience’s emotions towards sadness as a tragedy

awaits the McCourt family at every turn.

Robert Carlyle and Emily Watson give powerful performances as McCourt’s

parents. Watson embodies the spirit of strength with her excellent acting.

Carlyle makes a surprisingly good shiftless alcoholic. The many child

actors who portray McCourt also make a good showing. At every point in this

film, the acting is first-rate quality.

This amazing film is worth the time and effort of going to see it. However,

take heed that it is not an uplifting story. It takes place during a time

when the world is going trough an economic depression and many people have

hard lives. This film is definitely not for the clinically depressed.