Lasse Hallstrom wants to make movies about remote areas living in their own world cut off from the world but not necessarily cut off from the rest of the world when it comes to darkness and moral clumsiness. Mr. Hallstrom wants to tell us that these seemingly quite places have horror beneath the surface waiting to engulf the casual onlooker. He does it brilliantly in the cult classic ‘What’s eating Gilbert Grape’ and even in the Oscar nominated ‘Cedar House Rules’ while he enchants us with in sweet and flavorful ‘Chocolat’. However, it is probably no co-incidence that two of last three films have incest as a primary motor of the film.

‘The Shipping News’ based on the famous novel by E. Annie Proulx is a insipid film that wreaks of over-importance and sensibility where little of either exists. A self-important film with the Oscars in mind, is basically a waste of talent and even plot to some extent. Mr. Hallstrom just does not get this one. His use of Kevin Spacey, who incidentally is trying to pull another ‘American Beauty’ here, as a broken man out to remake his life is not only unconvincing but also rather dispassionate. Spacey whispers throughout the film thinking his words are dripping with importance. He shows unending love for his deranged slut of a wife for some inexplicable reason which he wants us to believe is love. All we feel for him is pity for his inability to get better roles.

The other members of the star-studded dud include Kate Blanchett as the crazy wife and Judy Dench as the old wizened aunt have marginally more interesting roles and they do justice in general.

Jennifer Moore plays one of those sweet-pretty-window-with-a-cute-kid role that is such a staple for all small-town movies it is practically hilarious. These women where are they? They are always making eggs in the morning and are always passionately loving and caring for the loser hero. I mean can’t all men in the world use these women?