The Themes Of Jim Sheridan's 'In America'

‘’ In America ’’, ‘’ Into The West ’’ and ‘’ Brooklyn ‘’ are films that experience extreme loss and migration. These films deal with the internal struggle of the characters as they try to comprehend the losses and struggles they have each faced and their attempts to overcome them. ‘’ When you have a holy thing happenin', you don't mess with it, ‘’(David Edelstein) this is what the director Jim Sheridan said after the screening of his semi - autobiographical film In America. Jim Sheridan is a foundational figure of Irish film with My Left Foot, The Field to name but a few of his exceptional films. Sheridan uses race, family, otherness and Americana in general, to dramatise Ireland’s affinity with America. Sheridan went

With the help of their surviving children, the chirpy Ariel and the watchful, reserved Christy, they manage to charm their way past a suspicious immigration agent, who decides to believe that they are carefree vacationers rather than desperate migrants ( A.O. Scott). The family drive with wide-eyed wonder and awe, through the glistening lights in Times Square and arrive to a cavernous, battered walk-up apartment that is quickly spruced up with colourful paint and scavenged furniture. There is such a contrast to the idyllic images in The Quiet Man where we see Sean Thornton sat on a bridge admiring the gorgeous view of his native homeland as against the rough streets of New York. The neighbours appear to be ordinary folk, but most are addicts and hustlers. One, Mateo, who the girls meet one Halloween and befriends, seems to be dying of AIDS. Johnny appears to be threatened by the arrival of Mateo. A scene with Mateo and Johnny, results in Johnny leaving the table when Mateo wins a coin, meaning that he will be rich while Johnny struggles to provide for his family. Later on as Jonny passes by the girl’s room, Mateo is teaching the girls