Light tells the story of the Sherbournes (Vikander and Fassbender). Tom is a lighthouse keeper who previously served in the First World War for several years, and wishes for some solitude after his time. He meets a local, beautiful girl, Isabel and immediately falls for her. After correspondence via snail mail (seriously, this movie would have been, like, twenty minutes with iMessage), they get married and move out to the lighthouse. After two miscarriages occur in an effort to start a family, a boat washes onto the shore of their island, containing a man (dead on arrival) and a crying baby girl. Isabel convinces Tom that the baby came to them at the right time, and they take her in, raising Lucy as their own.
Enter Lucy's real mother, Hannah (Rachel Weisz), who bumps into the Sherbournes in their town, and breaks down upon meeting Lucy. Hannah laments how she lost her husband and daughter at sea, and her daughter would be the same age as Lucy is. They meet four years after they left her, and watching her reaction to meeting Lucy was painful. Coincidence? I think not.
Tom struggles with whether or not it is best to get Lucy back to her proper home with Hannah, or to go on after seeing the heartache she has already endured for years. Lucy's parentage becomes powerful and painful knowledge for them, and the consequences of their actions do indeed come back to hurt them and those around them.
This film focuses around how when it comes to sympathizing with a character, we feel it when we (the audience) know something that the characters don't know. It hits us most when the characters realize what we knew all along. We can see it in their eyes, as they flicker with newfound knowledge. Tom knows things Isabel doesn't. What's more is that he acts on them, and our emotions are thrown slightly out of wack. The many layers of sympathy in Light makes it an intricate story, as every action counts. It's hard for me to say who's actions I agreed with most for the duration in the film, along with after, as I reflect on the complications weaved into Light.
Although it started off at a glacial pace, The Light Between Oceans builds up the suspense in its first half the have audiences begging for more as the film progresses. Fassbender, who comes across as a rougher-around-the-edges Ewan McGregor sparks the eventual diminishing of the family that is created through sheer happenstance. Vikander and Weisz are powerful forces as they fight for the right to keep Lucy as their own daughter. Both of them have significant bonds and reasons to be granted the parentage of Lucy.
The three actors have high potential to receive nominations once we get closer to Oscar season, despite the melodramatic tone. Yes, our heartstrings are tugged at, as we just want the best for Lucy. However, it is almost overkill to the point where we remind ourselves that yes, this is all slightly far-fetched.
The costumes were absolutely stunning for this period piece, as the men adorned suspenders and the women wore more wool sweaters and hats than a sheep could provide material for. Alexandre Desplat scored the film so beautifully, as the music notes fit with the overall tone the way the sunlight hit the waves surrounding the Sherbourne's island. Overall, the lighthouse aesthetic and sleepy small-town was beautiful.
The film is based on the novel of the same name written by L. M. Stedman. Anyone who goes for the Nicholas Sparks/weepy genre would enjoy the film. Its strong leads captivated me. Even those who are unable to directly relate to the heartbreak of losing a child are swept away by the incredible performances. Light has high potential to become an Oscar contender, which makes it a must-see in order to get ready for other incredible films around the corner.
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