Show 1 Focus Features Features' clear the air with friendly family film Stacie Peart Movie Staff Writer After being laid off from a ajob ajob ajob job hes he's had for years Frank Peter Mullan finds fonds himself lost On a Clear Day beautifully beautifully beautifully fully illustrates the journey Frank takes as he looks for something to give his life meaning meaning meaning mean mean- ing as well as deal with the troubles from his past 4 re II- II Photo courtesy Focus Features Mullan preps for long swim Swimming the English Channel begins Franks Frank's road to self However this difficult task also helps him begin to realize what is most important in life On a Clear Day originally appeared in Utah during the 2005 Sundance J eI U eI Festival and slowly but brilliantly brilliantly brilliantly bril bril- unfolds the characters their relationships and the much anticipated climax of man versus versus versus ver ver- sus the sea The TIle film focuses mainly on Frank and his impending swim to France While the grueling swim doubles as a metaphor for Franks Frank's life and path to self dis covery dis-covery his friends and family also make changes and breakthroughs breakthroughs breakthroughs break break- of their own Mullan an accomplished Scottish actor director and writer superbly takes the helm He brings a subtlety to his character character char char- character acter that allows Franks Frank's complex complex complex com com- plex life and personality to be revealed throughout the film Frank initially comes off as shut shutdown shutdown shutdown down and callous but when he comes out of his mid-life mid crisis stage of the film mm Mullans Mullan's portrayal portrayal portrayal por por- allows Frank to be greeted greeted greet greet- ed with sympathy and tance Brenda Blethyn who recently recently recently recent recent- ly portrayed Mrs Bennett in the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice brings a witty and loving fun-loving performance with her portrayal of Joan Franks Frank's wife Like her husband Joan is looking for something to spice up her life as she acts as a buffer between Frank and their son Rob Jamie The tense son father-son dynamic gives the film a chance to realistically exhibit the awkwardness of a strained parent-child parent relation relation- ship Franks Frank's conspirators co-conspirators for forthe forthe forthe the swimming of the channel rejuvenates the film with their amusing banter Eddie Sean McGinley Norman Ron Cook Chan Benedict Wong and Danny Billy Boyd Lord of the Rings all give encouragement and and a bit of their own to skepticism Frank as he trains for the swim On a Clear Day suggests that it is never too late to reach out to those you care about and that youre you're never too old to start walking down another path in life or in this case swimming across a channel On a Clear Day is rated PG |