Ciaran Hinds stars in this supernatural drama by writer/director (and award-winning Irish playwright) Conor McPherson. Hinds plays recent widower Michael Farr, who is still mourning the loss of his wife while trying to raise his two children and care for his elderly father-in-law. Soon Michael starts sensing a strange presence in his house that he thinks could be the spirit of his dying father-in-law, but part of him thinks he is going crazy with grief. When the yearly literary festival comes to town, Michael meets famed ghost story author Lena Morelle (played by down-to-earth beauty Iben Hjejle), and he thinks maybe he finally has someone to confide these mysterious visions to. McPherson is a wonderful storyteller who creates beautifully rich characters within gorgeous landscapes of small-town life. At its heart, "The Eclipse" is a story of letting go of the pain of a lost love and finding renewal in an unexpected friendship. However, the horror movie scares that are thrown in are jarring and seem out of place in what is essentially a love story. The acting by Hinds and Hjejle has a lovely quietness about it and their relationship unfolds like a sweet slow waltz. If you can get past the terrifying ghost appearances, you will see an endearing story about two people who meet and share a bond at a time when they both need it most.
3 out of 5 stars
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