In America

2002
15
1h 45m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

45K

YOUR RATING

Home Video Trailer from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Play trailer2:01

3 Videos

29 Photos

Drama

A family of Irish immigrants adjust to life on the mean streets of Hell's Kitchen while also grieving the death of a child.A family of Irish immigrants adjust to life on the mean streets of Hell's Kitchen while also grieving the death of a child.A family of Irish immigrants adjust to life on the mean streets of Hell's Kitchen while also grieving the death of a child.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

45K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 26 wins & 66 nominations total

Videos3

Photos29

+ 23

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Originally written to take place in 1982 when E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) first came out, but budget cuts obligated it to be set in 2002 when it was made. Coincidentally, the 20th anniversary edition of E.T. played in many cinemas in 2002, so that plot point didn't have to be changed.

Goofs
The early scenes, when the family first arrive in New York, are set in summertime, yet they drive through Midtown at night past people dressed in winter clothing, a Christmas-season Target billboard, and the Radio City Music Hall Christmas tree.

Quotes
Johnny: Are you okay little girl?
Christy: Don't "little girl" me. I've been carrying this family on my back for over a year, ever since Frankie died. He was my brother too. It's not my fault that he's dead. It's not my fault that I'm still alive.
Johnny: Ah, Christy.
Christy: Mom was always crying because he was her son. But he was my brother too. I cried too... when no one was looking. I talked to him every night.
Ariel: She did, Dad.
Christy: I talked to him every night, until...
Johnny: ...until when?
Christy: Until I realized I was talking to myself.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: The Cat in the Hat/The Cooler/In America/The Last Samurai (2003)

Soundtracks
Ezee Does It
Written by Robert Besdesky (as Beast) and Michael Wallace (as Michael Dwane Wallace)
Published by Extreme Music Library PLC
Courtesy of Extreme Music Library PLC

User reviews289

Review

Featured review

One of the most authentically felt films I've ever seen.

I'm not really big on this kind of film, but this one won me over in a big way. Jim Sheridan has such a sure hand as a director that even as the story meanders along, and you're not quite sure where things are going, you know HE knows and you end up trusting him and going along for whatever ride he wants to take you on. The characters and the actors portraying them are so winning, you don't want the movie to end. You just want to stay with them forever.

Every role, right down to the two border guards and the hospital administrator are perfectly cast and performed. The two sisters playing the daughters are amazing. But the acting in the film really belongs to Samantha Morton. It really is a high wire act. In lesser hands this character might have been completely unbelievable. But her love for her husband and children is so palpable, you completely buy everything she has to go through with them.

There were so many chances for cheap sentiment here, but the movie never went there. Really beautiful.