I am so surprised that this movie has not been reviewed. As the movie went on, I knew I'd write a review, and I thought I would say that this was a good, not great movie, etc. Now that I've finished watching I want to say, unequivocally, that this is a gem, a really great movie! It just gets better and better, and I didn't want it to end.
The movie is about a pilgrimage to the famous Santiago cathedral in Spain. But it's not about the well-known walk, it is rather the story of a Christian English family that embarks on a camping trip that starts in France, in a rented camper. The idea of using a camper and camping in different places allows so much great plotting (avoiding the slowness of "walking" movies) and cinematography (the cinematography is superb the entire movie). At the outset of the journey something unexpected happens that is quite negative, and things change quickly. Exit the woman's husband, enter her sister, who doesn't get along very well with her niece and nephews.
And so the characters for the journey are set, or are they? No, two more characters enter: Elvis, and a monk. Elvis can be any of a number of a character types, though of course he is a performing musician. The monk, who does not come off like a monk, seems more like an angel sent to help the family until they reach their final destination.
I won't give away anything more about the plot. It's a quiet, gentle, very entertaining movie: no violence, a little conflict, with great acting, including the three children, esp. the daughter.
Really highly recommended.
The movie is about a pilgrimage to the famous Santiago cathedral in Spain. But it's not about the well-known walk, it is rather the story of a Christian English family that embarks on a camping trip that starts in France, in a rented camper. The idea of using a camper and camping in different places allows so much great plotting (avoiding the slowness of "walking" movies) and cinematography (the cinematography is superb the entire movie). At the outset of the journey something unexpected happens that is quite negative, and things change quickly. Exit the woman's husband, enter her sister, who doesn't get along very well with her niece and nephews.
And so the characters for the journey are set, or are they? No, two more characters enter: Elvis, and a monk. Elvis can be any of a number of a character types, though of course he is a performing musician. The monk, who does not come off like a monk, seems more like an angel sent to help the family until they reach their final destination.
I won't give away anything more about the plot. It's a quiet, gentle, very entertaining movie: no violence, a little conflict, with great acting, including the three children, esp. the daughter.
Really highly recommended.
