This is not a family film. I say that right from the start not as a criticism, but to alert those who may be fooled by the youth of the main protagonist. No, this is a gritty, real-life story of the struggles of a 13 year old boy on the rugged Canadian east coast. There is no uplifting morale boosting going on here. The main character is brilliantly acted by young Percy Hynes White and it is not an easy character to play. Young Jude (the character's name) goes through some real emotion and has to deal with situations that no child, or adult for that matter, should have to deal with. The other actors are very good too. Mary-Colin Chisholm as the enigmatic Alfreda in particular is excellent, but it is young Percy who carries the film. Shot in Canada's Newfoundland and Labrador coasts, the film is gorgeous to look at and very atmospheric. It is just a pity then that the ending, which comes quite suddenly, leaves so many questions unanswered. This is no happy ending and it is not a satisfying one either. It leaves many loose ends. Still, for its running time, this movie will hold your attention, challenge you and make you think.
5 Reviews
A STORY OF THE COLD CANADIAN COASTLINES WHERE THERE BE TROLLS!!!
ascendant0126 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This could have been a GREAT coming of age movie but for poor ending. A 13 year old boy who is emotionally chained to an exceptionally violent father who also happens to be a drug dealer and thief, which he forces his son to take part in. Add to that a missing mother that the boy never met and is pining for any and every thing he can find out about. That is how it begins and swirls with the boy trying to balance the on set of adolescence, that time in life when you are still a boy, but trying so hard to figure what it is to be a man, with fears of the monsters under the bed and yet the magnetic and magical pull of your first crush.
The story swirls and boils over as the boy finds out his mother died in child birth and the perceived guilt that he was responsible for his mothers death. And having already been labelled as strange for his loner ways. The movie could have been so GREAT had they simply worked out even a moderately good ending. It wasn't horrible but to me it lacked any of the emotion fire and eruption that the story appeared to be rolling toward. You will see what I mean when you watch it. The acting was great, the photography was great along the cold Canadian coastal cliff lines where there be Trolls!!
Had there been a better ending this could haved easily been an 8, oh well.
Ridiculous for A Child!!
chaslee29 August 2020
Movie was fine until It shows a lot of woman's large cleavage hanging out of her top and the little boys staring at it! To be watching this with children or even your husband and have that come on is totally inappropriate...turned it OFF!! ((WHAT ONLY PIGS MAKE MOVIES ANYMORE))
Cast No Shadow casts a definite, long, and hearty shadow.
fathersonholygore20 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Directed by Newfoundland's own Christian Sparkes, Cast No Shadow is an elegant looking film with definite roots in the province. Yet for all its beauty the story is mainly a gritty and honest family drama wrapped up in a coming-of-age tale. Written by Joel Thomas Hynes and adapted from his previous novella Say Nothing Saw Wood, this film tells the story of 13-year old Jude Traynor who tries to survive life caught between his abusive father Angus, being a local outcast, and the dark fantasies inside his own head.
One of the things which astounds me about Cast No Shadow is how great the film looks on a smaller budget. The cinematography by Scott McClellan shows off Newfoundland in all its glory, but also there are scenes of almost terrifying beauty. For instance, young Jude believes there is a troll hiding in a cave near the sea; while the troll is never fully shown, McClellan's camera-work glides around the edges and only suggests its true horror. Even further, the subtle score from Jeff Morrow adds to the visuals in every moment whether it be a quieter scene or one of raw intensity.
It's hard to walk away from the film and not revel in one of the best performances by a young actor you are likely to ever see. Percy Hynes White plays Jude to near perfection. There are some genuinely difficult scenes in Cast No Shadow: from moments between Angus and Jude where violence erupts out of nowhere, to a romantic scene or two between Jude and an older girl named Nancy. However, no matter what the context, Hynes White proves his maturity as an actor and reels us into every bit of his emotional journey.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the film, though, is the way Sparkes turned a very real family drama into something that is wholly based in reality, and also finds its place in the fantastic. While Cast No Shadow feels completely real, the segues into Jude's imagination and his visions of the troll break in and transport us to a realm of fantasy. There are other films where dreams and reality become blurred to the point where, as a viewer, we become just as disoriented as the characters. Through Sparkes' vision, we are able to experience the imagination of Jude while also maintaining the distance required to feel the impact of the whole story. For his first feature film, Sparkes certainly displays the confidence of a seasoned director, and crafts a darkly beautiful piece of work.
I can't recommend Cast No Shadow enough. There is a moment at the end of the film where the title's significance truly comes across, and as it cut to black at the theatre I sat a moment in silence to take it in. Only for moment, however, as a hearty round of applause came up from the audience. Even though, as a Newfoundlander, I'm liable to watch Cast No Shadow with the rosy-coloured glasses of pride for my home province, it does not change the fact this is a gorgeous film full of gritty, magic realism, and powerful performances. If you don't get out to see it in theatre, you might just miss something truly special.
One of the things which astounds me about Cast No Shadow is how great the film looks on a smaller budget. The cinematography by Scott McClellan shows off Newfoundland in all its glory, but also there are scenes of almost terrifying beauty. For instance, young Jude believes there is a troll hiding in a cave near the sea; while the troll is never fully shown, McClellan's camera-work glides around the edges and only suggests its true horror. Even further, the subtle score from Jeff Morrow adds to the visuals in every moment whether it be a quieter scene or one of raw intensity.
It's hard to walk away from the film and not revel in one of the best performances by a young actor you are likely to ever see. Percy Hynes White plays Jude to near perfection. There are some genuinely difficult scenes in Cast No Shadow: from moments between Angus and Jude where violence erupts out of nowhere, to a romantic scene or two between Jude and an older girl named Nancy. However, no matter what the context, Hynes White proves his maturity as an actor and reels us into every bit of his emotional journey.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the film, though, is the way Sparkes turned a very real family drama into something that is wholly based in reality, and also finds its place in the fantastic. While Cast No Shadow feels completely real, the segues into Jude's imagination and his visions of the troll break in and transport us to a realm of fantasy. There are other films where dreams and reality become blurred to the point where, as a viewer, we become just as disoriented as the characters. Through Sparkes' vision, we are able to experience the imagination of Jude while also maintaining the distance required to feel the impact of the whole story. For his first feature film, Sparkes certainly displays the confidence of a seasoned director, and crafts a darkly beautiful piece of work.
I can't recommend Cast No Shadow enough. There is a moment at the end of the film where the title's significance truly comes across, and as it cut to black at the theatre I sat a moment in silence to take it in. Only for moment, however, as a hearty round of applause came up from the audience. Even though, as a Newfoundlander, I'm liable to watch Cast No Shadow with the rosy-coloured glasses of pride for my home province, it does not change the fact this is a gorgeous film full of gritty, magic realism, and powerful performances. If you don't get out to see it in theatre, you might just miss something truly special.
Not bad, except the ending
fixitjamie8 January 2021
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