Film: Fine Acting Makes 'Impossible' Entirely Plausible

• Written By Cecilia Cygnar

Yes, The Impossible is hard to watch.  I would think it would be especially so for a parent.  But, it is an inspiring film, based on a true story, and it is worth viewing.  

Based on the deadly and very devastating Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, the film starts out with an ordinary family of five, enjoying a vacation near the water.  They are not perfect…and we get to see some of these imperfections. Then the tsunami hits and all of those imperfections are forgotten and the focus shifts to basic survival.  

The Impossible accomplishes more than just pulling at heart strings.  The audience really gets to know this family…both before and especially after the disaster.  We are more than just rooting for these people. We have a vested interest in them staying alive and reuniting.  Aside from the powerful inspiration aspect of The Impossible, the other major reason to watch this film is the acting.  

Naomi Watts has never been better or stronger on screen as the mother and Ewan McGregor is also riveting in his performance as the father.  But the child actors are the ones that really were the surprise here for me, especially British actor Tom Holland, who plays Lucas, the oldest child of the family.  A revelation as an actor, he’s emotional and charismatic and full of life and death.  

He’s working here with some of the strongest adult actors of their generation and he’s meeting Watts and McGregor every step of the way.  Also, McGregor and Watts split much of their screen time throughout the movie, but Holland’s Lucas is a main presence all the way from start to finish.  He is definitely an actor to watch.

Overall, The Impossible is a must-see for both the drama of the event and its aftermath, but mostly for the sensational performances.

See the trailer of The Impossible on YouTube

The Impossible: 2012, PG-13, 114 minutes, directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, starring Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland and Geraldine Chaplin.  The Niles Public Library owns this title on DVD and blu-ray.

Cecilia Cygnar of the Niles Public Library staff reviews films in the library's collection in this Film Review column.