Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Drama about faith, family is atmospheric but uneven.
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Aloft
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
ALOFT is two stories in two timelines woven into one: The flashbacks follow Nana (Jennifer Connelly) and her two young sons -- older falconer Ivan and younger, sickly Gully -- and the contemporary story follows documentarian Ressmore (Melanie Laurent) as she attempts to find Nana through Ivan, now an adult and estranged from Nana. In the past storyline, Nana and the boys hitch a ride to a mysteriously remote, snowy locale. Near a beautiful structure of twigs and branches, Nana joins a group waiting for a healer named The Architect to randomly select one person to heal, but Ivan's falcon destroys the structure, disrupting the healing process and angering the many desperate people waiting for their turn. As it turns out, Nana has the magic touch, too, so The Architect finds her and asks her to join him as a healer. But as they perform their first healing, something horrible happens to the boys, ruining Ivan and Nana's bond forever. In the present, adult Ivan (Cillian Murphy) -- who's still a falconer -- must decide whether to help Ressmore find the mother who abandoned him.
Is It Any Good?
Peruvian writer-director Claudia Llosa's atmospheric drama is the sort of heavy, stylized film an audience might appreciate for its cinematography and talented cast but still not truly enjoy. The plot isn't just slow-moving but also filled with holes that are never quite resolved. Much more interesting in its flashbacks than in the contemporary story, Aloft is visually arresting but doesn't have nearly as much to say as Llosa must have intended. Characters make decisions that are difficult to believe, and the reason behind Nana's abandonment of Ivan is so tragic and disturbing that it's borderline manipulative.
Murphy plays Ivan as a husband and father who only seems to feel anything for his beloved falcons, and Laurent's Ressmore is curiously mysterious. There's not much that will invest mainstream moviegoers in the story beyond figuring out what caused Nana and Ivan to live such separate lives, and by the time that's revealed, it's wrapped in platitudes about letting go of pain, believing, and what it means to be healed.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence and trauma in Aloft. During the course of a story, what makes traumatic deaths more impactful than expected ones?
What are the movie's messages about faith and healing? Do you believe The Architect and Nana had powers?
How do nature and weather impact the movie? Why do you think the healing must take place outdoors? What purpose do Ivan's falcons serve in the story?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 22, 2015
- On DVD or streaming : September 29, 2015
- Cast : Jennifer Connelly , Cillian Murphy , Melanie Laurent
- Director : Claudia Llosa
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Latino Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Classics
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 112 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language and some sexuality
- Last updated : February 15, 2023
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