The Light Between Oceans
By S. Jhoanna Robledo,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Deeply emotional, distressing drama not for faint of heart.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Light Between Oceans
Community Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Amazing, yet emotional film of raising an orphaned child.
Report this review
Amazingly Creative....Morally Riveting
Report this review
What's the Story?
In THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS, Tom (Michael Fassbender) and Isabelle (Alicia Vikander) fall in love fast. He's a World War I veteran-turned-lighthouse keeper, and she's a young woman living on Point Partageuse, Australia, the island closest to Janus Rock, where the lighthouse is located. Soon after Tom takes the job, they meet, get married, and prepare to raise children in the lighthouse's isolated but idyllic location. But parenthood doesn't seem meant to be; two miscarriages later, they're heartbroken, especially Isabelle. So when Tom spots a boat floating in the middle of the sea, with a man dead and a baby girl very much alive and needing care, Isabelle's insistent plea for them to keep the baby and raise it as their own proves irresistible. For a while, it seems like happily ever after may be in the cards, but on one of their visits to Isabelle's family, Tom encounters a woman (Rachel Weisz) who might be connected to the whole situation. What happens next is a dismantling of Tom and Isabelle's, made even more difficult since they don't agree on what they should do.
Is It Any Good?
Grief is palpable in this beautiful, heartbreaking drama, intensified by Fassbender, Vikander, and Weisz' excellent performances. The cinematography is exquisite -- the landscape is a match to the epic story of pain and distance that The Light Between Oceans tells. Director Derek Cianfrance, who adapted the movie from the best-selling novel by M.L. Steadman, takes great pains to build the audience's investment in Tom and Isabelle as characters before dismantling the happy life he establishes for them early on right before our very eyes.
But let's be clear here: This movie isn't for the faint of heart. It's brutal in its depiction of intimacy torn apart and a grief that can't subside. It's too bad that the ending feels rushed and Weisz' character is slightly underwritten. Still, this is a powerhouse of a film that deserves to be seen.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Tom and Isabelle's central decision in The Light Between Oceans. How is it presented? As an act of love? Taking advantage of a situation? What consequences do they eventually face?
How does the movie answer the question of what makes someone a mother. Is it circumstance or the act of giving birth?
What is the film saying about the hardships of marriage, especially as pertains to parenthood?
If you've read the book, which version did you like better? Why? Why do you think filmmakers choose to change certain things when adapting a book for the movies?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 2, 2016
- On DVD or streaming: January 24, 2017
- Cast: Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender, Rachel Weisz
- Director: Derek Cianfrance
- Studio: Buena Vista
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters
- Run time: 130 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: thematic material and some sexual content
- Last updated: October 13, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Drama Movies That Tug at the Heartstrings
Romance Movies
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate