One message will change everything.|Oct. 29, 2015|United States|96 Min.|PG
Genre: Drama
Description: In 1942, Homer Macauley (Alex Neustaedter) is a young boy striving to become the fastest and most reliable bicycle telegraph messenger in the small fictional town of Ithaca, California. With his older brother, Marcus (Jack Quaid), and most of the town’s young men away serving in World War II, families are left anxious and uncertain. Homer, whose father (Tom Hanks) recently died in the war, takes on the responsibility of caring for his widowed mother (Meg Ryan), his older sister, and his four-year-old brother. Through his job, Homer delivers letters containing messages of love, hope, pain, and loss, all while clinging to the hope that one day he’ll receive news of his brother’s safe return.
“Ithaca” is a film that, despite its potential, struggles to find its footing. Directed by Meg Ryan in her feature film debut and written by Eric Jendresen, the movie is based on William Saroyan’s 1943 novel “The Human Comedy.” It presents a mix of poignant moments and uneven pacing, leaving viewers wishing it had reached its full potential. At times, the film feels like it could have been a satisfying short, as it reaches a natural conclusion just 20 minutes in. However, it continues, often weighed down by dialogue that feels more like statements than genuine conversation, and heavy-handed foreshadowing that robs certain moments of their impact.
Despite its flaws, “Ithaca” manages to hold attention in moments, thanks to Ryan’s ability to capture the essence of the time period on a limited budget and the strong performances from the cast. While the film’s predictability and other shortcomings are noticeable, it still manages to evoke empathy and maintain interest in its more compelling scenes.
Cast director: Meg Ryan
Cast actor: Sam Shepard, Hamish Linklater, Alex Neustaedter, Meg Ryan, Jack Quaid, Tom Hanks, Nick Williams, Christine Nelson, Lucia Scarano, Zachary Webber
Original name: Ithaca