Deeply (2000)

A mythic memory play in the vein of The Wicker Man, Deeply is the story of a traumatized teenager, Claire McKay (Julia Brendler), who is brought to the Island of her ancestors in the hopes of she will recover from the sudden death of her first love. Claire encounters an eccentric writer, Celia (Lynn Redgrave), who tells her the story of another grief-stricken teenager, Silly (Kirsten Dunst), and the curse which has haunted the Island since the days of the Vikings. As Celia recounts the story of Silly and her great loss, a story that is yet without an ending, Claire relives her own trauma and undergoes a catharsis which sets her spirit free, healed of the grief and horror. As Celia said, a good story does indeed have the power to heal. But the ending to Celia's story has still to be written.

Nice fantasy tale, slow-paced but well made with beautiful scenery

_Deeply_ is a beautifully filmed if rather somber movie, ostensibly a fantasy story but with the magical elements very subtle. Really it is two stories. One is a framing modern day story, perhaps not unlike say _The Princess Bride_, though this plotline is much more serious. It focuses on a teenager who had undergone some sort of trauma while at school in Europe, a trauma only hinted at and not revealed until much later in the film. Brought to an island community (never named), one that used to thrive on fishing but is now largely uninhabited, this teenager, Claire McKay, has moved into a house with her mother and her uncle. Not only not wanting to be on the very isolated island (there is only one boat on the island and it is frequently in use), Claire doesn't want to talk to her mother or her uncle and just wants to grieve. Her mom and her uncle think they are doing the right thing by bringing her to the island, but Claire doesn't seem to think so at all.

She becomes, after a time, friends with an eccentric next neighbor, a near elderly woman by the name of Celia (played by Lynn Redgrave). Celia engaged Claire's interest by reading a story she had been writing, one that would appear to have had no ending until Claire showed up, a tragic tale set on the same island in the 1940s, one involving another teenager, a woman by the name of Silly (played by Kirsten Dunst).

The fantasy elements revolve around the founding myth of the island, that the first would-be settlers were Vikings, and one Viking couple, a man and a woman, the woman pregnant with the couple's child, perished in a storm before they could reach the island's shores. Just before they perished beneath the sea, they cursed the island, the curse being that every 50 years the fish would dry up unless a chosen one, apparently a young woman, sacrificed herself. Was Silly that chosen one that story seems to ask? Was the curse real? Is that her destiny?

The viewer never is sure if that is curse is real or not, as while the islanders take it seriously, outsiders do not, and there are little obvious magical elements except on two occasions (and even those occasions are open to interpretation).

Really for me the movie is about accepting the loss of loved ones, of moving on, perhaps dealing with survivor's guilt. The story-within-the-story, starring Ms. Dunst is a romance, at times funny, but without giving too much away is ultimately tragic.

I found the movie a bit somber at times, moody, many scenes of quiet people contemplating the sea while the waves crashed on the shore and orchestral music could be heard in the background or for the story of Silly, much of that revolved around a rebellious teenager (echoing the quieter rebellions of the grieving Claire in the present). Sometimes I found the pace a bit slow but I thought it well made. The scenery was beautiful, Ms. Dunst is a good actress, and I generally liked it.
October 23, 2008

Magical Island

What is better than to escape to a "Mystery" Island. A very good movie to let yourself enjoy the scenery while watching a good actress. November 6, 2007

The Story to no where

Just finished watching this, not sure what the writer had to say here except maybe: A haunted island with a lame secret. Let's cast hottie Kirsten Dunst in it and maybe it'll be great. Don't waste your time on a story that makes little sense. Pretentiously trying to act like it's a "Deep" story. The ending of this film is so pathetic. Hey I'm sucker for a good love story but believe me this ain't it. May 16, 2007

Cozy up with your sweetie and watch this

Worth a look. Definately a movie to cuddle up with someone to watch together. August 8, 2006

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