Noble

One thing about being a film critic is that I'm exposed to so many different genres of film, with messages that can range from light to very heavy. Many have no message at all, but are there for the pure entertainment factor. When it comes to message films, we not only have seen a number of them recently, but they're certainly films we can learn from as well. Case in point, we have one such message or inspirational film entitled "Noble" in our midst.

Vietnam. 1989. Fourteen years after the end of the war. When Irish woman Christina Noble (Deirdre O'Kane) flies into Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) she leaves behind an extraordinary life story. But the best is yet to come. Christina lands in a country "that she wouldn't be able to show you on a map". With a few dollars, a dream that she claimed God showed her, and her own hard-won courage, she is about to change everything for hundreds of thousands of people forever. She inadvertently runs into a run down government funded type of housing for children where she encounters Madame Linh (Nhu Quynh Nguyen) who runs and operates the facility. Christina decides to help with the children and soon notices that they are in desperate need of more food, medical supplies and education which Linh is in dire need of. Through Christina's perseverance and contacts, mostly with Gerry Shaw (Brendan Coyle) and her friend Joan (Ruth Negga), she starts to realize there is much more that is needed because there are so many needy children. This is the inspirational true story of a woman who believes that by walking with God, it only takes one person to make a difference, and how she is proved right.

Others to round out the cast are Sarah Greene as Middle Christina, Gloria Cramer Curtis as Young Christina, Mark Huberman as David Somers, Kinh Quoc Nguyen as Trung, David Mumeni as Mario, Liam Cunningham as Thomas, Christina's Father, Derbhle Crotty as Annie, and Lauren Malone as Kathy.

This was directed with amazing compassion, but with a certain grit by Stephen Bradley ("Sweety Barrett" '98, "Chasing the Lions" (TV movie documentary) '05, "Boy Eats Girl" '05, "Des Bishop Live at Vicar Street" (TV movie) '05). The grit mentioned was by how Christina was able to, through all her 'crosses to bear', become so determined and patient with all the trials she was up against and this was presented clearly by Bradley's talented directing. Bradley also wrote this gem in such a way that once you finished with the film, you felt like you've known this amazing woman for a lifetime--the script was delineated that thoroughly. And other than a couple of very small places where the story jumped a bit, this was an incredible journey. Three different time spans in Christina's life were showcased here, and this is not an easy task when it comes to writing--in keeping the continuity going, but Bradley really pulled it off. Casting of all three actors portraying her in different parts of her life were gifted--they even all looked similar, which is the casting.

This is a gem that all must see, especially before more of the big-budget summer flicks enter the multiplex, because unfortunately once the big films hit, films like these will undoubtedly get lost in the shuffle.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                 Rated: PG-13                               100mins.