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Into the West

PG Released Mar 25, 1992 1h 42m Kids & Family Adventure List
77% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Impoverished in Dublin, youngsters Ossie (Ciaran Fitzgerald) and Tito (Ruaidhri Conroy) live with their widowed father (Gabriel Byrne), who drowns his grief in drink. Their grim existence is uplifted by the arrival of their itinerant grandfather (David Kelly), who has brought with him a magical horse from legend -- Tir na nOg. But when crooked cops discover the prized animal, they commandeer it, intending to sell it as a racing horse. Furious, the boys resolve to rescue the mythical creature.
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Into the West

Critics Reviews

View All (13) Critics Reviews
Adam Mars-Jones Independent (UK) There must have been oofle-dust around in sackfuls to persuade Barkin to lend her aura to a project that asks so little of her. Nov 15, 2017 Full Review Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle Rated: 4/5 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times The bare story itself could be simplistic and silly: Cops chasing a couple of kids on a horse. But when relationships are involved, and social realities, and a certain level of magical realism, then the story grows and deepens until it really involves us. Rated: 3.5/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Vanessa Letts The Spectator The pathos is powerful too, and one wonders why cinema managers don't sell packets of handkerchiefs along-side all the chocolate and ice-creams. Jul 25, 2018 Full Review Malcolm Johnson Hartford Courant Although it may not offer sufficient action and bratty humor for a contemporary tyke, this warm and moving story of two young brothers and a magical white horse will satisfy the same sort of parent-child combinations as The Secret Garden. Apr 25, 2018 Full Review Philip Martin Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Rated: 2/5 Jun 20, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (109) audience reviews
Audience Member This was very bleak for a family film So much yelling among these characters and downright sadness It’s kinda hard to see the magic with the horse too The poster is very misleading too Gabriel Byrne plays a good role here as this father who’s lost his way with his sons being a drinker Then they find a supposed magical horse leading them to freedom Ellen Barkin is barely in the movie though so it’s odd she gets second billing Mike Newell certainly captures the more poverty stricken part of Ireland It’s not a happy go lucky viewing all the way through but horse lovers might get more of a kick so to speak Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Absolutely delightful. This is a fun adventure movie for the younger family members and the older ones will pick up on that sense of melancholy and grief pervading the whole thing. A good family movie night selection. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review jonathan m Irish Travellers are nothing like this movie .... anyhow it's an ok movie it doesn't stand up too well by 2021. Big Novelty in Ireland my sister dated one of the guys the other guy was in my sisters best friends class in school they filmed it in my local town as well. We had people knock on my door asking my sister is Tayto at home. Keep in Mind Tayto is short for potato/spud. A lot of Irish dads would call there kids spud or Tayto as a nick name eg "how are you spud" rather than say bud. Mr Tayto is also a very popular crisp/potato chip brand in Ireland. The movie dose have some wonderful cenimatography moments just the child starts are really inexperienced and it shows they have also not acted in anything else. When he has a near death experience and his dead "Mammy" (gyspy don't use mom only Mammy) when the horse turns into mom it's so heartwarming Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Ken R Jim Sheridan's (The Boxer) semi-realist story of a single father (Gabriel Byrne)struggling with grief and a drinking weakness - while raising his two young lads in suburban Dublin, is brought to vivid life in this curious - but very impressive examination of life amongst the Irish gypsy set. Byrne was so impressed with Sheridan's script, he also signed on as co-producer for this gritty contemporary classic – involving a mysterious white horse that features in several rather astounding scenes (including one inside a cinema!) Mike Newell directs with confidence and Patrick Doyle's haunting score lifts many scenes, while Newton Thomas Sigel's (‘The Usual Suspects') superb cinematography soars with visual splendor. This highly original and unusual picture should please audiences of all ages. The Miramax DVD offers fine image and sound quality. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/21/21 Full Review william k Agreeable Irish fable intended for a young audience, despite some darker moments, is beautifully set in Ireland, has a great moody score and a good cast of characters. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Truly awesome! Anyone who thinks that this is a "silly little film" needs to undergo serious treatment. John B, you need to learn to talk before you try to determine what films should or shouldn't be watched (not "shouldn't be watching" as you suggest) by anyone over age 10. Into the west, for the win. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Into the West

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Impoverished in Dublin, youngsters Ossie (Ciaran Fitzgerald) and Tito (Ruaidhri Conroy) live with their widowed father (Gabriel Byrne), who drowns his grief in drink. Their grim existence is uplifted by the arrival of their itinerant grandfather (David Kelly), who has brought with him a magical horse from legend -- Tir na nOg. But when crooked cops discover the prized animal, they commandeer it, intending to sell it as a racing horse. Furious, the boys resolve to rescue the mythical creature.
Director
Mike Newell
Producer
Jonathan Cavendish, Tim Palmer
Screenwriter
Jim Sheridan
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Parallel Films, Channel Four Films
Rating
PG
Genre
Kids & Family, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 25, 1992, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$3.7M
Runtime
1h 42m
Sound Mix
Surround
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