The Light Between Oceans

PG-13

Released Sep 2, 2016

2 hr. 13 min.

Drama

Romance

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List

62%

236 Reviews

Tomatometer

61%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Tom is a World War I veteran who maintains a lighthouse off the shore of Australia with his wife Isabel, a woman desperate to have a baby. Her prayers are answered when an infant washes up on shore in a rowboat. Tom thinks they should notify the authorities but ultimately gives in to Isabel's wish to keep the girl. Fate strikes again when the couple meet the child's biological mother on the mainland. Now, Tom and Isabel must make a decision that will forever affect the lives of four people.

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Critics Consensus

The Light Between Oceans presents a well-acted and handsomely mounted adaptation of its bestselling source material, but ultimately tugs on the heartstrings too often to be effective.

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Weighty Connected L

"You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day, all the time. You have to keep remembering the bad things. It's too much work." All of us fallen human beings, living in a fallen world, have experienced hurt and have seen pain, leading us to make wrong decisions; but God, through love, brings us together more than anything. This 2016 film by Derek Cianfrance, which is an adaptation of a novel, is beautiful, with a story that's woven to tug at your heart and feel for the characters. The leads (Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, and Rachel Weisz) were great at their performances, the music is touching and moving, and the cinematography is excellent.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/20/24

Full Review

steve d

A bit melodramatic but the actors make it work.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Elegante dramma condotto dalla coppia nella vita e davanti allo schermo Fassbender - Vikander, ottimi attori in grado di creare due personaggi ben definiti e diversi tra di loro. La fotografia eleva ancor di più l'eleganza del film e ne compone probabilmente la parte meglio riuscita. La trama invece non è particolarmente originale e soprattutto in alcune fasi ci sarebbe bisogno di alleggerire maggiormente; appare evidente come anche nei momenti di gioia familiare, aleggi il dramma dietro l'angolo; portando questi momenti a non essere veritieri e spontanei.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Mike J

I watched it with my mom and sister its a brilliant masterpiece.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/28/22

Full Review

william f

An absolute tear-jerker. I could only watch it in instalments, although it's film length. Too beautiful, too sad.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Serge L

The first half hour is getting into the characters and we were only expecting something to throw something off. It happened but not quite what I was expecting. Very nice and questioning our conscience. The end is a battle of consciences and how to change things for the better.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/07/21

Full Review

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Derek Cianfrance

Director

Michael Fassbender

Tom Sherbourne

Alicia Vikander

Isabel Graysmark

Rachel Weisz

Hannah Roennfeldt

Bryan Brown

Septimus Potts

Jack Thompson

Ralph Addicott

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The Light Between Oceans: Trailer 1

2:25

The Light Between Oceans: International Trailer 1

1:37

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Kristen Lopez

Culturess

With strong acting as its anchor, breathtaking cinematography accompanies this tale guaranteed to tug on those heartstrings.

Nov 20, 2017

Full Review

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

From lesser actors, the story would have definitely become the worst Nicholas Sparks film adaptation ever. But they make you feel for them, even when they're making poor life decisions that you know will end miserably.

Rated: B+

Mar 21, 2017

Full Review

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Instead of tear-jerking, this approach eventually sees the audience dry-eyed with irritation.

Rated: 2/5

Nov 6, 2016

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Cianfrance's entire film feels like an open wound that would heal if only the characters could stop and behave rationally, but rationality has no place in a melodrama.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 11, 2022

Full Review

Hosea Rupprecht

Pauline Center for Media Studies

A story like The Light Between Oceans, used age-appropriately, of course, could provide parents and teachers with a powerful opportunity to talk about how making good decisions isn't always easy...

Aug 26, 2021

Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

Plays like a highbrow Nicolas Sparks story in period clothes.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 1, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

Tom is a World War I veteran who maintains a lighthouse off the shore of Australia with his wife Isabel, a woman desperate to have a baby. Her prayers are answered when an infant washes up on shore in a rowboat. Tom thinks they should notify the authorities but ultimately gives in to Isabel's wish to keep the girl. Fate strikes again when the couple meet the child's biological mother on the mainland. Now, Tom and Isabel must make a decision that will forever affect the lives of four people.

Director: Derek Cianfrance
Executive Producer: Rosie Alison, Tom Karnowski, Jonathan King, Jeff Skoll
Screenwriter: Derek Cianfrance
Distributor: Walt Disney
Production Co: Heyday Films, Participant Media
Rating: PG-13 (Thematic Material|Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 2, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 24, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.5M
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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