Grace is Gone (2007)
Grace is Gone (2007) 8/10
John Cusack gives a heartfelt, Oscar worthy performance in Grace is Gone, a tender film about dealing with grief. While Daniel Day Lewis stole the limelight last year for THERE WILL BE BLOOD, John Cusack gets my vote for Best Actor. In this potrayal of a man who has to deal with the death of his wife whilst on combat duty in Iraq, Cusack gives a career best performance that is as subtly heartwrenching as it is memorable. Grace is Gone is the sort of well acted drama that comes ever so rarely. Like a more emotional version of IN AMERICA, Grace is gone intersperses moments of melancholy with humor, comedy and verve. Special credit must go to the two young actresses who play Cusack’s daughters. In particular, Shelan O’Keefe deserves extra kudos for a splendid performance as the elder daughter who puts in a riveting performance alongside Cusack. And interweaved into the film is subtle commentary about the justifications of war and the people whose lives are sacrificed in war. As a drama, it doesn’t get much better than this. See it for Cusack’s brilliant performance and because it is one of the best films of 2007.
“Small and unassuming, Grace is Gone packs an emotional wallop that ultimately belies its low-key sensibilities - with star John Cusack’s career-defining performance certainly playing a key role in the film’s unexpected success.”- Reelfilms
