The Impossible  A real story of courage and belief

Rating: 8/10 (14 January 2013)

The true mettle of a person is tested during Impossible times and that is when the Impossible happens.
The Impossible is a true story of a family of five who were at a beach resort in Thailand during the Christmas of 2004, when the dreadful Tsunami struck the Indian Ocean. We have all heard about it but the movie reinforces the fact that Mother Nature's wrath is something no man or man-made property can withstand. What we tend to take for granted in our everyday lives can be taken away from us in a whisk of a second.
Excellent direction by Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat in a heart wrenching story, which is told in a seemingly simple way without any frills or complications of commercial cinema. The Tsunami scenes are well shot but not over the top, keeping the focus on the various emotions of the characters. Through the characters we experience, love, joy, fear, pessimism, optimism, sadness and humanity.
Naomi Watts delivers an impactful and hard hitting performance as the mother of the kids. Her emotive eyes take you on a emotional roller- coaster. The surprise package and for me the star of the movie is young actor Tom Holland who plays the role of the eldest son and stays by the side of his mother through dangerous and emotional times. A scene in the movie when his mother's top comes off and she is oblivious of it speaks volumes of this actor's acting prowess without speaking a word. Ewan McGregor as the father is very expressive and believable. The character get's under your skin and makes you ponder what would you as father do when totally helpless against a force much stronger than anything.
Without divulging the plot much, I highly recommend this movie. This is one of those movies which will keep you riveted throughout the screening and make you feel what the characters feel.
At the end of it you do believe that belief does make the impossible, possible.