Harrison Ford gives a superb performance as Allie Fox in "The Mosquito Coast." It earned him a Golden Globe nomination for best actor. Fox is a genius of an inventor, with many patents and pending patents. Though, as with many people of true genius intelligence, he is lacking in social skills. And, his emotions and psyche waiver from the range of common human relations. He is radical in his viewpoints.
The difference between him and others like him, is that he does something about it by moving his family from America with its usual comforts -- besides its problems as he sees them, to the jungle of Central America. He sets out to create a utopia, but instead molds a dystopia. In the process, he becomes a tyrant and oppressor of his family. The contrast is obvious where Fox talks about freedom and the lack of it, and then lays down a heavy hand subjecting his family to hardship and frightening times.
The movie is based on a novel by American-British author Paul Theroux. I don't know how closely the film follows the book. The film clearly depicts a genius and idealist who is extremely proud. He knows he is superior to everyone else. In time, he becomes egomaniacal even with his family. More than once in the film, Fox says that he is doing this for them - his family, his children. But he is delusional and is obsessed with achievement while disdaining any outside help.
Others of the cast are very good. Helen Mirren plays Mother, wife of Fox. River Phoenix is the oldest son, Charlie, through whose eyes the story is told. Others in the supporting cast are very good as well. Most notable among them is Conrad Roberts as Mr. Haddy.
The film production is very good in all of its technical aspects. And the acting is first-rate. But this is a difficult movie to sit through. It seems quite long and many viewers may find it boring. It's not a movie that people can enjoy, but is more like a sad tale. For those reasons, it can't score higher than seven stars.
The difference between him and others like him, is that he does something about it by moving his family from America with its usual comforts -- besides its problems as he sees them, to the jungle of Central America. He sets out to create a utopia, but instead molds a dystopia. In the process, he becomes a tyrant and oppressor of his family. The contrast is obvious where Fox talks about freedom and the lack of it, and then lays down a heavy hand subjecting his family to hardship and frightening times.
The movie is based on a novel by American-British author Paul Theroux. I don't know how closely the film follows the book. The film clearly depicts a genius and idealist who is extremely proud. He knows he is superior to everyone else. In time, he becomes egomaniacal even with his family. More than once in the film, Fox says that he is doing this for them - his family, his children. But he is delusional and is obsessed with achievement while disdaining any outside help.
Others of the cast are very good. Helen Mirren plays Mother, wife of Fox. River Phoenix is the oldest son, Charlie, through whose eyes the story is told. Others in the supporting cast are very good as well. Most notable among them is Conrad Roberts as Mr. Haddy.
The film production is very good in all of its technical aspects. And the acting is first-rate. But this is a difficult movie to sit through. It seems quite long and many viewers may find it boring. It's not a movie that people can enjoy, but is more like a sad tale. For those reasons, it can't score higher than seven stars.