“You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day.”

This is the message at the heart of The Light Between Oceans, a film that shows just how hard it is to forgive others and, significantly, ourselves.

Based on M.L. Steadman’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Light Between Oceans follows ex-soldier, Tom Sherbourne (Michael Fassbender), as he becomes a lighthouse keeper on a remote island off the coast of Australia, in an attempt to recover from the emotional scars of World War One.

His marriage to Isabel, the daughter of the local schoolmaster, soon turns to tragic as Isabel miscarries the couple’s two children. With Isabel, desperate for a child and Tom desperate to make her happy again, the couple decide to keep a child that washes up on the island and claim it as their own. A decision that comes back to haunt them.

Fassbender once again delivers a fine performance as Tom, a good man traumatised by the past and plagued by his troubled conscience.

However, it’s Alicia Vikander who truly shines, producing a captivating performance as the strong-willed yet vulnerable Isabel. Her portrayal of the desperate, grief-stricken mother is exposing, raw and emotional and I defy anyone not to feel the depths of Isabel’s pain. Isabel’s choices could be alienating due to their selfish nature, yet Vikander ensures that you always sympathise with the character and understand her motivations, however misplaced they may be.

If I were to pick a flaw with the film it would be Rachel Weisz’s performance as the child’s biological mother. I understand the creative decision to portray Hannah as withdrawn but it not only causes her to come across as a little one dimensional, it makes it difficult to connect with her.

Director, Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines), deftly handles the film’s strong emotional core with a calm restraint, never allowing it become too over the top. Together with cinematographer, Adam Arkapaw, he conveys a sense of isolation and passing time in just a few shots, which when combined with Alexandre Desplat’s beautiful soundtrack allows the film to flow freely towards its climax.

The Light Between Oceans might be a film that arrives quietly but it leaves with an emotional gut punch. It’s worth watching for Vikander’s performance alone…just remember the tissues.

E