I procrastinated watching ISLE OF HOPE until the very last minute, worried that the story of a theater family with an ill matriarch might not be something I was emotionally ready to tackle. Although the characters’ journeys (in tight performances by Mary Stuart Masterson, Diane Ladd, Sam Robards, and Andrew McCarthy) are meaningful, translating from the stage play to this film left me lost in the third act.

However, their stories of fulfillment and the neverending tug-of-war between family, love, career, and parental obligations still shine and spark dialogues the whole family can engage in.

Age range: 12+

Dialogues: abortion, divorce

Spoilers ahead, but I can explain these topics vaguely, and they are not the main point of the film.

Divorce

Sometimes marriages and friendships can be saved with more cooperation, but sometimes they can’t. Sometimes, people are better off separated instead of together, and that’s a normal part of life. People can still co-parent and have a wonderful family life even if the marriage didn’t work.

Sometimes parents believe if they work hard enough, change something about themselves, or just try harder, their marriage will work. There’s a fantasy that staying together for the kids will create a better environment for their childhood. But that’s the definition of toxic, and certified divorce coach Kate Anthony explains why:

There came a point at the end of my marriage when I had an important realization. I realized the only chance for my son to create a happy, loving, and lasting relationship for himself in the future was for me to get out of my marriage.
When my ex and I finally freed ourselves to find that kind of trust outside of each other, we modeled to our son that he deserves that, too.-Kate Anthony, “3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Stay in a Toxic Marriage for your Kids“

Abortion

We learn that one character had gotten an abortion in the past, which is the primary reason I mark this as 12+. However, the reveal is one part of a much bigger scene and is alluded to rather than having a long conversation or scene. I understand this explanation won’t work for everyone based on your beliefs, but here are some ways to discuss abortion, assuming that your child knows at least the basics of sex education.

Abortion is when a person gets pregnant, and they do not want to become a parent, or there is a medical reason why the pregnancy isn’t healthy or viable, so they need or want to terminate the pregnancy. Terminating the pregnancy means undergoing surgery to remove the fertilized egg from the parent’s body.

The story in ISLE OF HOPE shows one of the situations in which a person has an abortion because they did not want any more children, and that could be a way to introduce the subject in a reasonable and more level-headed way than your child will hear in the headlines or most stories.

Should We Watch ISLE OF HOPE?

I gave it an age rating of 12+, but there’s nothing so implicit that would stop me from showing this to younger kids. The story drew me into its characters immediately, but I did find it hard to sympathize with Masterson’s character (and Ladd’s, once her role in Masterson’s life is truly revealed). The third act lets a few too many threads loose, then wraps up others very quickly. There wasn’t much translated from the stageplay to film, as far as I could tell, and that did mean that many emotional reveals which are more impactful live whimpered out on film. But as a family drama that takes its time, brings up a lot of relationship dialogues, and shows a handful of actors loving their roles, ISLE OF HOPE deserves a trip.

How to Watch

Synopsis:   Isle of Hope is the story of family and the complexities that come along with them.  University Professor Victoria (Mary Stuart Masterson) has a grudge with her self-absorbed mother, the well-known actress Carmen Crawford (Diane Ladd), for crushing her dreams of becoming a playwright. When Carmen suffers a life threatening stroke and wakes up from a coma, thinking she is living 15 years in the past, Victoria is given a unique opportunity to figure out where her life went off track and reconcile the relationship with her mother. Rounding out the cast is Sam Robards as Victoria’s brother William, Andrew McCarthy as Victoria’s ex-husband, and newcomer Jessica Lynn Wallace as their daughter. 

Isle of Hope was adapted from an Argentinian stage play “Dias Contados” by Oscar Martinez and brought to the screen by writer/director Damian Romay. The Argentinean American film and television writer, producer and director graduated from the University of Southern California’s film school with a master’s degree in screenwriting. Romay has made more than 30 films, several that were filmed in South Florida, St. Petersburg, and Saint Augustine and have been seen on both television and streaming channels. 

Damian came to South Florida with his parents in 1988 where he grew-up. He returned to South Florida after college where he resides with his wife and 3 children, and continues to make films.

Website:  www.isleofhopethemovie.com

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Sources:

• Anthony, Kate, “3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Stay in a Toxic Marriage for your Kids.”