If every family has its own essence, then In America – about a recently immigrated Irish couple and their two girls – captures the essence of its family with the candor of one of its own members. Partly this is because director Jim Sheridan based it on his own experiences, yet it’s also a result of the framing device, in which the older daughter videotapes much of the action. The result is a scattershot narrative with a few undeniably emotional moments.
