Review of the film "In America by Jim Sheridan"

Introduction

In America is a drama film directed by Jim Sheridan. It brings out some of the challenges faced by American Immigrants and their dreams. Johnny and Sarah, who are characters in the film, struggle to survive in New York while doing jobs which they never intended to do. Johnny becomes a cab driver after auditioning as an actor in vain. Sarah, who used to be a teacher in Ireland, gets a job in a local ice cream parlor in efforts to support her family. This shows clearly how the joy of many immigrants in the United States turns to be misery after missing their dreams. They suffer both physically due to inadequate resources for use and also psychologically when they fail to achieve their dreams. Johnny and his family get residence in Hell’s Kitchen Tenement which is also occupied by drug addicts and transvestites; unsafe places for raising up of families. They also suffer from poor health care as seen in the case of Mateo Kuamey who contracts HIV during a blood transfusion using blood in the Hospital blood banks.

American Dream

Many immigrants prefer the nation because of the American Dream. It is a national ethos which has a set of ideals whereby freedom involves the opportunity for success and prosperity achieved through hard work. According to James Truslow Adams, the dream shows that life should be better and richer for everyone regardless of their social class or circumstances of birth (Adams, 1931). The American Dream is based in the US declaration of Independence which claims equality to all people. This attracts many immigrants into the country having great visions as seen from Johnny who auditions for any role in becoming an actor. He thinks that the American Dream provides a great opportunity to succeed in his field (Fukuyama, 1994).

Gender Roles

Roles of male immigrants are different from the ones of the females (Martin, 2001). This is evident from Johnny and Sarah. The males are expected to do the hard and more strenuous jobs compared to the females. Johnny becomes a cab driver which is more difficult than the job Sarah does, which is selling of ice creams. The immigrant boys are responsible for establishing of permanent settlements if the financial status of their parents cannot afford a rental house. The children also play major roles in teaching their parents and siblings and also advising on crucial matters (Hooglund, 1995). Girls participate more than boys in tasks which require great responsibilities. This is shown by Christy in the film who takes the responsibility of resuscitating Mateo when he falls down and becomes unconscious. She uses CPR to resuscitate him despite the fact that he is suffering from HIV/AIDS; an act which requires a lot of carefulness to avoid contracting the disease.

Immigrant’s Experiences

It is mostly likely that many immigrant children lose their cultural heritage after migration to the United States (Bozorgmehr, 1988). Some mix up the cultures of their original homelands with the American cultures while others abandon them and choose to follow the American culture. Immigrants are exposed to new political, economical and social conditions which they should learn to cope up with, in order to survive in their new society. They also interact with different people from the ones they had been used to. This is evident in the case of Christy and Ariel who interact with Mateo; a person they had not known before. Their family receives assistance from the man by paying the huge hospital bills they had incurred during the birth and treatment of their youngest child. They also develop doubt about the health care facilities after receiving news that Mateo contracted HIV from blood transfusion from the hospital blood banks; an idea the didn’t have while in Ireland.

Conclusion

The film shows that, though most immigrants get into US with great expectations, not all of them get fulfilled. They get exposed to remote conditions and do jobs they never expected to do. They also struggle much for the purpose of survival. New cultures are learnt which lead to erosion of their original ones. It is also evident that most Immigrants are attracted to the nation by the American Dream which proclaims equality among all people and ensures prosperity of all investors through hard work (Gabaccia, 1992).