Aurora Borealis (2004)

69% of critics liked it
(39 reviews)
40% of users liked it
(14,920 ratings)

Duncan (Joshua Jackson), a depressed twentysomething living in a rundown section of Minneapolis, has just lost another job. He has another source of income, letting his brother use his apartment for extramarital trysts. On a rare visit to his grandparents, Ronald (Donald Sutherland) and Ruth (Louise… More Duncan (Joshua Jackson), a depressed twentysomething living in a rundown section of Minneapolis, has just lost another job. He has another source of income, letting his brother use his apartment for extramarital trysts. On a rare visit to his grandparents, Ronald (Donald Sutherland) and Ruth (Louise Fletcher), Duncan meets Kate (Juliette Lewis), Ronald's spirited home health-care worker. Later, when Duncan learns that there's an opening for a handyman in the building, he takes the job. He begins to spend more time with his grandparents, hanging out with Ronald, who, among his many health problems, suffers from Parkinson's disease. He also has occasion to see Kate, and the two cautiously begin a romantic relationship. Kate is "one of those people," as Duncan puts it, who moved to Minneapolis because of the Replacements. Unlike Duncan, who has never left Minneapolis, Kate has never stayed in any one place for too long. She's anxious to get out and explore the world, while Duncan seems immobilized. Yet they connect, if only for a time. As Duncan reconnects with his grandparents and grows more intimate with Kate, he begins to deal with his grief over the sudden death of his father. Meanwhile, with his health deteriorating, Ronald begins to think of ending his life, and turns to his grandson for help. Aurora Borealis was directed by James Burke from an original screenplay by Brent Boyd. The film had its world premiere at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: James C.E. Burke
Written By: Brent Boyd
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Sep 15, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Apr 3, 2007
Studio: Regent Releasing

Critic Reviews

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
Good Will Hunting but in the Midwest and minus the tortured math genius, psychological breakthroughs, and convincing local color.
Neva Chonin, San Francisco Chronicle
Every bromide, plot twist and stock character arrives right on time and, to give director James Burke his due, function as well as they ever have.
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
A sensitive and touching story about a distressed family and the emotional glue that holds it together.
Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times
Most successful in capturing the emotional elements of its story, the film relies on its excellent cast to balance out sketchily drawn characters and the unfortunate obviousness of its plot.
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com
Juliette Lewis makes Aurora Borealis into a funnier, richer, more powerful film than it has any reason to be.
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger
Aurora Borealis is Duncan's story, and it's picked up some of his bad habits; like him, it's not sure what it wants to be.
Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
This transfer definitely looks better than I had anticipated, especially given the film's production history.
Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
What holds Aurora Borealis together is the complex and very realistic relationships between the characters.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
What looks like a goopy, disease-of-the-week movie about Alzheimer's turns out to be a surprisingly well crafted, beautifully acted movie.
Frank Lovece, Film Journal International
[A] tough, sweet and buoyantly funny drama about how we all grow up in different ways and on different timetables.
John Hartl, Seattle Times
Seems designed to reward Jackson with his biggest adult part to date, though it doesn't give the Vancouver, B.C., native a lot to work with.
Bill White, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The script offers neither character revelations nor plot twists. It unfolds by the numbers, like the product of an amateur screenwriter's salon.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
A fair-to-middling coming-of-age tale [is] played by a stellar cast in an unusual locale [but] never escapes seeming rather ordinary.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
Boyd's observant script (Minneapolis guy: 'St. What?' Kate: 'St. Paul. It's on the other side of the river.') and fine acting smooth over most of the rough edges.
Donald J. Levit, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Predictable but not preachy, its likeable types quirky and familiar, 'Aurora Borealis' is a good if undemanding watch.
Scott Foundas, L.A. Weekly
Aurora Borealis -- yes, that title eventually comes home to roost -- doesn't offend in any way, but it's so self-consciously quaint, so unwaveringly 'nice,' that you nearly wish it did.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The real surprise here is Lewis, who seems to have finally hit on a role that balances her usual flakiness with smarts and an offbeat poignancy, and she delivers the strongest work of her adult career.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

A good script, well performed by a really good cast...including Juliette Lewis (I say this even though I am not a fan). I was very impressed with Joshua Jackson, and Donald Sutherland in this film. The main plot deals with mortality, growing old, and the love of family...all with a… More
A good script, well performed by a really good cast...including Juliette Lewis (I say this even though I am not a fan). I was very impressed with Joshua Jackson, and Donald Sutherland in this film. The main plot deals with mortality, growing old, and the love of family...all with a touch of saddness, and humor together. Nice movie.