The Light Between Oceans

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Derek Cianfrance directs. Adam Arkapaw behind the camera. Alexandre Desplat scores. Jim Helton cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in India, United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 1Released 10 years ago.
• 2International production across 3 countries: India, United Kingdom, United States of America.
• 3Directed by Derek Cianfrance, shot by Adam Arkapaw. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 4Original score by Alexandre Desplat. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 5Editor Jim Helton shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 6Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander and Rachel Weisz carry the top of the cast.
• 7Marketing tagline: "Love demands everything".
• 8IMDB entry: tt2547584 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
• 9Classified under 9 themes, including "australia", "based on novel or book", "marriage", "lighthouse".

The technical file

Cinematography

Adam Arkapaw

Original score

Alexandre Desplat

Editing

Jim Helton

Production design

Karen Murphy

Costume design

Erin Benach

Makeup / hair

Nana Fischer

VFX supervisor

Brendan Taylor

Sound

Jacob Ribicoff

Stunt coordinator

Steve McQuillan

Runtime

133 min · 2h 13m

Aspect ratio (typical)

1.37:1 (Academy)

Status

Released

Budget

$20,000,000

Box office

$25,975,621

Return

130% of budget

Original language

EN

Certification (US)

PG-13

IMDB

The Light Between Oceans (2016) ↗

Also by

Derek Cianfrance

• 
  Brother Tied

  1998 · ★ 9.0
• 
  I Know This Much Is True

  2020 · ★ 7.6
• 
  The Place Beyond the Pines

  2013 · ★ 7.0
• 
  Roofman

  2025 · ★ 7.0
• 
  Blue Valentine

  2010 · ★ 7.0

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

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Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  The Light Between Oceans Official Trailer

  Trailer
• 

  ▶
  THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS - OFFICIAL TRAILER [HD]

  Trailer · Official

Community reviews

What people are saying

• Reno2017-03-26
  ★ 8/10

  A tale of imbalance between love and grief. The film was based on the Australian novel of the same name. It was a recent book, but a period drama about a World War I veteran who just returned home. So I feel this film was made too soon. Because it seems so classic, only if we had given some time to pick up its popularity. I mean the literature version which at least needed a decade of freedom before heading to the big screen. You know, this same kind of tales from the past is what now we consider epic, which looks even better in the cinema. Anyway, this film was good, but the future adaptations will be much more effective for its viewers. From the director of 'The Place Beyond the Pines' who also wrote for the screen. The title gives a brief insight of what kind of a tale it is. But the film was even deeper and darker with emotionally strong. The island where it takes place reminded me 'Song of the Sea', though it is not a fantasy film. If you love views, nature, particularly seaside, this film will suit you. Besides, the story was much stronger, so the backgrounds will fade away when all your focus fall on its narration. For me the location was the first in the film, the hundred year old setting, away from normal society was the most impressive. It helped to narrate this wonderful drama which contained the message of moral imbalance. Tom Sherbourne, a World War I hero who relieved from the duty returns home and becomes a lighthouse keeper in an isolated island on the west coast of Australia. He marries a woman whom he has instantly fallen in love. Now they are living far from the human world. A couple of tragedy strikes in their life following one another. Before coming out of that trauma, they find a baby on a lifeboat that washed up on their island and decides to adopt her. But after some times when they return to the mainland, they come to realise what they're doing is not legally nor morally correct. From onwards how it affects their each others trust, how far it all goes and how the story ends was told in the remaining parts. ❝You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day.❞ Despite the book was modern, the storytelling was so vintage. I'm talking about the way the plot and characters developed, including how it concludes. For the present generation, if you are familiar with a few similar works from the past, then you would predict this film. I mean not the entire film, but some scenes are at its initial stage can be foreseen. Because sometimes, some developments are called coincidence, but when you have plenty of them, that is called very intentional. That was the only negative of this film. By avoiding them the tale would not be possible. In other way, it could have had stretched even further which are unnecessary details. I did not care the clichés. For me it was a fine drama. The performances were magnificent. It looked to me an Oscar worthy, from both Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. Even Rachel Weisz was for the supporting role. So tick marks for cast and locations, also the screenplay and score. But the sad part is the film was not received very well, especially by the jackass film critics. It's not the same case with regular movie goers, particular I think the older and matured people would like it better. But it's not another 'Pride and Prejudice' from the family audience perspective. The events of the film and the outcome can be wrongly judged. Most importantly, it sets in the same world as ours, so everything is the near fact based. So the right and wrongs are inside the film, but not applicable for the filmmaking which I think a well done job. The post climax scene, the one that comes before the end credit was very good. For this kind of tale, that kind of outro sets a final tone. Despite not an inspiring storyline, all the portrayal in the film was so poetic. Mainly because of slow narration with high influence of sentiments and most of the occasions being dialogueless. The length was not an issue if you like period dramas. Anyway, it was engaging theme, there's always something keeps happening. So I think this is one of the under-rated films of the year. It deserves much better recognition. If you haven't watched it yet, I recommend it and highly if you are 30+. 8/10

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• 

  DreamWorks Pictures

  US

• 

  Reliance Entertainment

  IN

• 

  Participant

  US

• 

  Heyday Films

  GB

Key crew

• Title DesignerCharles Christopher Rubino
• Animal WranglerJames Delaney
• Executive ProducerJeffrey Clifford
• CastingFrancine Maisler
• ProducerDavid Heyman
• EditorJim Helton
• EditorRon Patane
• ProducerJeffrey Clifford
• CastingNikki Barrett
• Executive ProducerRosie Alison
• Executive ProducerTom Karnowski
• NovelM.L. Stedman
• Production DesignKaren Murphy
• Hair DesignerNana Fischer
• FinanceAmanda Birchnoff
• Production SupervisorAngelique Badenoch
• Art Department CoordinatorSandy Augusto Burton
• Visual Effects ProducerGreg Behrens
• Makeup ArtistRenee McCarthy
• GripChris Hansford
• First Assistant EditorSam Jaffe
• Digital IntermediatePhilippe Majdalani
• DriverKent Miklenda
• Unit PublicistLouise Spencer

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• australia
• based on novel or book
• marriage
• lighthouse
• lighthouse keeper
• miscarriage
• lost child
• 1920s
• western australia

Release history · US

When it landed

• Theatrical2016-09-02PG-13

Also known as

International titles

• La luz entre los océanosES
• Švyturys tarp dviejų vandednynųLT
• Светлина между два океанаBG
• La luz entre los océanosMX
• 파도가 지나간 자리KR
• Une vie entre deux océansCA
• Fyren mellan havenSE
• Okeanlar Arasındaki İşıqAZ
• Свет между океанамиRU