Lighthouse love story all at sea

WIN Desperate pair hit rocks then drown in schmaltz

THIS mournful melodrama pitches a lighthouse keeper and his wife into a sea of grief, madness and death.

A windswept tale of a childless couple raising a baby they rescue from a drifting row boat is brought to life by solid performances and breathtaking locations.

Michael Fassbender plays brooding First World War veteran Tom. Alicia Vikander, all in angelic white, is his wife Isabel, a vivacious local girl.

The happiness of Australia’s most photogenic lighthouse keepers hits the rocks when they can’t have children. Demented by grief, Isabel persua persuades Tom to pass off the washed-up baby girl as their own. The only c clue to her identity is a silver rattle.

This is more gothic tr tragedy than uplifting ce celebration of love. Imag Imagine Emily Brontë’s Cathy and Heathcliff escaping Wuthering Heights for a day at the seaside.

There are tales of suicide, ghostly images, wild walks on stormy nights, wailing widows and mourning mothers. Beneath breathy voiceovers the film piles on unlikely occurrences and coincidences.

The drama sinks under the weight of its heavy- handed symbolism. Eventually it cops out and dissolves into sentimentality.

Rachel Weisz offers strong support as businessman’s daughter Hannah and it’s always great to see Bryan Brown, even playing an unpleasant role.

The leads became a couple while on set and the early scenes have a crackle of electricity to them.

I hope they achieve more happiness than their characters did. KEN Loach’s devastating drama

is up for seven prizes at the British independent film awards, including best film and best director. It’s also on more screens than last week, so there’s no excuse not to see it.