I've never read Frank McCourt's bestselling memoir, so I actually enjoyed Angela's Ashes on its own merits. Some say that this downbeat film omitted McCourt's wonderful sense of humor, but don't ask me - I still haven't read the fuckin' thing (but I plan on reading it soon). The film follows the myriad of misfortunes that face a family that moves back from America to their native Ireland, somehow surviving amid the squalor of their daily lives. It's fascinating to watch this kid grow up amid these depressing surroundings and finally escape back to America - in between we witness him getting humiliated at school, dealing with his drunken father and losing his virginity. The acting is superb all around and the scenery is appropriately bleak. I plan on reading the book - someday.