Reviews (260)

Weather Report: Tuscan Sun Fun, Diane Lane Shines
Take this for what it is and you might enjoy it -- complete fantasy stuff, wish fulfillment, a brief escape from real world life and complexities into the stuff of make belive, completely lacking in any substance whatsoever.

Why make a book into a movie and COMPLETELY change it? This is Audrey Welles inflicting HERSELF, her agenda, in fact, her completely different story, onto Frances Mayes' story, where the only thing left is the name of the house (Bramasole) and the name of the main characer (Frances/Fran/Francesca Mayes).

In real life Mayes is married to Ed Mayes, they're university professors, writers/poets, and they bought a house in Tuscany over ten years ago and started cranking out books about their new adventure (it's HUGE house, even more imposing than the one in the film).

Apparently not seeing any dramatic potential in Mayes' work, Welles arrogantly GRAFTED a completely different story onto the title ("Maybe no one will notice") wherein HER "Frances Mayes" is married then divorced then goes off to Italy and buys a house on an impulse (and strangely meets a man named "Ed" at the end which is supposed to bring some kind of nod to the real Ed Mayes, like an inside joke or something or a little piece of magic that plays out like a lump of coal on a Christmas morning. Stupid (her last name is already Mayes before she meets this Ed so his had better be Mayes too if you're following the silly logic of the story).

Don't pick this movie apart (pull one thread and it unravels rather easily). Instead see it for the wish fulfillment fantasy of buying a house in Tuscany, the Italian countryside (most of which was actually rainy and overcast all through filming) an attractive cast (Diane Lane is STILL stunning after all these years), and a complete dose of fantasy -- a guilty pleasure, like watching "Dynasty" in the 80s.

Leave the critical thinking elsewhere and pretend the world today is no more complex than an episode of The Brady Bunch (yeah right). Watch the scenery. Watch Lane's comic performance and stunning beauty, and Sandra Oh's great supporting performance. Then forget this crazy thing.

And if you liked the book, may I recommend At Home in France by Ann Barry and Extra Virgin by Annie Hawes, both of which I liked better than the book Under the Tuscan Sun and its followups as did many other reviewers on amazon and elsewhere they report.

The best part of this movie, for me, was seeing it in the theatre and suddenly seeing on screen the love interest's 1980s Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce two-seat convertible driving "picturesquely" through Italian cityscape and Italian coastline, and laughing to myself because it was the same car waiting for me in the parking lot.

Do a theme night. Make some bruschetta and other Italian culinary items and watch this fluff with friends. You won't be able to keep a straight face at how "schmaltzy" it is. You'll be absolutely embarrassed, but you still may take a second look later in privacy for an indulgent pleasure.

Ciao!

Such lovely scenery - such an awful film!
This is a really bad film. Okay, so it has nothing to do with the book except that it shares a title - that I could live with. But the story is hopelessly cobbled together and totally unbelievable. Surely this was a first draft of the script that they accidentally filmed?

The main character is played by the pretty Diane Lane, but looks alone cannot salvage this dreadful character. She cries, she pouts, she is unbearably naive and, let's just say it, she is an idiot.

The storyline is full of cliches. And where there are not cliches, there are gaping plot holes: why does her far-too-attractive-to-be-true Italian boyfriend drive a sports car when his family run a modest cafe on the beach that is supposed to support all of them? And just how does she manage to up and move to Italy without even having to fill in an immigration form? And if she was so broke that she had to move out of her mansion in San Francisco into a run-down fleabag hotel, just how the hell can she afford to suddenly buy and renovate a house in Italy, as well as living there for months with no visible means of income?

The worst part of a spectacularly awful script is the love interest suddenly written in at the very last minute to tie everything up neatly - that really is bad writing of such magnitude that it deserves a special Oscar.

Still, if you turn the sound off, you can enjoy genuinely beautiful photography of Italy.

hooked on tuscany
I have watched this movie twice so far, and will probably watch it more often. Tuscany is a countryside that got me hooked the first time I saw it appearing in front of my train window, and it is the same with the movie. So, I could empathize, seeing the same happening to "Frances" (Diane Lane) when she sees Tuscany and decides to buy a house and stay. Diane Lane in one of her best roles, her face very expressive, her acting excellent.
The only disappointment came when I read the book the movie was made after: in the original autobiographic story, Frances Mayes is not at all a divorcee struggling with recurring bouts of loneliness, but rather, a woman already happily attached again to a new steady boyfriend, with a fulfilled life, and full of energy for the work on their new house. The movie trailer says, the character were "changed for dramatic effect". Wonder who did not like the idea that a woman could be happy again so soon, and decided it should not be shown in the movie that way ? Anyway, both are definitely worth your while, and in the book you can even find the recipes for all that great Italian cooking too.

YAWN!
I eagerly anticipated watching this movie, as I thoroughly enjoyed the book; however, the movie shares only a passing resemblance to the book. It gets 2 stars because I enjoy Diane Lane and Tuscany is gorgeous, but other than that the movie was dull, Lane's character is nothing short of pathetic, and the ending is trite.

Get Your Passport Ready
I loved this movie. I don't usually watch too many movies but a friend loaned me this one and am I glad she did.
It is about a woman betrayed and how she goes on with her life. It made me think that I too could do something exciting with the rest of my life.
For the scenery of Italy alone, this movie is worth watching. Just beautiful.
I had never seen Diane Lane in any performances but I will seek her out now. All in all I give this movie a 5 star rating. ... Read more

Description

Get ready for fun! (Leah Rozen, People) with the "feel good movie of the year!" (Clay Smith, Access Hollywood)Love Actually is the ultimate romantic comedy from the makers of Bridget Jones's Diary and Notting Hill.Funny, irresistible and heartwarming, an all-star cast (Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson, to name a few!) will take you on a breathtaking tour of love's delightful twists and turns.Fall under the spell Love Actually and share the laughs and charm again and again. ... Read more

Reviews (397)

Romantic fluff, but a little romance never hurt anyone
I was only mildly interested in seeing this movie, but I really enjoyed it. Yes, there was an amazing amount of different threads to follow as this film told the story of nine or ten different people and their partners over a five week period leading up to Christmas. Nevertheless, the witty script and the first rate acting made the whole process relatively painless.

There was charm in abundance from Hugh Grant, playing Hugh Grant as usual, but he does it so well that you can't help but warm to him. Martine McCutcheon as his love interest was surprising unannoying, and not in the least bit chubby!

Plenty of laughs from Bill Nighy and Gregor Fisher as a faded rock star and his long-suffering manager. Colin Firth in pursuit of his Portuguese maid also provided a few laughs courtesy of the language barrier, and the nerdish caterer with his dreams of being a sex god based soley on the strength of the lure of his British accent would have on American women kept the humour flowing.

Acting kudos go to Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson and most notably Emma Thompson. Ms Thompson once again plays the kind of gung-ho, upper middle class woman who has contributed to my usual dislike of her chosen roles, but she outdid herself in this slight role. I was moved to tears by her brilliant acting performance in the scene where she retreats to her bedroom to adjust to the knowledge that her husband is having an affair with his secretary.

Eye candy was provided for both sexes in the shape Keira Knightley and Andrew Lincoln. I enjoyed their storyline, despite it's flaws, but that may be because I'm just a sucker for physical beauty. Laura Linney and her erstwhile Latino lover were also very attractive, but slightly less sympathetic. And what can I say about the wonderful performances given by young Thomas Sangster and Liam Neeson as his grieving stepfather? Excellent, believable acting rescuing a storyline that verged on unashamed bathos.

Overall, I would recommend this film and commend Richard Curtis for an enjoyable, feel-good movie that left me smiling with tears in my eyes.

Lovely actually
Love Actually is a wonderful movie in all respects. Its cast, script, and direction are all absolutely top-notch. Set at Christmastime, the story encompasses numerous plots, all of which are equally interesting and effective in leaving one on the edge of one's seat, waiting to see what's going to happen with each group of characters next.

One of the most wonderful aspects of the film, in my opinion, is how we eventually discover that every single one of the vignettes is interwoven. For example: one story is about Karen (Emma Thompson) and her husband (Alan Rickman). The latter, although certainly not without affection for his wife, has begun to dabble in infidelity - thanks to his attractive secretary. Working with Rickman's character is Sarah (Laura Linney) who has been desperately in love with her co-worker Karl (unfortunately, I can't recall the actor's name, but he does a nice job) for years. And then of coure there's David, the prime minister (Hugh Grant) - who just happens to be Karen's brother.

Wonderful performances are also given by Liam Neeson (as a recent widower), 13-year-old Thomas Sangster (as Neeson's young son), Rowan Atkinson (who does a hilarious job as Rufus the Jewelry Salesman), and in one of the best vignettes, my personal favorite, Colin Firth.

This is an extremely funny and extremely touching movie. As usual, I hesitate to give away too much more about it. Nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING, should deter you from seeing it.

One of the Best Current British Comedies I've Seen in Ages.
I saw this in the theater when it first came out and, despite the fact that a couple behind me kept talking through it, I fell in love and decided to own it as soon as it was released on video. Now I have it on DVD, and want to spread the word. Love Actually is a great English romantic comedy full of several different stories going on at the same time, and each engages you in its plot quickly.

1. We have a young couple who are just married, and the groom's best friend is in love with the bride. Keira Knightley plays the role of Juliet with such sweetness and innocence, that even her dialogue free acting is powerfully convincing. Watch the scene where she views Mark's video of her wedding day and realizes he's in love with her.

2. Liam Neeson is Daniel, a newly widowed father who has to bridge the communication gap between himself and his son Sam. Sam's crush on an American girl provides this link, and the story is touching to watch as it unfolds throughout the film. Thomas Sangster is a promising child actor in his role as Sam, so keep your eyes on him. He is sure to be cast in more movies down the line.

3. Emma Thompson is always exceptional in every movie she's in. This is no exception as she plays Karen, a devoted and loving housewife who must come to terms with the fact that her husband Harry (Alan Rickman) is cheating on her with the office tramp.

4. Laura Linney plays Sarah, an American office worker who is in love with another American at work, but her sick brother makes the relationship difficult to see to its fruition.

5. Hugh Grant is David, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Britain, and he falls for his staff caterer Natalie, played by Martine McCutcheon. This story line is not without charming, laugh-out-loud moments, but it's also a bit corny and Benny Hill-ish at times.

6. One of my absolute favorite stories is the one involving Colin Firth's character Jamie, a writer who leaves England for the European countryside to write after discovering his brother is cheating with his wife, and he falls in love with his Portugese housekeeper Aurelia (Lucia Moniz). Neither of them can speak the other's language, but they manage to communicate in their own way, and the plot is very sweet.

7. Chris Marshall is very funny as Colin, the ugly, rude guy who strikes out romantically with English women, so he thinks he'll have better luck in America because of his "cute" accent. He goes to Milwaukee and discovers supermodel-type girls hanging out in a bar that fall for him instantly which really makes me laugh. I live an hour away from Milwaukee, and we are NOT plentiful with thin beautiful girls hanging out in bars. This was one joke that wasn't lost on me for a moment, and I couldn't help laughing quite loudly.

8. My favorite storyline is Billy Nighy as Billy Mack, a washed up 50-something rock star who makes a comeback on the charts with a shameless revamp of the old Troggs song, "Love is All Around" for Christmas. He is absolutely hysterical with his outrageous behavior as he publicly bashes the song and pulls all kinds of defiant public stunts. Of note is his relationship with his longtime manager Joe (Gregor Fisher) who, despite all the headaches his charge gives him, is still admirably loyal and proud of him.

One small storyline I detest is the porn actors we see a few times, conversing as they shoot dirty scenes on a movie set, and I also don't like the anti-American plot of the evil lecherous US president played by Billy Bob Thornton. These are two points for my not giving this film 5 stars.

Other than my minor grievances, I couldn't recommend Love Actually more highly. This movie is rated, R so please don't expose children to it just because one of the stories involves a little boy. This is great adult entertainment, and some of the DVD extras are a bit blue as well. Moving, funny, and full of clever dialogue (A favorite line: "Ten minutes with Elton John, and you're as gay as a maple!"), Richard Curtis has directed one of his best comedy projects yet. With the exception of small children, there's something here for everyone. You shouldn't just come away liking this one; it should be Love Actually.

Quite simply the worst movie I have ever seen...
Really! This has to be one of the worst movies ever produced and speaking as a Brit, I am ashamed. The plot or lack of any plot(s) is absurd. The jokes aren't funny, the premise is farcical and it is about as entertaining as being stung by a wasp.
Really, avoid this movie at all costs - it is that bad.

Not for the kids!
My inlaws came over to visit me from England, and raved on about this movie. They were keen to take us to the movies with our 2 children, 8 and 10 yrs to see it again with them. In the end we chose something more fun for the kids, as children don't want to go to the movies to watch a love story.
Anyway, not long after it came out at Blockbusters, and we hired it out of curiosity.
After the first 5 minutes we and sent the kids off too bed, as it wasn't really the swearing /cursing but the just that it seemed a little too explicit for my kids to watch.)
I would say that some scenes are just too crass, and they could had done without them.
In the second half of the movie, I noticed that the swearing and the sexual content tended to calm down...unless I was just getting used to it by then. The story was very funny at times, but alittle confusing having so many couples to follow...hard to get into their characters, or you forget at times that someone was in the movie, until they showed up on screen 20 minutes later, and would have to remember what their life was all about.
I'm not a prude in the slightest, and love comedies like Euro Trash, Coupling (the BBC Series) and American Pie etc...but the beginning half of this movie really did make my husband and I cring at times.
I'm surprised that my inlaws, who are in their late 50's really wanted to show this to my children...especially as they are very conservative.
Anyway it does get better, if you can stick with it after the first 30 minutes.
Hugh Grant's story line was also bit too cheesy. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Stunning Tribute To War Time Nurses Everywhere
"So Proudly We Hail", often comes in for more than it's fair share of criticism over it's depiction of the sterling work carried out by nurses in the South Pacific during World War Two. Mention is made of the nurses looking like they have just stepped out of the beauty parlour with makeup and hair all looking perfect. I'm always mystified by that reaction as I feel this production goes a long way towards depicting the back breaking and often extremely dangerous work that nurses carried out during the war in the Pacific. The film was made with the very best of intentions at a time when the outcome of the war was still far from certain. Criticism has also been leveled at the propaganda inherent in parts of the script. Once again one has to view this film in it's time and place and if it motivated people to feel patriotic about their country in time of war and at least partly informed the movie going public about some of the work of wartime nurses then that is a job well done in my belief.

"So Proudly We Hail", traces the stories of 9 nurses from the time they leave San Francisco through the trials and tribulations of their service with the armed services in the South Pacific. Three in particular are focused on, team leader Lt. Janet Davidson (Claudette Colbert), vivacious Lt. Joan O'Doul (Paulette Goddard) and inwardly tormented Lt. Olivia D'Arcy )Veronica Lake). Their stories are interwoven through the real life action of the group first being sent to Hawaii and then after a torpedo raid which sinks some of their companion vessels, being removed to the Bataan and Correigador regions where they care for and then help evacuate the military and civilian wounded. The saga ends with the remains of their party being evacuated after much loss and suffering to Australia before embarking for home at the end of their tour of duty. The women experience all the deprivations of war and personal loss along the way as Lt. Davidson falls in love with Lt. John Summers (George Reeves) only to live in daily fear of him being killed while still having a job to do as the team's main source of strength. Lt. O'Doul (Paulette Goddard) experiences similiar feelings for "Kansas" (Sonny Tufts), the gangly soldier who wins her heart and in the most tragic situation Lt. D'Arcy who confronts old demons and the loss of her fiance at the hands of the Japanese. Many frightening incidents darken the daily grind of the nurses work such as regular bombing of their medical camp by the enemy and having to experience all the pain and suffering of wartime casualties and death of loved ones. Each woman is touched in some way by her involvement in the action and emerges the better for her experience. We see the women work under not only hazardous conditions but in those that would test the sanity of the strongest person with daily shortages of supplies, shelter and food a constant feature in the daily work.

The film places great emphasis on the inner strength of the individual under fire whether it be soldier, nurse or wounded civilian. In this respect the film could never be judged superficial as many real life elements of this period are tied into the story. Powerful scenes abound in "So Proudly We Hail", a standout is the scene during the evacuation of the camp when the nurses are stranded in one of the huts under fire and the real life treatment of war nurses in Nanking is mentioned as a telling reminder of the brutality of war. Lt. D'Arcy's ultimate self sacrifice for the good of the group still is a scene that packs a real punch with it's graphic depiction of a suicide killing of enemy soldiers. All three lead actresses are standouts in their own unique way. Claudette Colbert delivers yet another powerful and totally convincing performance as the leader of the group. Long associated with extremely glamourous roles here she portrays a character forced under terrible conditions to still be strong for the sake of her nurses. Paulette Goddard in an Academy Award nominated performance is excellent as the flighty mantrap with only men on her mind who develops into a responsible and dedicated nurse as her wartime experiences deepen her character. Veronica Lake also minus her o usual glamourous persona is effective in her role as the bitter nurse who is out to punish all Japanese because of the loss she has suffered. Despite the reported tension between Claudette Colbert and Paulette Goddard during filming none of that shows on screen as the main three actresses work very effectively together as the one team. One last standout in the cast is actress Mary Servoss who plays Capt. "Ma" McGregor the lead of the camp and in ultimate charge of all nursing staff. Her beautiful scene where she faces the death of her wounded son is a stunner and the emotional highlight of the whole film.

Passed off as Hollywood's removed idea of what war is like, "So Proudly We Hail", offers much more than that and contrary to popular belief in a number of scenes where appropriate, the women do show what the wear and tear of war work does to the individuals. I find the film a powerful depiction of war and the terror it causes. Mixed with horrific scenes such as Lt. D'Arcy's suicide are inspiring ones like the simple Christmas celebration on the boat and the scenes showing operations being conducted right in the middle of air raids. These can't help to move the viewer and instill even in the most hardened cynic a belief in the basic good of man. A true epic is how I would describe "So Proudly We Hail", and a film I recommend to anyone who believes in the power of a person's inner strength to beat outside adversity.

ONE OF THE BEST WARTIME MOVIES MADE!
If there had been a 6-7 star rating for the picture, I would've given it 6-7 stars. Excellent writers, Good direction, + an excellent cast made for an excellent wartime drama.

excellently acted war drama
Story of nurses on Bataan & Correigador during WWII. Paulette Goddard deserving of her oscar nomination for this film. Other performances uniformly good. Reflects role of women early in war & also attitudes at home when film was made.Events depicted in film are true.Love story fiction.Well worth viewing

Truly A Great Movie!
I think that So Proudly We Hail is one of the best movies that I have ever seen. It definately keeps you on the edge of your seat! It has everything that a good movie needs...plenty of action, romance and even humor. The ladies play very convincing roles as the nurses, with the exception of Veronica Lake, whose acting leaves a little to be desired. All in all this movie is the BEST and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys good movies.

Excellent movie, showing a little known part of World War II
Excellent action movie depicting a little known women's role during World War II. The pride in duty, country and extreme courage in the face of adversity is something lacking in todays world. That particular battle is one of shame to our government in leaving military personnel to become prisoners of war or die. This movie says it all. Nitengail8 ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ever spend eight hours in a "Productivity Bin"? Ever had worries about layoffs? Ever had the urge to demolish a temperamental printer or fax machine? Ever had to endure a smarmy, condescending boss? Then Office Space should hit pretty close to home for you. Peter (Ron Livingston) spends the day doing stupefyingly dull computer work in a cubicle. He goes home to an apartment sparsely furnished by IKEA and Target, then starts for a maddening commute to work again in the morning. His coworkers in the cube farm are an annoying lot, his boss is a snide, patronizing jerk, and his days are consumed with tedium. In desperation, he turns to career hypnotherapy, but when his hypno-induced relaxation takes hold, there's no shutting it off. Layoffs are in the air at his corporation, and with two coworkers (both of whom are slated for the chute) he devises a scheme to skim funds from company accounts. The scheme soon snowballs, however, throwing the three into a panic until the unexpected happens and saves the day. Director Mike Judge has come up with a spot-on look at work in corporate America circa 1999. With well-drawn characters and situations instantly familiar to the white-collar milieu, he captures the joylessness of many a cube denizen's work life to a T. Jennifer Aniston plays Peter's love interest, a waitress at Chotchkie's, a generic beer-and-burger joint à la Chili's, and Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show) has a minor but hilarious turn as Peter's mustached, long-haired, drywall-installin' neighbor. --Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (493)

Way underrated
Anyone who has ever worked in corporate America will relate to this hilarious gem.
It is low key as opposed to slapstick comedy. I think the movie was well cast about a cube dweller who had enough and basically quits working and gets a promotion to upper management while his hard working and dedicated buddies get slated for layoffs by "The Bob's" two management consultants.
Ron Livingston does a great job as Pete Gibbons, and Ajay Naidu as "Samir Nu, ne, nunu, uh nnn ,not work here anymore" David Herman as Micheal-why should I change - Bolton.
The boss Lundbergh is played perfectly deadpan by Gary Cole, and I think there is a Tom Smykowski and Milton Waddams in every organization. Lets not forget the "Bob's" I knew two idiot consultants just like them.
Office Space has it all, from stupid meetings, CI programs, and of course the infamous TPS reports - "didn't you get the memo about the new cover sheets?"
I could not stop laughing through the whole thing.

Well worth the price of the DVD, even though the transfer was only fair.

Hiliariously Close to the Truth
Though the situations and characters in Office Space are certainly larger than life, they are not that far from the truth--to which those of us in the corporate world will readily attest. That's what makes the movie so delightfully funny: seeing characters on screen act out (without much exaggeration) the trials and tribulations of today's desk-bound workforce.

The plot of the movie itself is somewhat secondary to its entertainment value. Basically, the main character (Ron Livingston) isn't happy with his job; having been asked once by his high school guidance counselor to picture what he'd do without being paid and consider that his ideal job, he responded that he's like to sit around and do nothing. The rest of the main plot centers on his attempt to get his life back on track, from discovering a love interest in a local waitress (Jennifer Anniston) also unhappy with her job to plotting revenge on his company for firing his friends.

Quickly one sees exactly why the characters are so unhappy with their jobs: a clueless, paper-shuffling boss who speaks in total monotone; inane office regulations requiring more time spent on reports than on real work; faulty office equipment; and so on. Carefully crafted to represent archetypes we all know from our own office experiences, the characters and their attempts to break free of the 9-to-5 drudgery are absolutely hilarious.

You don't have to be a computer programmer or engineer to enjoy this film--all you need is to have worked somewhere once in your life that was far from the ideal environment. Watch this film and enjoy a laugh at schmucks who have it ten times worse than you ever have!

THE comedy movie to see from the late 90s
If you see one comedy from the late 90s, see this one! The cast is great, and the story is better. The only person I know who didn't like this movie just doesn't understand the modern industrial/metroplitan environment. Driving to work in Silicon Valley REALLY IS THIS BAD, and if your definition of heavy traffic is going 15-20 mph on the freeway, you might not appreciate this film.

Dilbert's got it easy!
OFFICE SPACE either suffered from bad marketing or poor distribution because I had never heard of it nor did many of my movie-going friends. When I saw it on cable, I kept asking myself, "Where did this come from?" While the film occasionally breaks down in predictable sequences and cheap shots, it really does hold together remarkably well. This is one of the better written, directed and acted comedies in a long time. Even though the late 90's office world it illustrates is long gone, muddle-headed supervisors, know-nothing consultants, and very weird office workers are not. Enjoy this movie!

A MODERN CULT CLASSIC
Having seen and enjoyed bits and pieces of this movie countless times on cable (usually on Comedy Central) over the last couple of years, I finally broke down and purchased it to add to my DVD collection. Smart move on my part. Now that I've seen the entire movie from start to finish, it makes a lot more sense now (I'd never seen the hypnotism scene). It has all the makings of a modern cult classic. How do I know? Because every time I roll across it on cable I usually wind up watching the balance of the film and enjoying it all over again. Having 2 Geto Boys songs on the soundtrack and co-starring Jennifer Aniston doesn't hurt either. Damn it feels good to be a gangsta. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Four extremely beautiful people do extremely horrible things to one another in Closer, Mike Nichols' pungent adaptation of Patrick Marber's play that easily marks the Oscar-winning director's best work in years. Anna (Julia Roberts) is a photographer who specializes in portraits of strangers; Dan (Jude Law) is an obituary writer struggling to become a novelist; Alice (Natalie Portman) is an American stripper freshly arrived in London after a bad relationship; and Larry (Clive Owen) is a dermatologist who finds love under the most unlikely of circumstances. When their paths cross it's a dizzying supernova of emotions, as Nichols and Marber adroitly construct various scenes out of their lives that pair them again and again in various permutations of passion, heartbreak, anger, sadness, vengeance, pleading, deception, and most importantly, brutal honesty. It's only until you're more than halfway through the movie that you'll have to ask yourself exactly why you are watching such a beautifully tragic tale, as Closer is basically the ickiest, grossest, most dysfunctional parts of all your past relationships strung together into one movie. Ultimately, it falls to the four actors to draw you deeper into the story; all succeed relatively, but it's Law and Owen whose characters will cut you to the quick. Law proves that yet again he's most adept at playing charming, amoral bastards with manipulative streaks, and Owen is nothing short of brilliant as the character most turned on by the energy inherent in destructive relationships--whether he's on the giving or receiving end. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (260)

Shakespearean Onstage, Mediocre Onscreen
Closer is a convoluted-yet-beautiful love story that is crippled by the impossiblity of the actors living up to the script's demands.Immensely popular with both young and old crowds alike, mainly because it's... well, a convuluted-yet-beautiful love story.One could compare it to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with its massive time-bends and jumps, but one would probably do better not to taint a movie with such incredible acting as Eternal Sunshine with the forced rigidity of this film's dialogue.

The writing is, in a word, breathtaking.It is herein that the deficiency lies.While watching scenes with Alice (Natalie Portman) and Dan (Jude Law), one's suspension of disbelief is so broken, it's as if one were watching their children perform in a play.One is almost convinced that Jude Law is gay, as the only person he has perceivable chemistry with in this film is Larry (Clive Owen).The writing is so dramatic and eloquent that it sounds forced coming from people in such situations as the characters, save one notable exception.

The ultimate saving grace of the entire film is the incredible acting range of Clive Owen, and the chemistry he illicits from all the characters, save Jude Law, whose performance, truthfully, left something to be desired in all of his lines that did not involve him yelling for some reason.Owen's Academy Award nomination was certainly warranted.

Natalie Portman delivers an extremely solid performance outside her work with Jude Law(which amounts to about 10 minutes of the movie), while most of her lines delivered at his side sound somewhat coaxed, yet more natural than most actresses her age.I personally thought that while her character is an excellent portrayal of an excentric with a need for stability, the lines were perhaps fed to her a little too much; it's quite obvious she's not reading her own interpretation of what her character should say.Hopefully future directors will give her the freedom to improvise her character's dialogue.

I'm indifferent to Anna (Julia Roberts) in this film.She proves nothing new, and delivers a fairly sturdy performance; her character isn't really a person so much as she is an object throughout the film, but she manages to personify that object very well.

There is a difference between stage acting and film acting.No one really wants to admit it, but the script required a few more adjustments to suit the move from the stage to film.

All in all, I cannot say that I do not adore this movie.With some more realistic adaptations to the script, this film could have been perfect.As it stands, the movie is still beautiful, through all the small imperfections.A beautifully convoluted love story; a convolutedly beautiful love story, a smart, sexy drama; it's all of the above.I have to recommend it to anyone with a heart that's ever been broken.

4 great actors, 4 great stars
This is the story of four people: two men and two women. It souds plain simple, but the story is not so. It is not the typical story of a love quadrangle. It's a story of power, pride, self-confidence and, of course, love.

The greatest and the lowest of human condition. All for love, but all for gaining the higher respect and best appearance in front of the rest of the world.

The story is fantastic but, what to say of the actors? It is not only Portmann to take care. I think Julia Roberts makes her best acting ever. Jude Law is plain correct but Clive Owen is the great discovery for me. It is clear that this is "a film for actors", to show the best of them and they really succeed.

The only problem is that these two facts (story and acting) hide a poor direction and some minor aspects. Personally, I think the producer did the budget and realized he has nothing to spend in such details.

But it is a very recommendable movie to spend the afternoon at home. I saw it in the cinema and I had such a great impression that I hired it to see it again (and I haven't done it in more than ten times).

Shockingly Disappointing
I don't understand how anyone could enjoy this film.It was by far the worst movie I've seen this year.In fact, it was so bad that I doubt I'll be able to enjoy watching the main 4 actors ever again.

Although some people feel that watching 4 people destroy each other is beautiful, I find it to be depressing.This movie is about 4 "lovers" who use each other uncaringly, cry a lot, use the "f" word multiple times in every sentence, and who are completely unlikeable.It's like the director thought that having 4 beautiful people in a film was enough.I love a good drama, but this wasn't even close.

The plot is as shallow as the characters.The ending is very silly; we find out information that the film makers thought would create a "Usual Suspects" type of ending, but it all falls flat and seems contrived.Amazon has many better DVDs for sale than this garbage.

Mike Nichols at his best...
Genre: Dark Romance

Genre Grade: A+

Final Grade: A

This was a great movie - except it's possibly one of the most verbally sexual movies I've ever seen - but I can handle a little sex talk! There were about, I dunno, eight people or so who walked out of the movie because of the offensive language and sex talk. This movie breaks many barriers and talks about problems in relationships and tries to take a closer look at the raw emotions of affairs. The acting was Oscar-worthy from each person, Clive Owen coming out on top in my opinion. Natalie Portman was amazing as well, and Julia Roberts actually gives the audience something new.

This movie is extremely depressing, and is not a date movie unless you want to walk away feeling hopeless. It leaves us with a despairing look at humanity and our own desires, and the film brings to light things that are normally left in the bedroom or simply remain unspoken. Definitely worth seeing just for the performances (especially the amazing encounter between Julia Roberts and Clive Owen, and then later the discussion between Jude Law and Clive Owen), the AMAZING dialogue, and just because of the fact that Mike Nichols directed it.

Great Performances save this film!
This movie is hard to follow.No question about that.Most movies that are adapted from Broadway plays don't fair well on screen unless they're made from the classic playwrights (Tennessee Williams, David Mamet, Eugene O'Neill, etc.).Many of the negative reviews here on Amazon.com expecting more action are justified.However, I found the movie to be better than expected.Mike Nichols is one of Hollywood's finest directors.And with four of the best actors around, he does very will with the challenging subject matter.Natalie Portman has become the "Harrison Ford" of the Star Wars genre by breaking out into a great Oscar nominated role.British TV star Clive Owen also breaks free of his shell with his excellent performance.Juila Roberts & Jude Law round out this excellent cast.If you can stay with it for the performances, you'll be amused. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A sensitive yet humorous adaptation of the stage play, this 1970 film directed by William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist) is one of the first films to openly address gay issues in a matter-of-fact style that largely avoids stereotyping. Shot on one set and featuring a birthday party as the festive setting, a group of friends assemble to celebrate, reminisce, and discuss their lives and the travails of being gay, even as one friend insists he's straight. The night turns from a light celebration to a sometimes-vindictive ordeal of revelation and betrayal, as each man in turn must confess his true feelings. Performed by the original cast of the stage production, the film may feel dated to some, but it still manages to be truthful and entertaining as it explores a subject that to this day is not often addressed. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (42)

'I don't understand any of it... I never did' ... Michael
Mart Crowley's 'The Boys in the Band' is a minor masterpiece of American cinema that was also instrumental in thrusting gay life and issues into the American mainstream.

Based upon the 1968 Off-Broadway play, this 1970 film adaption by William Friedkin retains all of the stage cast and most of the dialogue. The story is simple enough, Michael Connelly is throwing a party for his friend Harold when an old college roommate, who is presumably straight, arrives and throws the party into turmoil. Michael, who clearly has had a drinking problem, hits the bottle again as a result of the conflict. Kenneth Nelson gives a brilliant performance as Michael who is quickly unravelling with every drink and who begins to tear down his friends one by one. The party climaxes in a 'truth' game which proves oddly cathartic to everyone but Michael.

Many issues have arisen over the years with 'The Boys in the Band'. Were these men mostly stereotypes? Is this work still relevant to gay life? What does it say about where we are in light of where we've been?

Your answers to these questions may well depend on your age. For myself, when first viewing this as a 22 year old in 1987, I found it amusing but ultimately sad and upsetting. A dozen years later of being out in gay life, I have come to learn how masterful this work is and that while times have changed in many ways for the better, many of the issues that the 'boys' were dealing with back then are still being dealt with today. Issues of religious and societal intolerance and the attempt to forge a positive gay identity in an often hostile world are still very much with us today.

I believe the reason 'The Boys in the Band' is so humorous is that the camp humor of that time was largely a coping mechanism of sorts. This is black humor at its best, showing us the brutal honesty of a situation while exposing the many absurdities in it at the same time.

In the end Michael states 'I don't understand any of it, I never did.'... food for thought...

Also: Pick up a copy of '3 Plays by Mart Crowley'. The story of Michael Connelly pre and post "Boys in the Band" is powerfully explored in these two additional plays. (Read the forward 1st!)

A "Must" for all Gay Men
As a friend once put it, the first time you see it (usually in college or freshly minted out-of-the-closet) you're horrified because it is full of self-loathing queens. The second time, in your twenties or after a bit moving in the stream of gay life, you're into it because it's campy and fun. The third time, once you've been around a block more times than you can remember, you love it because it's TRUE! While certainly not to be included in any catalogue of PRIDE-ful moments (and as such was the source of great controversy in the 1970s), this is a film that touches on crucial aspects of gay identity that have remained fairly constant in the post-Stonewall period, a series of questions: sexual and emotional fidelity, pride, self-hatred, fraternal destruction, and gay friendship. Or, another way to put it and to borrow Adrienne Rich's phraseology, "lies, secrets, and silence." The telephone game is the dramatic high point of the film (don't try this at home kids, unless you're three sheets to the wind and have an old rotary phone in the garage!), underscoring the complicated histories gay men bring to their desires. For others, this is the low point of self-loathing, but I find the actors rescue the scene with tenderness and emotive power. For me, the saving grace of the film and its central message is the denouement of Harold's committment to his friendship with the hideous lush Michael, who, after suffering a night of Michael's Gin and Ton witticisms honed to a razor sharp edge while languidly flipping through "The Films of Joan Crawford" (a nice touch), and after reading him within an inch of his life, tells Michael, with real feeling, "Call you tomorrow." And who can't appreciate friendship like that? With this, the film brings to the fore the essence of gay survival, which is friendship, and for that is worthy of viewing and LOVE (and a DVD).

What I am Michael...
Exquisite movie--beautifully directed and smart acting by the cast. It's as if not more timely now than it was then.

Leading 20th Century Work
I think "Boys in the Band" is one of the best plays of the 20th century. It's far, far more than a bunch of self-hating queens camping it up. For one thing, look at how succinctly the playwright develops his characters with just one line: "Cheese it. Here comes the socialite nun!"

A better way to think about the play is as a tragedy concerning the emotional life of Michael, who exemplifies so many of killer competitor types of the 20th century.

When Harold says to Michael, "You're a sad and pathetic man. You're a homosexual and you don't want to be," he's making a larger point that what Michael is really afraid of is his own humanity, not just being seen as a big fairy.

An Important Film on Humanity - Gay or Not
Mart Crowley will always be remembered for this gem of a film (based on the stage play) because of its evocative and dead-on treatment of humanity, particularly that of gay men.

The movie, like the stage play, is set in a New York City apartment. Seven gay men (and one gay prostitute) are going to be attending a bithday party hosted by Michael. As the film opens, we are visually introduced to the main characters. We then see Michael's smart and proper apartment and know that he is preparing for the party. Michael's weekend boyfriend Donald arrives and they talk about everything from anxiety attacks to financial woes to the effects of alcohol.

Suddenly, everything is turned on its head as Michael gets a very odd and uncharacteristic phone call from his college roommate, Alan. Alan is in town and wants to meet up with Michael, but Michael isn't sure that Alan should arrive in the middle of a birthday party for gay men. Alan breaks down and begs to see Michael. They agree on a quick drink and Michael and Donald explore how they are going to handle a straight man at a gay party.

Thinking the doorbell is Alan, Michael opens it to find that Emory, Hank and Larry have arrived. He tells them what is going on and then Bernard, another guest, arrives. Michael demands that everyone play it cool and straight while Alan is there.

As the party gets underway with appetizers and music, Michael gets a phone call from Alan expressing regrets about his breakdown and suggests they get together for lunch the next day. Michael is relieved and the party starts to flow even better.

Michael, Bernard, Emory, and Larry begin a dance routine they learned on Fire Island and don't hear the doorbell. When Hank answers the door, it isn't Harold, but Alan, who has dropped by unannounced. He sees Michael and the other men dancing and there is a grand uncomfortable moment as the party comes to a screeching halt.

Alan and Michael talk and then as Alan gets ready to leave, a fight ensued between Alan and Emory with Emory ending up with a bloody face.

The rest of the movie is a very real, very poignant look at human nature. There is an attempt to expose someone in the closet, a look at fidelity within a gay relationship, the fear of growing old and a wonderfully crafted discussion on the nature of beauty.

Although all of the actors in the film are excellent, Cliff Gorman as the effiminate Emory steals the show. (Gorman, incidentially, would go on to portray Lenny Bruce in the stage play "Lenny" and would receive high acclaim for his work only to be replaced by Dustin Hoffman for the movie version.)

What makes the film work for all mature audiences is that the character portrayals are seemless. We can all see some of our own faults in at least one of the characters.

The only drawback is that this film is not yet out on DVD, although it should be!

If you get a chance to see this film, do so. It is a very fine piece of film that deserves all the acclaim it gets. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

One of the key movies of the 1970s, when exciting, groundbreaking, personal films were still being made in Hollywood, Milos Forman's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest emphasized the humanistic story at the heart of Ken Kesey's more hallucinogenic novel.Jack Nicholson was born to play the part of Randle Patrick McMurphy, the rebellious inmate of a psychiatric hospital who fights back against the authorities' cold attitudes of institutional superiority, as personified by Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher).It's the classic antiestablishment tale of one man asserting his individuality in the face of a repressive, conformist system--and it works on every level. Forman populates his film with memorably eccentric faces, and gets such freshly detailed and spontaneous work from his ensemble that the picture sometimes feels like a documentary.Unlike a lot of films pitched at the "youth culture" of the 1970s, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest really hasn't dated a bit, because the qualities of human nature that Forman captures--playfulness, courage, inspiration, pride, stubbornness--are universal and timeless.The film swept the Academy Awards for 1976, winning in all the major categories (picture, director, actor, actress, screenplay) for the first time since Frank Capra's It Happened One Night in 1931. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (207)

A Tremendous Film With The Great Nicholson
This is an unforgettable film. Jack Nicholson gives one hell of a classic and memorable performance in this film directed by the great Milos Forman. Nicholson plays Randall McMurphy, a rebel inmate of sorts at a psychiatric hospital who fights the system and refuses to give in the hospital's orders or behavior. It's a real groundbreaking film. Nicholson's main adversary is the cold Nurse Ratchett(great name!), played superbly by Louise Fletcher. A remarkable performance. There are also a number of familiar faces in the film. You will definitley recognize Christopher Lloyd, Danny DeVito, and Brad Douriff, as some of the inmates. Will Sampson also gives a memorable performance. There are scenes here that are truly shocking. Anyone who has seen this probably knows what I mean when I say that. All of our actors are dead on perfect as mentally unstable patients. A remarkable cast. The end scene of the film is shocking and definitley won't be forgotten. Go watch this classic film and see one of our biggest and best legends in an astonishing performance. This is deeply recommended!.

A disturbing movie about the disturbed.
In this multi-Academy award winning flick based on Ken Kesey's novel, actor Jack Nicholson as jail-bird Randle P. McMurphy seeks escape from the prison work farm by feigning madness. He is committed to a psychiatric ward for the mentally disturbed for evaluation while the staff try to determine whether his behaviour is genuine insanity or mere rebellion. But being with the mentally ill isn't as rosy as McMurphy imagined it to be, particularly under the repressive regime operated by Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). In the battle of mind-games with Ratched, McMurphy discovers that even a simple thing as watching the World Series is impossible, because it might disturb the patients' routine.

Only three movies have ever taken out all five major Academy awards (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay), and "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is one of that elite group. To say that the acting is superb is an understatement. It takes a lot of talent to convincingly portray someone mentally disturbed, but this cast accomplishes it with brilliance. The supporting roles as nearly as terrific as the leading roles: Sydney Lassick as the shaky inarticulate Charlie Cheswick, Brad Dourif as the stuttering virgin Billy Bibbit, Danny DeVito as the infantile Martini, Christopher Lloyd as the wide-eyed trouble-maker Tabor, William Redfield as the eloquent intellectual Dale Harding, and Will Sampson as the mute Indian giant.

But the mentally ill are depicted not merely as objects for examination and pity, but with genuine sympathy as victims under an oppressive regime. Admittedly they're also the source for warm humor; Highlights include McMurphy's commentary of an imaginary baseball game with all the "nuts" cheering, and McMurphy's creative introduction of all patients as "doctors" from the mental institution as they hijack a fishing boat. Those who work with the mentally disturbed in real life will be the first to tell you that you need a sense of humor in dealing with them. But humor doesn't exclude compassion, and this movie raises serious questions about the treatment of the mentally ill.

Everything is geared towards arousing sympathy for the mentally disturbed: minimalist music and silence, dreary colors, bright lighting, and male care-givers who are police-like unnamed uniforms. These factors combine to create an atmosphere that conveys a clinical and sterile environment devoid of compassion for those who need it. Nurse Ratched is depicted as a cold and distant woman without feelings for those in her charge, and her authoritarian role personifies an establishment that cares little for the mentally ill. Rather than show compassion for the weak, she uses therapy sessions to uncover whatever hope and spirit they have and destroy it. McMurphy's embodiment of this human spirit is somewhat exaggerated (the way he initiates interest in basketball games and escapes on a fishing expedition is not entirely plausible), but it makes the point. Interestingly, some have seen the movie as a social criticism on all oppression of the human spirit, with a broad application even to ideologies like communism. As others have said: tyranny has many faces, and the story of freedom from oppression goes beyond the walls of a mental asylum.

The criticism of the handling of the mentally ill is most evident in how the institution handles McMurphy. We identify with McMurphy because we know his insanity is faked, and yet the "treatment" he receives is thoroughly troubling, especially when those in charge resort to electric-shock therapy. Is there a parallel in the way that many social problems (eg depression, ADD) are today diagnosed as mental illnesses and treated with drugs? The tragic way in which McMurphy's "mental illness" is mishandled at the conclusion arouses righteous anger, and is a disturbing indictment on all mistreatment of the mentally ill. There is no crowd-pleasing feel-good ending as his attempt to topple the establishment fails. Yet the lack of a happy ending makes his criticisms of the establishment all the more piercing.

The movie was rated R for frequent profanity/blasphemy, crude sexual talk and one violent scene at the end (there are also scenes involving alcohol, suicide, an incident where sexual promiscuity is applauded, and an implied endorsement of mercy killing). The violence and language is deliberately distasteful and one can hardly feel sympathy for McMurphy as an immoral criminal (he is a convicted rapist, rebels against authority, sets up a gambling casino, and encourages Billy to lose his virginity). Yet one has to feel sympathy for him as he is abused by an inhumane establishment that is equally criminal in its own way by failing to show genuine compassion for those entrusted in its care. If McMurphy's character is distasteful and criminal, so is the character of care given to the mentally ill. Rather than become sidetracked by McMurphy's failings, we need to take a serious look at the failings of the establishment as embodied in Ratched. The tragic consequences (represented by Billy's death & McMurphy's lobotomy) of these failings are just as horrific as the consequences of an immoral life. Understood in this way, this movie is much more than a vindication of the free human spirit and an endorsement of rebellious anti-authoritarianism. More importantly it functions as a biting criticism against the abuse of authority to crush that spirit. This is not a pleasant movie to watch, but it packs a powerful philosophical punch and raises profound questions that are more enduring than mere entertainment.

The conclusion does offer a note of hope, as the silent Indian escapes the cuckoo's nest (perhaps a metaphor of true freedom being found in escaping the establishment and modern institutionalized civilization?). But we are still left with disturbing questions about those who do not escape: Would we really want our family members in a place like this? This is a disturbing movie that raises disturbing questions about the treatment of the disturbed - but questions that need to be asked ... and answered.

a special edition for a very special movie...
Before 1975 we had great violent epics like "The Godfather", "Mean Streets", and "Easy Rider". but later in 1975, director Milos Forman took a challenge on directing the famous novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". hiring top-notch actors, including the up and rising star Jack Nicolsin. With his amazing debut in Easy Rider, Milos Forman thought he would be the perfect person for this role. this incredible movie shocked the world. even better than the novel, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is easily one of the greatest films of all-time.

this movie has the stuff. memorable characters, amazing acting, hilarious jokes, shocking moments, and an ending to always be remembered till the day you die. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest easily has the most memorable ending to a film ever. enough talk of this incredible movie, as for the stuff on the special edition... its also great. with a whole extra disk of extras, deleted scenes, and a whole bunch more. I have tons of DVDs and this is easily one of the best purchases I've bought. No, not just because of the movie but the extra stuff on the DVD.

the Two-disk special edition of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a great update to a great movie. by all means, you must have this in your collection.

the best mental patient movie ever
this book was written by ken kesey who used the money to gallavant around the country in the 60s in a school bus and do drugs with a bunch of dirty ol hippies.the story is about a guy who plays crazy to get out of a work farm and into a asylum.jack nicholson is that guy.also included are that crazy dr in back to the future,danny devito,a stuttereererer named billy bibbit,a huge indian whose mute and deaf,some smart ass home boys who help the nurse,a nurse with big boobs etc.children will not be amused by this.it is a tragic story.this movie has adventure,romance,comedy,drama,tragedy and above all is well written.it is very emotional.the nurse is over the top obnoxious and people like her should be put to sleep.amazingly,it is alkmost identical to the book.people say its a classic and well,they are right for once.really its almost entirely funny until the end parts.jack nicholson did his finest work ever in this story.

Jack Nicholson's Crowning Achievement!
What a brilliant actor Jack is. He played four of the most memorable screen characters of all time. Randall McMurphy (this film), Melvin Udall (As Good As It Gets), Jack Torrence (The Shining), and The Joker (Batman). Just saw this film last night for the first time and was blown away. I will be buying this Special Edition real soon. The evil head nurse wasn't as mean as I thought she would be, but man is she well-acted. Everyone should see this film, it's that good! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Refurbished Streetcar rides better than the original
I was age two in 1951 when Tennessee Williams's A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE had its first Silver Screen incarnation. I don't recall seeing this film during the 50s as part of a twenty-five cent, Saturday, kiddy matinee double feature. Well, we would have been bored with such grown-up tempests-in-a-teapot anyway. As an adult, I can now view both the original and this 1995 version, and reap the benefit of improved film-making technology and relaxed censorship, though both versions are substantively identical - no surprise, since they're both working off the same script.

Blanche Dubois arrives in post-WWII New Orleans from Mississippi to visit her younger sister Stella, who's married to Stanley Kowalsky. Both women were the products of a genteel, Southern upbringing, and Blanche is appalled by Stanley's brutishness and the sweltering, seedy, French Quarter apartment in which her sister happily lives. Early in life, Blanche was psychologically devastated her young husband's death. He'd committed suicide after Blanche had discovered his homosexuality and confronted him. Stella having departed the family estate, Belle Reve, for the Big City, the widowed Blanche was left to deal with the deaths of parents and the eventual loss of Belle Reve to creditors. Now, at the edge of sanity, Blanche perceives herself as a classic Southern lady fallen on hard times. But she has another side which Stanley, a male "pig" if there ever was one, immediately perceives. It's their tense interaction over several months that provides the story's conflict and seals Blanche's fate.

How do the players compare?

Alec Baldwin's 1995 Stanley is more than adequate. OK, he doesn't have the animal presence of Marlon Brando's original, but at least the former doesn't talk as if through a mouthful of cotton. And if I hear the 1951 Stanley screech his high-pitched "Stella!" one more time, I'll lose it.

The role of Blanche is better served by Jessica Lange than Vivien Leigh. To me, Leigh's version came off with a touch of spoiled brat, while Lange's embodied more of the vulnerability and residual gentility that comprised the essence of Blanche. In that persona, Leigh's illusions and delusions seemed overacted, while Lange's seemed inherently genuine. (Do I suffer from being too infatuated with Jessica's role in TOOTSIE?)

John Goodman as Mitch, who becomes smitten with Stanley's sister-in-law, is more of a flawed-yet-sympathetic figure than was Karl Malden's original. Perhaps it's because Goodman's more massive physique contrasts better with his (initial) gentleness.

Played by Diane Lane (1995) and Kim Hunter (1951), Stella is a toss-up. I give Ms. Lane the nod simply because she's a superb, contemporary actress that I fondly recall from LONESOME DOVE and UNFAITHFUL.

Purists will rage, but if I had to recommend one version over another, it would be this one. Filmed in color, it provides more atmosphere and depth than the B&W original. And the viewer no longer has to cope with the early-1950s censorship that muddied dialog and scenes having to do with homosexuality, rape and nymphomania. This is a half-century later; let's move on for Chrissakes! After all, the "classic" story is Williams's original play. (Who knows? In 2050, a third screen edition may do it even better. Perhaps it'll be a holographic presentation.)

For me, the best scene in both is at the end when Blanche is gallantly treated like the lady she believes herself to be, and she poignantly remarks, "Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." To get through life, we all do.

Simply Perfect
I've never seen the original, but this TV version was truly mezmerizing. I love Jessica Lange so I am biased when it comes to her performances. However, I had such compassion for her portrayal of Blanche. She portrays the character as such a lost and troubled soul. You feel a sence of impending doom building throughout the film which is satisfied by the film's explosive climax. The entire cast is first-rate and seem to compliment each other's performance. I could watch this one over and over.

Jessica is truly amazing!
It's hard for anyone to believe that Jessica Lange could outshine Vivien Leigh in one of the latter's signature role, but she did. Alec Baldwin is no match for Marlon Brando. However, this new version is more faithful to the original. And it's worth seeing even only for Lange's magical performance. Her final scene is truly heartbreaking.

Jessica' s best performance?
I always thought that Vivien Leigh's interpretation of Blanche will be the definitive performance for this role. I am not so sure after I watched Lange's heart-breaking performance in this version. She is truly amazing. ALthough this actress given tons of great performance in her career ('Frances', 'Country', 'Sweet Dream', 'Music Box', 'Blue Sky'), she very likely gives the performance of her career in a made for TV movie.

Excellent Version of Williams' Masterpiece
While it will not replace the classic 1951 Kazan film version, this television production of Tennessee Williams' "Streetcar Named Desire" comes textually closer and remains more faithful to what Williams actually wrote (with the exception of a few minor deletions). The most noticeable restoration is the issue of homosexuality in regard to Blanche's dead husband, which in 1951 had to be sidestepped. The performances are all quite good. Diane Lane as Stella and John Goodman as Mitch are more human and less deliberate than their Kazan counterparts, Kim Hunter and Karl Malden. Alec Baldwin does quite well, especially considering the shadow of Brando which hangs over the role of Stanley Kowalski. Baldwin may lack the complete rawness and animal sexuality, but he improves over Brando in giving Stanley a sympathetic edge; another advantage is that Baldwin does not mumble.

Which brings us to Jessica Lange, whose portrayal of Blanche is both delicately shaded and strongly characterized; she is heart-breaking and luminous. Comparing her to Vivian Leigh, it is impossible to rank one over the other, as both performances seem "definitive" (now if we only had the performances of Jessica Tandy, Uta Hagen, and Tallulah Bankead preserved). The production design for once truly emphasizes the squalor in which Stella and Stanley live and which so shocks Blanche upon her arrival. Worth purchasing, especially for devotees of Williams. ... Read more

Description

Westward frontiersmen Hunt (Chris Farley) and Edwards (Matthew Perry) are out-of-doors and out of their minds as they try to overtake Lewis and Clark and be the first to blaze a trail across the American continent.Year: 1998 Director: Christopher Guest Starring: Chris Farley, Matthew Perry ... Read more

Reviews (34)

NO Lewis and Clark!
It's all about Chris Farley and Matthew Perry, not Lewis and Clark. They slapped funny people, watched a woman bathe and Farley cooked eggs over easy. It was splendid! Watch Matthew Perry gag after taking some medicine. Walking over coals is the best! "Almost Heroes," is Chris Farley's last movie and he will always be remembered for making a genius laugh. This movie which was directed by Christopher Guest, needs to be released on DVD. Any Farley fan will appreciate it. Purity.

If you are a Farly Fan You will Love this movie
What a great concept for a flick. Attempting to beat Lewis and Clark on their expedition to the Pacific Ocean. Being this is the 200th anniversary of that expedition made it a little interesting.

There are some very funny scenes indeed but Farly is Farly, yelling, getting angry, fighting and fussing. If you like that you will love this. My favorite scene is where he faces the Eagle at her nest. "Why didn't you tell me you only wanted the shell?" What a great one liner.

Perry is a little stiff as a character and is more of a straight man to Farly's funny man. My only problem with the movie is that there are too many places where it gets slow. Part of it is because you are in the wild and it was a slower time.

There are so many great one liners that seem to have too much time between them. The inuendos are a bit much especially at the beginning. The older Indians are just great. And the scenery, especially of the Tetons and the Snake River are outstanding.

If you want to have a fun night with mostly the guys this is okay for that. My wife did not like it. Anyone who knows and liked Farly for his antics and his in character concept, you will just think this is a hoot.

Intentional Stupidity
This was Chris Farley's last film. He ended on a high note. The movie is intentionally stupid--a hilarious GOOF--and directed by Christopher Guest (known for having directed "This is Spinal Tap"). They surely weren't pushing for an Oscar with this one - merely encouraging laughter. This is the story of Bartholomew Hunt (Chris Farley) and Leslie Edwards (Matthew Perry) who, in 1804, follow explorers Lewis and Clark, in hope of being the first men to see the Pacific Ocean. Along their journey they're sure to bring laughter to true fans of Farley's ways, and perhaps to fans of Mel Brooks' as well, as some of the comedy is similar to Brooks' humour in "Robin Hood - Men in Tights".
It is a real shame that this movie isn't available on DVD (yet?), because the presentation of it on VHS is awful. I quote the fine print on the back of the tape's case: "This film has been modified as follows from its original version: It has been formatted to fit your screen". The picture is zoomed in WAY too far, and the result looks distorted. In many shots heads are cropped, we sometimes see only approximately 75% of the face of the person who speaks, and at one point, where a sign reads "Welcome to Snakes Bend", we only see "elcome to Snakes Ben". I was hugely disappointed by the film's presentation, but surprised by the quality of comedy since this is not a much talked about movie.
Zero points to he who decided to crop the movie, and full points to whoever releases is on DVD (with OPTIONAL formatting).

"WHOS IDEA WAS THE CORN???"
that line gets me every time! farley, matt perry and eugene levy all give great comedic performances. this movie took about 2 or 3 viewings for me to really appreciate the style of humor, but the best comedies are usually like that. once you start listening to how ridiculous some of the dialogue is, you start to laugh from wondering how the actors kept a straight face for the scenes. one of the funniest movies of all time! maybe not as funny as tommy boy, but pretty close. i laugh to myself just thinking about some of the scenes as i type this. its a shame the world lost chris farley, but he went out with a great final movie.

A Guiltless Pleasure
Is this movie dumb? You bet! But I love it. The dumber "the better" I always say. Well sometimes. Farley and Perry play off each other quite well with their own styles of comedic humor in this interpretation of the Lewis and Clark exploration. But then so does the whole cast of zany characters in this whimsical historical tale. Some of the situations and lines of dialog are absolutely stupid, but they are just so funny in their own way. After I recently viewed this film again I just thought it was absolutely gut wrenching funny and worth the 5 stars. ... Read more

Reviews (92)

It's Very Good!
Anne of Avonlea, also called Anne of Green Gables the Sequel is a wonderful movie and just as good as the first movie! In this movie Anne leaves home to take a job teaching English to some snotty rich girls who give her a hard time but she soon wins them over and soon Morgan Harris the father of one of her students falls for Anne and courts her. The father played by Frank Converse is quite a bit older then Anne and my aunt kept rooting for him but having read the books and knowing who Anne's true love is I of course rooted for her beloved Gilbert. Megan Follows once again gave a wonderful performance as Anne and I highly recommend this movie and also the first movie. The only movie in this series that I was disappointed in was the third movie the Continuing story but the first two movies are very good! I could be wrong but I don't recall the character Morgan Harris being in the books and I think he may have been an added character to the movie. I do think that the actor playing him was quite handsome in a rugged sort of way but Jonathan Crombie who played Gilbert was cute too.

The movie was magnificent
Growing up as a child, I have watched this movie, with my grandmother, over and over again, along with Anne of Green Gables. Normally you can't find a sequel that lived up to the first movie, but this one broke that barrier. It lived up to every imagination that you came across in the first one. It made me laugh and cry time and time again. I recommend it to everyone. The acting was beautiful, along with the setting. The movies didn't follow the books to the tee but they were written perfectly all the same. I have watched these movies since i was little and now that I'm fifteen I'm finally going to buy them. I just got the books for Christmas last year. The third movie (Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story) just aired on PBS the last two weeks, and it was great too. It didn't follow the book at all, but i wouldn't have changed a thing. It's too bad that Colleen Dewhurst didn't live to be in the last one, she would have done a great performance. They were all great.

For anyone who loves to laugh, cry and be inspired these movies are definitely for you. (Young or Old)

An excellent sequel
If you like Anne of Green Gables you have to have the sequel. It is excellent.

Growing Up In Avonlea
I mainly have known this story to be Anne of Avonlea. I also might add I haven't the pleasure of reading L. M. Montgomery book series of Anne of Green Gables. But this has been one of the best sequels I have ever seen. The new additions to the cast is great. We still follow the life of Anne Shirley as she matures and intends on graduating college and becoming a teacher, and a writer. She also has to help with Green Gables now that Mathew is gone. Her friendship also blossom's with Gilbert B. however, she isn't ready to fall in love with him yet. As it becomes a hard decision she is comfortable with Marilla living with Rachel at Green Gables as she goes off to teach at a private girls school which is a new chapter and new adventures. She then becomes involved with a young girl Emmeline Harris and falls into a very close relationship with her father Morgan Harris. She makes the town fall in love with her despite them disliking new comer's to the town. However, she realizes that she is very much home sick and that she belongs back home in Green Gables and she also realizes that her and Gilbert belong together. Again it's always fantastic to see all of the actor's and characters return to this amazing sequel. There are a few characters very much missed, but remembered in this film. And all of the relationships between Anne and her friends grow stronger and stronger. The new additions are just as wonderful with the private school and the other characters of the new town. It really is a wonderful piece and a nice conclusion to this series. The DVD quality I guess some have complained about, but I don't see anything wrong with it. It has all of the same extra's, except in a new version with this sequel that the first DVD set had. Again I highly recommend this for any Anne fan.

DVD quality fine
I don't know whether Sullivan Entertainment remastered the DVD and re-released it as a two-sided disc (and thus I have a different version than the one reviewed below) or whether my eyes are different from those of that reviewer, but as I wrote in my review of the first "Anne of Green Gables," the encoding on my copy is just as good as the vast majority of DVD's out there, and better than many. I did notice some minor compression artifacts on this disc, but the negative reviewer below should watch "The Last Emperor" before s/he awards "worst DVD encoding ever" to this fine DVD of a wonderful film. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Missionaries travel to the Brazilian rain forest and make a mess of everything. What else is new? Actually, plenty in this dark but beautifully realized adaptation of Peter Matthiessen's well-regarded novel, directed by Hector Babenco. Aidan Quinn, Daryl Hannah, Kathy Bates, and John Lithgow play the Americans who travel to the Brazilian interior in an effort to do some good. But their definitions of good vary wildly; Bates and Lithgow are old-fashioned puritans who want to convert the heathens to Christianity and remove all traces of their own culture. Quinn and Hannah are more spiritually minded, hoping to make a connection and a cultural exchange with the Indians they encounter. In the end, they're all delusional, trapped in their own preconceptions. Downbeat but magical in its way, with sterling performances all around and amazing scenery, to say the least. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Finally!! A Movie For Adults!!
I have probably watched this movie 10 times and each time I see something I missed before. In this age of comic-book character drek movies,here's a story with characters and plot that makes you think. A movie for ADULTS!

The story concerns a group of missionaries en route to the jungle to ram their religion down the throats of the poor indians (Lithgow, Hanna, Quinn and Bates). Tom Berenger is an American half Indian who is hired to bomb the people he discovers is of his own race. He decides instead to parachute himself into the tribe, thereby being considered their God.

From here everything goes downhill. Bates and Quinn's son dies of a fever, Bates goes mad; Berenger's character has a sexual fling with Hanna who is unknown to everyone, carrying a virus
which would not kill anyone in a first world, but is catastrophic to the Indians when Berenger returns to infect everyone.

The aerial photography at the beginning was some of the most beautiful you'll ever see in any movie. The South American topography looks like the Grand Canyon, only covered in green, green, GREEN!! The characters are very fleshed out and deep. This is a movie that leaves you wondering what happened to them after the movie ends. Too bad garbage like "X-men", "Spiderman, "Incredible Hulk", ad nauseum get all the big box office. I'm sorry this one did not do well either. But, then, considering the mentality of humanity these days, I'm not surprised.

Berenger and Quinn make this film worth viewing
Ofcourse, Tom Berenger and Aidan Quinn have the only two fully developed characters in this script and they both did a tremendous job. Darryl Hannah's performance was also good, but would have been better had her character been explored more deeply. I was not impressed with the performances of Bates and Lithgow, however, despite being a fan of their other work. There were moments when I laughed because the acting was so over the top.
What is so sad about this film overall is that it really could have been great. It's a great story that needs to be told, but even the best actors can only do so much with a poor script.
I've read comments from others about the nudity being an issue in the film. That's just ridiculous and I had to comment on it because when I finally viewed the film, I didn't even notice the nudity. Naked body? We've all got one under our clothes. Get over it.
Two of the three stars are for Berenger and Quinn for doing such a great job. Without those two performances, this is a one star film.

Good.
'At Play in the Fields of the Lord' is a excellent movie about a failed attempt to "civilize" a group of native americans living in the Amazon. Check it out.

Fantastic missionary movie
At Play in the Fields of the Lord is a movie to have in your personal collection. It has stayed in my memory since my first viewing many years ago, and remains to date one of the best missionary movies ever made. Based on the book by the same name by Peter Mathiessen, author of In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, the film masterfully weaves the clash between Native peoples and the well meaning Christians who aim to convert them. Featuring stunning scenery, filmed entirely on location in Amazonia, and with an all-star cast, I can't recommend it highly enough. I also recommend Black Robe if you enjoy this movie.

Culture clash...
Here's a big book reduced to a three-hour film. I don't have a problem with that. The parts left out could make a whole 'nother film. The resulting film is quite profound and fascinating; Babenco got a big budget after his success with "Kiss of the Spider Woman", and made an epic which is unusually intimate