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"I foresee a glittering future for your daughter," the conspiratorial Duke of Northumberland insidiously whispers to the mother of Lady Jane Grey, the woman who would be England's queen, albeit for only nine days. The same could be said for Helena Bonham Carter, who, in her screen debut, carries this historical drama with aplomb. Jane, a principled and precocious 15-year-old (she reads Plato in Greek) was a pawn in a plot to maintain Protestant rule in the wake of young King Edward's death. A dashing Cary Elwes, anticipating his swashbuckling role in The Princess Bride, costars as Northumberland's feckless, wastrel son, Guilford, whose arranged marriage to Jane unexpectedly blossoms into love and rebellion. Anglophiles will bask in this impeccably mounted production (featuring Patrick Stewart as Jane's bullying father), but swooning teens, too, may embrace these young lovers as did the youths who made Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 Romeo & Juliet a box-office smash in its day. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Helena Bonham Carter is amazing in her film debut
As is noted elsewhere, there is some artistic license taken with the actual story of Lady Jane Grey. Most notably, Lady Jane and Guildford Dudley were not in love by any documents of the era, which renders the whole "love story" of this film invalid.

But as a simple period piece I really love this movie, and here's why:
1. Helena Bonham Carter gives a truly astonishing performance in her first movie. This film began a string of "period costume drama" performances for the actress that have since been surplanted with modern roles such as "Fight Club" and "Planet of the Apes". Her language - both spoken and simple gestures - are so expressive and she portrays a young woman who is well educated and full of passion.
2. The central conflict at the end of the film comes in her unwillingness to give up her religious beliefs. She is a protestant and her cousin, Queen Mary, is a staunch Catholic. Mary wants to make up for a lifetime of slights and abuses given to her Mother, Catherine of Aragon, whom Henry VIII divorced when Mary was unable to bear a male heir to Henry. The real Lady Jane was not only a protestant, but carried on correspondence with the great protestant minds of her day including John Calvin. It is not often that any popular form of entertainment is made depicting a person willing to die for their religious beliefs. I am not advocating protestantism, per se, only admiring this film's willingness to demonstrate a strong faith which doesn't involve religious fanaticism.
3. The real Guildford Dudley wasn't the love of Lady Jane, but Cary Elwes' performance here stands up well next to Bonham Carter's superlative one. I suspect this role may have led to his being cast in "The Princess Bride".

Pretty much no extras on this DVD, but this is a truly fine film (albeit historically misleading), and it's not one of those $30 DVD's either.

Fine movie about a very tragic young life
Helena Bonham Carter does a superb job portraying one of the most tragic characters in history, Lady Jane Grey, otherwise known as "the Nine Days Queen". Her soft innocence and vulnerability are convincing and heart rendering. You also get to see a very very young Cary Elwes providing a fine supporting role as her doomed husband and Patrick Stewart (way before his Star Trek days) giving an equally fine performance as her scheming father.

The story itself would make for a great Shakesparean tragedy if history hadn't written it first. I was quite moved at the cruel twists of fate that were handed out to this young girl. It is also a testament to the cruelty of parents to their children in sixteenth century England. This was commonplace at these times, even if one was of royal blood as Jane was.

The moving and historically accurate execution scene, in which the blindfolded Jane cannot find the block to rest her neck is quite heart wrenching. You want her to survive the circumstances that her family placed her in, and the wretchedness of her miserable upbringing. However, life is not a fairy tale, even for princesses; this is a profound example of the misery that many Tudor woman, including Elizabeth I, went through. I subtract one star for some of the historical inaccuracies, but overall it is a wonderful and moving film. It also makes you grateful that you did not live in those precarious times.

A historical tragedy turned into more of a fictional romance
One of the most interesting instances of genetic and gender in the history of Western Civilization is found with the death of King Edward VI of England at the age of 15 in 1553. Too young to leave heirs, his older half-sisters Mary and Elizabeth Tudor were both considered illegitimate because of the martial history of their father Henry VIII. Going through the Tudor family the only other potential claimants, Mary of Scotland and Lady Jane Grey, were also female. It seemed that God that determined that a woman would sit on the throne of England and the political question was who that woman would be. The one with the best claim was Mary Tudor, but she was a devout Catholic and the creation of the Anglican Church had created a religious schism in England that would turn ugly with her on the throne.

Lady Jane first became connected with the English crown as a potential mate for young Edward, who was more interested in Mary of Scotland or another foreign princess. Jane was supposedly betrothed to the duke of Somerset's son, Lord Hertford, but was then informed by her parents that she was to wed Guildford Dudley, the youngest son of the duke of Northumberland. Handsome and only one year her senior, Jane did not like him and refused the marriage until her mother literally beat her into submission. The couple were married in May of 1553 and lived apart, although the marriage was consummated the following month at the expressed command of Northumberland. Jane was then informed that she had been named Edward's heir three days before the king's death. Northumberland kept Edward's death a secret in order to stop Mary Tudor from claiming the crown and made a speech announcing Jane was the new queen. Forced to accept the title, Jane dismissed the idea that her husband would be made king. When Northumberland went forth with his army to meet that of Mary, who was marching on London, the royal council declared Mary queen and Jane's own father signed the declaration. On November 13 Jane and Guildford we tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Jane believed the Queen would pardon her, but the revolt against Mary by Sir Thomas Wyatt in February 1554 hardened her heart against her enemies. Within days Guildford was executed, with Jane being beheaded on February 11th.

None of this historical information consistutes a spoiler because anyone familiar with the kings and queens of England knows that there was never a Queen Jane and even those unfamiliar with the specifics of English history will be aware early on that this is going to be a tragic tale. Even so, the 1986 film "Lady Jane" from director Trevor Nunn would more properly be considered a historical romance, with the emphasis more on the romance than the history as the marriage between Jane (Helena Bonham Carter) and Guilford (Cary Elwes) is turned into a tragic love story. Jane is presented as an intellectual (you would like to see her and Elizabeth Tudor have a conversation), and given a sense of nobility in that she and her husband apparently intend to rule in their own names, not only because it will thwart the plans of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland (John Wood), but also because it is the right thing to do. In bed they tend to talk about their idealistic plans, such as not branding men or sending them into slavery because they are starving.

This new version of Lady Jane's marriage and her new found political ambitions work to add to the tragedy of her execution at the hands of Bloody Mary, even though her being an unwilling pawn in the machinations of some one else's power games makes her enough of a tragic figure. You have to appreciate the irony that these two privileged children of the British class system were idealistic friends of the common folk. The cast features the standard collection of British character actors, with Michael Hordern as Doctor Feckenham, Mary's teacher, Jane Lapotaire as Princess Mary, Joss Ackland as Sir John Bridges, and Sara Kestleman as Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk and Jane's mother. For me the low moment in the film is when Jane is betrayed by her father, especially since Patrick Stewart plays Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk. Of course, both Bonham Carter and Elwes have gone on to much better films, although I was surprised that she made this after "A Room With a View," one of those much better films. "Lady Jane" runs a bit long, especially given that Jane's "reign" only lasted nine days, and while the fictional romance has its moments I would hope that one day the bleak reality of what happened to this young girl becomes the subject of another film.

Undelivered
While Helena Carter is terrific in her role as Lady Jane (Queen Jane for 9 days), the movie as a whole falls short because it doesn't present the sequence of events convincingly. The build-up to Lady Jane's crowning moment is rather lame and a little confusing, and the nine days of her "reign" are not documented well. There's also too much of a love story, with her persistence in her faith more like a sideshow or afterthought. Overall it's still an enjoyable experience, if it does frustrate the viewer a little.

"Blue Lagoon" goes Renaissance
It's a shame that the interesting and relatively untapped story of Lady Jane got this sugary sweet treatment. It alternates between nubile pulp romance and engrossing costume drama. So when it's good, it's very good...and when it's corny, it's ridiculous (even the score is over the top). Excellent supporting cast. DVD offers no compelling special features...it would have been nice to have some extra Tudor treat in there! ... Read more

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Based on the novel by Anonymous (a.k.a. political reporter Joe Klein) and released when the Monica Lewinsky scandal was in full swing, Primary Colors may have been a case of too much, too soon for many moviegoers, who preferred the real-life Clinton crisis over the movie's thinly disguised "Clintonesque" comedy. The general public felt that the film was exploiting the president's indiscretions, and as a result one of the most critically acclaimed movies of 1998 was a box-office disappointment. But when considered apart from the Clinton scandals and judged on its own considerable merits, this superb comedy-drama provides an illuminating, insightful, and frequently hilarious look at the harsh realities of presidential politics. John Travolta stars as Jack Stanton, a presidential hopeful whose campaign is challenged by dual dilemmas: how to squelch a scandal involving the candidate's alleged sex with an underage girl, and how to handle information that could potentially ruin Stanton's opponent (superbly played by Larry Hagman). Stanton's wife (Emma Thompson) stands by her man despite awareness of his infidelities, but his loyal campaign planners (played by Billy Bob Thornton, Maura Tierney, and promising newcomer Adrian Lester) experience a crisis of conscience. So does one of the Stantons' oldest friends (Kathy Bates, in an Oscar-nominated role), whose sense of betrayal and lost idealism proves too much to bear. Masterfully adapted by director Mike Nichols and his former-comedy-partner-turned-screenwriter, Elaine May, Primary Colors plays like a sophisticated comedy with loads of memorable scenes and dialogue, but it sneaks up on you with devastating dramatic impact. Anchored by Travolta's superb performance (which is reminiscent of Clinton without being a cheap impersonation), the movie presents a story of great moral complexity and leaves viewers to contemplate their own reactions to the volatile and ethically complicated game of modern politics. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Be Not Deceived- This is a GREAT Film
Forget Bush and Gore! The more interesting race for the presidency took place in "Primary Colors," an all-around outstanding movie which sank into obscurity, unfortunately, thanks to the Lewinsky scandal. Yes, it's loosely based on the Clintons, but if you put that aside and just focus on the movie in its own right, it's not as hard of a pill to swallow.

To start, seasoned vets Nichols and May provide sharp direction and writing, respectively. Even though this movie is about politics (which, as all of us now know, can get pretty gruesome), they make it interesting and intriguing by going behind the scenes, showing the feelings and emotions of the people involved in a presidential campaign, feelings and emotions that don't come through in press conferences and interviews.

The vision of Nichols and May is turned into fine art by a superb cast. Travolta is surprisingly charismatic, and Emma Thompson deserves much more praise than she has received as his patient but driven wife. Billy Bob Thornton gives a hilarious supporting performance, and Larry Hagman also does a great job as Travolta's opponent who's unwillingly thrust into the spotlight (Rob Reiner also has a humerous cameo as the host of ... call-in radio show in Florida).

But the two stars that outshine the rest are Adrian Lester and Kathy Bates. Lester is absolute dynamite as the campaign manager who yearns for "the real thing," a candidate who actually practices what he preaches. His performance is dramatic and heartfelt. As great as his performance is, Bates is the unsung hero of the movie, and without question, deserved to win Best Supporting Actress (she was robbed by Judi Dench and her 5-minutes-of-fame in "Shakespeare in Love"). She is outrageously funny at times and humble and vulnerable at others, but always comes through with an endearing sincerity.

So, if you want to see an all-around great movie or, more specifically, if you've become disillusioned by the political process and the (so-called) leaders it has produced, there has never been a better time to watch "Primary Colors."

BITTERSWEET ENTERTAINMENT
The machinations of a presidential campaign in "Primary Colors" is presented through the eyes of Henry Burton (British actor Adrian Lester). Henry is a privileged young African American feldgling politician whose grandfather was a civil rights legend. While trying to find out who the candidate is, Henry is virtually kidnapped by the presidential campaign of an obscure Southern governor, Jack Stanton (played flawlessly by John Travolta). Stanton's politically savy, smart lawyer wife Susan (amazingly played by Emma Thompson) is often the brains of the campaign. The parody on Bill and Hillary Clinton is obvious.

Of course, the idealistic Henry and aging Stanton loyalist, Libby Holden (Kathy Bates who possibly hands in the film's best supporting performance) keep hoping that Jack and Susan are as good as they seem. Inevitably, the Stantons compromise everything to win the campaign and power, leaving without much integrity as the campaign progresses.

The movie is very funny and works as a Clinton parody without being offensive. Indeed, the magical collaboration between director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Elaine May produces a very clever and entertaining political melodrama. After three viewings, I'm not tired of this movie. At the end, I gained even more respect for the talents of Travolta, Thompson, Bates, Billy Bob Thornton et al.

This is a must see film.

the story of Bill
basically the story of the evilness of Bill Clinton America's worst president/murderer/rapist/womanizer/drug user/drug dealer/basically you name something that's a crime and he did it

a very good representation of the Clinton's evilness

Is It Real or Just Fiction?
I watched this film recently while reading Bill Clinton's book, "My Life," and after watching another DVD, "The War Room," and I have to say it's hard to tell if this "story" is fiction or a factual summary of Clinton's original run for the Presidency.

Regardless of the story behind the story this movie stands on its own as an excellent political film. John Travolta is fantastic (amazingly close to the real Clinton!) as Stanton the Southern candidate running for office. He leaves behind all hints of his normal sexiness and turns himself into a slick, conniving out of shape politican beant on winning his campaign. He pulls off this role with amazing ability as an actor, tearing up when necessary and showing anger without any brutality, he held it all in his eyes.

Kathy Bates plays a crazy campaign manager who tries to keep Stanton out of the dog house one too many times. She is brilliant in this role as a tough lesiban who succumbs to the reality of politics. She rants, she raves and she delivers great ethical speeches as her character attempts to right all of Stanton's wrongs (which are amazingly similar to Clinton's!).

I believe this film will open up a new level of awareness as to what actually occurs during a presidential campaign. An interesting film with a slow growing message and quite appropriate for political followers. I just wish Stanton/Clinton would finally show his TRUE colors!

"Wow" is the only phrase that comes to mind
When I first stumbled across a very very late night airing of Primary Colors on television, I was hesitant to sit back and enjoy the show. Political films just don't float my boat, since I find the actual politics somewhat uninteresting. However, within about forty-five seconds, I was hooked on this compelling comedy-drama. The story is superb, even though it isn't anything we haven't heard or joked about before. The acting is beyond superb, with every character given a voice and a story, so that you feel that nothing that is said or done is out of place. Although the comedic moments are great, what is really surprising is how, by the end of the film, you are deeply affected by the outcome of each character's story. And although the film is about politics, it is completely non-partisan and leaves the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions.

I feel that I cannot say enough good about Primary Colors. It is a surprisingly wonderful film that I would recommend to everyone. ... Read more

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Released in late 1999, The Bone Collector was originally promoted as a thriller in the tradition of The Silence of the Lambs and Seven, suggesting that it would earn a place among those earlier, better films. Nice try, but no cigar. The Bone Collector settles instead for mere competence and the modest rewards of a well-handled formula. With a terrific cast at his service, director Phillip Noyce (Dead Calm, Patriot Games) turns the pulpy indulgence of Jeffery Deaver's novel into a slick potboiler that is grisly fun only if you don't pick it apart.

Noyce expertly builds palpable tension around a series of gruesome murders that lead us into the darkest nooks of New York City. Now a bedridden quadriplegic prone to life-threatening seizures and suicidal depression, forensics detective Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) gets a new lease on life with a sharp young beat cop (Angelina Jolie) who's a wizard at analyzing crime scenes. She does field work while he deciphers clues from his high-tech Manhattan loft, and as they narrow the search their lives are increasingly endangered. As this formulaic plot grows moldy, Noyce resorts to narrative shortcuts, using perfunctory scenes to manipulate the viewer and taking morbid pleasure in his revelation of the murder scenes. And yet it all works, to a point, and the cast (including Queen Latifah and Luiz Guzmán) is much better than the material. If you're looking for a few good thrills, The Bone Collector is a pretty safe bet.--Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (181)

Unwilling Suspension of Disbelief
The Bone Collector is two movies in one; the good movie has some nice acting from Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, some creepy special effects, and a couple of really terrifying and suspenseful moments for the killer's victims. That's the movie you'll want to suspend your disbelief for--and that suspension would consist solely of accepting that this serial killer would leave clues to engage the police in a game of Cat and Mouse rather than just go directly for his real target. That fictional convention would have been enough, and had the premise that forensics will triumph been followed though, the film could have been truly excellent.

The other movie just asks too much; that a patrol cop who's never worked a crime scene would be the only policeperson allowed on a scene; that the scene of a crime would reveal only those clues intentionally left behind by the killer (isn't that the whole point of forensics, that you find out things the killer didn't intend you to discover?); and on and on. This second movie apparently takes place on that alternate Earth on the opposite side of the sun from ours, where the writing is all backwards and the superhero the Flash looks like the FTD florist's logo. When audience members find themselves thinking (or saying aloud) "That wouldn't happen!" over and over, there's something drastically wrong with the plot and the screenplay. It's certainly not a problem unique to the Bone Collector; in fact I'd venture to guess that plot implausibility is one of the leading cause of death for Hollywood's hit status, only capable of being overcome by the infusion of massive star power. Washington and Jolie, as attractive as they are, don't quite make it here. All in all, The Bone Collector is probably worth renting, probably not worth owning. I certainly wouldn't bother to see it again.

One of the best
I read over some of the other reviews putting this movie at an "average" rating, but I kinda disagree. First off, I think the director and producer put this movie together perfectly. In case you do not know about this movie, Ill start off by describing it a bit... The main theme lies in the thriller/mystery department, so if you like these kind of films, you will most definitely like this movie. The two main charactors in the movie are Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. Denzel plays a disabled Crime Scene Investigator and Angelina plays a rookie police officer who laters finds out her talent as a crime scene investigator. The setting of the story takes place in New York City (which is a perfect spot for this type of movie) and is cast in modern day life. Basically, the plot of the movie is about a phsyco murderer who, very strategically, plans killings by using his job as a taxi cab driver to kidnapp people. I dont want to get too in depth, but the good guys would be Denzel and Angelina and a few other police bureau workers who try to solve the mystery behind all the kidnappings and hopefully get to the crime scene in time to save innocent people. You might have preconcieved notions about this movie being kind of average, but what makes this movie stand out is its outstanding film features. By features I mean, great music and excellent effects (everything such as lighting, settings etc). If your going to watch it, here are some VERY recommended suggestions...

1. Make sure its dark- 50% of the movies general "effect" comes from the ambience in which you watch it. 2. Watch on a fairly large television with a fairly good sound system. - try to get the best TV and sound system to watch the movie otherwise dont even bother with the movie. 3. Must get it on DVD! - Dont watch the VHS version, I saw it and its horrible. Film quality is bad and it doesnt include all the extras which tell about the Bone collector. Sound is also improved on DVD version. Any way you look at it, you need to give the Bone Collector a try. Great movie for all.

A Chilling, Above Average Suspense Thriller
"The Bone Collector," based on Jeffrey Deaver's best-selling novel, is a gothic suspense thriller that takes the viewer below the streets of New York City, to places dark and chilling, where an evil serial killer does his dirty deeds. Creepy!!

Police detective Lincoln Rhyme, (Denzel Washington is wonderful in this role - but isn't he always?), is considered to be THE genius of forensic science. His books on the subject are mandatory study at the Police Academy. During an investigation, four years before, Rhyme was involved in a terrible on-the-job accident which left him a quadriplegic and bedridden. Attached to life sustaining machines, he is only able to move one finger and his head and neck. He is subject to seizures that threaten to leave him a vegetable. A very angry man, he is bored and, at times, suicidal. Still an official member of the force, his former colleagues visit him constantly and involve him in difficult cases. A new, troubling case forces them to seek his help, yet again.

Rookie cop, Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie), works with the city's troubled youth. By chance she discovers the half-buried body of a powerful New York City businessman, near a railroad track. She, almost intuitively, knows what to do to protect the forensic evidence. Sending a witness off to buy a disposable camera, she takes photos of the crime scene before a rainstorm can wash away the evidence. She then, single-handedly, stops a train to preserve valuable clues. Rhyme decides she has natural forensic talent and demands she be placed on the case. So she reluctantly joins his team. Donaghy does the leg work, connected by a headset to Rhyme, while he instructs her. The two puzzle over clues and work the case from his bedside. And the leg work is brutally grim. This killer, intelligent and demented, thinks up some awful ways to commit murder. The crime scenes are elaborately set-up and clues are purposefully left that would stump the most avid puzzle addict. The gruesome crimes remind me of those in the movie "Seven."

The mystery is intriguing and the forensic work absolutely fascinates. The chemistry between Rhyme and Donaghy is palpable. This is more than a student-mentor bond, although it takes them a while to get the relationship off the ground. He is cranky and imperious - she is just plain ornery. Amelia brings him to life again and he stops contemplating euthanasia. In turn, he brings new energy to Amelia's life and forces her to open up. Queen Latifa (as Rhyme's nurse) and Luis Guzman (as a fellow cop ands friend) are show stealers.

This is no "Silence of the Lambs," but it is good entertainment. The camera gives the ambiance a dark and brooding look and provides some interesting angles. Often predictable, there are still surprises and the growing closeness between the detective and the cop is very well done and subtle. Although "The Bone Collector" is not a "must see," it is certainly an exciting way to spend a rainy night.

Fractured Bones
Why does almost every film about a serial killer, made after Silence Of The Lambs, have to be compared to it? I can't think of one example where that turned out to be true. Despite the prescence of Denzel Washington and a usually surehanded director, behind the camera, The Bone Collector is just another predictable thriller, devoid of any real spark.

A murderer is loose on the streets of Manhattan. The killer leaves a trail of cryptic messages hidden at the scene of the crime. Clues which only a brilliant mind can interpret. Lincoln Rhyme (Washington) a gifted New York City detective specializing in forensics, was one of the the country's leading criminologists. Rhyme has a keen eye for details and a nose for clues. Following a near fatal injury in the line of duty, Rhyme is left bed-bound, his arms and legs useless, and with little will to live. Now as the city lives in fear, Rhyme is persuaded to help with the case. A rookie cop Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) is assigned to become Rhyme's eyes, ears and legs. The two must work together in order to get inside the mind of this madman and defeat him before the next victim falls.

Phillip Noyce, the man behind the intense Dead Calm, and actioners Patriot Games & Clear And Present Danger, certainly knows what he's doing. But as is the case with the thriller, the film rises and falls, with its script. Unfortunately, the screenplay, based on the book by Jeffery Deaver, adapted by Jeremy Iacone is pretty weak. The killer reveal and other twists and turns are easy to figure out. It's a shame that Washington makes almost no connection with Jolie. In one of her other thrillers, Taking Lives, she had similar troubles with Ethan Hawke---Do I sense a pattern here? What tension the film does have, is moot, thanks to the problems the movie has.

As far as the extras found on the DVD are concerned, most of it, comes across as fluffy filler. The audio commentary track from director Noyce is worth a listen, if only to get insight on directing in general. The "making of" spotlight on location is just a pre release bloated commercial for the film. The theatrical trailer, production notes, filmographies, and previews for other Universal products, top off the disc.

The Bone Collector is just for those Washington fans or when there's nothing else to watch

My opinion: Waste of time!
Shallow characters and a story with many holes. Judge for yourself, if you must...I want the time I wasted watching this BACK! ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A Lovely, Sad Movie...woefully misleading adverts
This is an excellent film, moving, sad, even tragic. It is NOT a "warm hearted comedy," as it says on the back of the DVD. And it certainly is not "hilarious". The blurb on the cover is quite possibly the most misleading I have ever come across. Despite that, it is a lovely film. It is a solid, serious British drama, with an excellent all round cast. The humour where present is decidedly low key. Its predominant mood is one of sadness and loss, there is warmth to be sure, but certainly not what is projected on the cover or in the trailer. One wonders why the publicists chose to so misrepresent such a fine film. Was it because they were worried its serious and even dark nature would put off the popcorn munchers? Perhaps it would have been better if they had. Then we wouldn't have been saddled with so many negative reviews from viewers who naturally felt short-changed. Then again, this is not a movie that American audiences would readily take to.

Set in 1947, it tells the story of a 16 year old girl, Stella (Georgina Cates), abandoned at birth by a wayward mother and brought up by her aunt and uncle, who aspires to join the Theatre. Into this milieu she willingly plunges herself. She encounters sordid seedy characters. She takes on menial tasks without pay. She embraces all with a gushing eager naivete. She falls for the stage director (Hugh Grant) who in her young innocence she doesn't realise actually has a preference for boys. She then latches on to an aging Lothario (Alan Rickman) who does appreciate young girls. In this darkness in which she finds herself, past and present intersect. The absent mother she faithfully places a call to everyday, the same mother who gave her away years ago, becomes the silent confidant of her hopes and fears. The aging Rickman character constantly pines for his own past even as he happily deflowers the young girl. The stage director's sordid history of seducing and then spurning young men finally comes to a head. All combine to create an air of loss and decay. A nice touch was the use of a lone flute playing "The Last Rose Of Summer" whenever the Rickman character thinks back to his lost love. If you know the song, it perfectly encapsulates the mood of this movie. And yes there is a twist at the end, but if you have been paying attention, it won't come as too much of a shock. Although the prudes and the self-righteous will as usual recoil in moral outrage.

New Line Entertainment has given us a fine if bare-bones DVD. The film is transferred in it's original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 (enhanced for widescreen TV). Picure quality is good, clean and clear with natural warm colors. Black levels are just right. Audio includes the original stereo plus both DTS and Dolby 5.1 remixes. Excellent presentation. There are even optional English subtitles for people who can't get round the British accents. Thank goodness not everybody makes sanitized, Hollywood dross.

Definitely worth a second look...and a third...and a fourth
I first saw An Awfully Big Adventure on TV at two o'clock in the morning.It made very little sense, and I couldn't understand about a third of what was being said, but the movie still, as another reviewer succinctly put it, "hijacked my consciousness."It was subtle, honest, unforgiving, amazingly well-acted, and a lot of other good things that I can't find the words for right now.

I recently purchased a copy of the video, and realize now that while it loses nothing upon further viewing, An Awfully Big Adventure benefits greatly from a second watching.The dialogue becomes clearer the more you listen to it and the nuances of the characters and the story become more pronounced.Even though my first reaction to the film was favorable, I still think that one cannot judge this movie fairly after only seeing it once (although if you enjoyed it the first time, you probably will again).I have a feeling that nearly all of the reviews here are by first-time watchers, and while you shouldn't entirely discredit their remarks, keep in mind that, like most complex movies, An Awfully Big Adventure only gets better the more you watch it.

I also feel that it cannot be stressed enough that this is not a happy, uplifting movie."Disturbing" is a word used often to describe it, but the word that comes to my mind is "uncomfortable."There's really nothing at the end of the film to redeem all of the sadness, as is common in most movies.Thus, if you don't like to watch depressing movies, DON'T WATCH AN AWFULLY BIG ADVENTURE.And if you're an Alan Rickman or Hugh Grant fan (both of whom are great) and insist upon seeing it, don't write a review that discourages others from watching it just because it was too dark for your tastes.

*I haven't read the novel of the same title by Beryl Bainbridge, but I've heard that it helps to clarify the confusing points in the movie, besides being a good book.Just a thought...

Great film...highly inaccurate synopsis
First and foremost, I want to state that this is NOT a comedy.The summary on the back of the box, describing it as "hilarious," "warmhearted," and so forth, reads as though it was written by somebody who never saw the movie.It is about as much of a comedy as Hamlet is a go-kart race.

That said, it is a super film.Set in 1947, the story centers on sixteen-year-old Stella Bradshaw, who has lost her mother in the war and lives with her aunt and uncle.Stella joins an amateur theatre company and falls instantly in love with the company's slimeball of a director, Meredith Potter.It doesn't take long for her to be lured into the milieu's seedy underbelly, and eventually she has her first (and second and third...) sexual encounter with P.L. O'Hara, star of the company's production of "Peter Pan".

The end of the movie will certainly be found disturbing and/or sad by most (hence my omission of the fifth star in rating the movie), but it's still worth watching - most likely more than once, so you can start to fill in the details you might have missed before.(There's a whole lot of information packed into this plot, and it's very easy to let stuff slip by!)

The cast, of course, is wonderful.Georgina Cates is well cast as Stella, and very pretty too.Her characterization of the shy, unsure-of-herself girl is engaging and well thought out.(She looks about twelve until a scene where we see her topless.Then the illusion is pretty much shattered.) Alan Rickman, as P.L. O'Hara, is great as usual.The big surprise here for me was Hugh Grant's performance as Meredith Potter.He is actually playing a character here - and a nasty one at that.That alone is worth watching the movie!The supporting cast is terrific as well.It was fun to see such first-rate actors bringing such life to such teeny roles (for example, Edward Petherbridge, who has all of approximately fifteen seconds onscreen).

To sum up, An Awfully Big Adventure - though certainly disturbing in places - is an awfully good film.

Awfully difficult to describe this movie adventure
This is another in a long line of films I have viewed solely to enjoy Alan Rickman's performance, and what a performance; but more about that later.

Having read all the Amazon reviewers' comments and a multitude of professional critics' articles I was still unable to get a sense of this film.The plot was somewhat clear, some reviewers having given away the ending (shame on them and what a shame), but the true atmosphere of the film still eluded me.Frankly, I couldn't convince myself this was a film I would enjoy.Having now viewed this unusual but very interesting film, I find that nothing prepared me for what it truly was about and what it had to offer as real entertainment.

Lest I reveal more of the plot than I intend, I will instead stick mostly to my point and say that Alan Rickman is an actor of absolutely unbelievable talent.I say this after every film; he selects the widest range of roles of any actor, and he never gives a less than perfect + performance.His Captain Hook and O'Hara are sublime characters.He looks fantastic in both roles, of course. Again we get to see him dance, not the tango this time, but variety is the spice of his work.The love scenes, and I feel comfortable identifying them as 'love', because his character displays a sense of love despite his shallow nature; and also exhibits a desperate need for love that would be difficult to believe in this particular character if it were portrayed by a lesser actor.His comic reactions have perfect timing and his emotional reactions display feelings that overwhelm and pale the efforts of every other character in the film.This is a considerable feat because this film offers an usual, but solid, performance by Hugh Grant; a side of his talent I had not previously seen and which proved very intriguing.Georgina Cates as Stella, the naive young girl struggling to find both herself and her past, is flawless.She wears her feelings as open as a book on her sweet young face and states her thoughts as directly (and comically) as any adolescent innocent would.Apparently it is like learning the ukulele.

This film is not a comedy; if it were not British, there probably would have been no humor at all.The British it seems have a way of inserting their own manner of dry wit and humor into the most serious of situations without ever losing their direction.Perhaps I have been viewing too many English films of late; as I had no trouble with the accents and understood every word clearly.

There are other reviewers here who have certainly bested my efforts at describing Rickman's attraction in this film, as I think unfortunately my statements certainly fail to do justice to the work he does in 'An Awfully Big Adventure'.I continue to owe him thanks for the unusual scope of entertainment genres I have explored just because I am so awed by his abilities and do not want to miss of minute of an opportunity to watch him work.Others also have provided more of the plot and I too have fallen short of explaining the true nature of the film.All I am left to hope for is that I canencourage any fans of Rickman's or movie-lovers who enjoy the unusual, and who have not yet viewed this film, to get themselves a copy of this rare video and see just what the 'awfully big adventure' is truly all about.I think you will be awfully glad you did.

Tragedy or comedy? Fine actors, at least...
Ok, I wouldn't have wathed it, if it didn't have Alan Rickman. One sees his acting so little, Harry Potter -movies really are a waste of time for people like me, who appreciate the fine adult actors in them - and see them only briefly.

Again Alan Rickman has a difficult part and comes in late in the movie. But what the heck: the movie isn't bad. And Hugh Grant can be really sleezy! I can't tell how much I enjoyed his sexually vague, self-centered director. And Georgina Cates is really wonderful. She is the one that makes this a comedy. Stella (Cates) is so determined to become a real actress, that she hangs on every word the director says and writes down his pseudo-artistic ponderings - which he himself doesn't believe after he's said them. She worships even his nicotine-stained fingers, starts wearing a hidden cross after hearing all in the theatre are catholics - she is a protestant - and fakes a venerial disease, because everyone seems to have sex with everything that moves - except her. So she decides to get rid of her virginity as soon as possible.

Rickman enters in a scene that seems to be designed for someone like him, who can hold your attention without speaking or doing anything, just looking. He walks through the theatre, people come and talk to him, say things to him... He hardly stops or opens his mouth. The director isn't happy to have him back, but everyone agrees, that no one can play Captain Hook like he can, so he is invited to join the cast. Again: Captain Hook: who else? Rickman is the villain we love. And the glimpses of Hook are really delicious. It made me again think, how people send different messages, even professional actors playing the same part. When Grant does the Hook, the children are sitting silently, filled with suspence, even fear, whereas Rickman's Hook makes them laugh out loud. Of course it's been directed that way, but it has some truth in it.

I would also like to mention Alun Armstrong, uncle Vernon, who is always good, in this movie also.

And then... In case you haven't read other reviews: this is not an easy film to watch, even though it's at times very funny. Even though Stella almost demands Rickman's character to take her, it isn't always comfortable to watch their relationship. Even though Cates turns out some comedy in it and some kind of real love seems to be budding between them. And the end is tragic, though it didn't come to me as a big surprise after Rickman said - first seeing Cates -: "I know her." So I was pretty much aware of the real tragedy, but was still touched by the unnecessarily sad solution.

This isn't a feel-good movie. But it's a damn good one and I do like stories that unfold slowly to let you know bit by bit how things really are and where you thought wrong. But no, this really isn't easy. I suppose I should have expected it. When does Rickman play easy parts? ... Read more

Reviews (123)

Not Bad...and leave Vincent alone!
Ok, so the dialogue isnt the greatest, the acting is a little stiff, and sometimes you can see the strings holding up Vincent and his Texan counterpart, but this is one of those movies that shouldnt be taken seriously anyway! Speaking of Vincent, quit picking on him! I thought he was cool, a lot less annoying of a kid's immick than Jar-Jar! (if maybe a tinge too philosophical...) Even into the new millenium I think most of the FX and set designs hold up very nicely to today's movies (the black hole itself and the meteor are still stunning). This is really more of a kid's sci-fi movie, and truthfully it made me feel like one again watching it! Mix together Lost In Space (for storyline and characters) , 2001 (for visuals) , and Star Wars (set/costume design) and you get the Black Hole. Also worth watching to see Norman Bates and Ernest Borgnyne as astronauts! Dont take this movie too seriously and you'll love it...trust me! DVD version picture was nice and crisp, sound was as good it probably was in its day, but a la cheap-o Disney, don't expect any worthwhile extras (like all their other dvd's). I think this movie was more enjoyable and better than the Phantom Menace...honestly!

My Guiltiest Of Pleasures
People would kill me if they read what I'm writing about "The Black Hole". However that's the way I feel about it. This movie was a flop at the box office and most critics weren't so gentle with it. But I really enjoyed this campy sci-fi flick from the Walt Disney Studios for many reasons:
1. I was overwhelmed by the teaser trailer (too bad it's not included on this DVD) where the green grid is moving all over the screen, ending with the Black Hole logo swifting and twisting in black. Awesome!!
2. The black and yellow logo in some of the posters, the one shown on the DVD case.
3. The U.S.S. Cygnus. WOW!!! What a beautiful ship.
4. The robots. Maximillian truly looks menacing. And V.I.N.CENT and Old B.O.B.; the cutest robots since "Star Wars"'s R2-D2.
5. The cast of outstanding performers: Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine, and Roddy McDowell as the voice of V.I.N.CENT.
6. John Barry's majestic score.
7. The final scene, inside the black hole. Those images. Those visual effects. John Barry's music.

This movie might have had some flaws at describing a space version of "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea", but this is my most cherished guilty pleasure of all time.

A forgotten, gothic sci fi epic from the 1970s
OK let's get the bad things about the Black Hole out of the way first of all. Some of the dialogue is unbelievably naff. It has an overtly judgemental morality which runs throughout the film from start to finish. Very occasionally the SFX slip, and you see wires holding up robots etc. Some of the scenes are cloying, particularly involving the antics of the overly cute, heroic robots... Also the makers would have done better to remember what effect the vacuum of Space would have on people NOT wearing spacesuits...

Put all that aside though and you are left with a minor sci fi masterpiece. Atmospherically the film is an outright winner - it is just so gothic, from its' sets, robots, and cowled and hooded undead crew. It also boasts one of the very best musical scores by John Barry. Visually it is stunning, Space has seldom looked this good. The blue/black background of space with its' dense clusters of stars looks as good as it did on the day that it was released. Unlike Star Wars and its' visibly dated mattes, this film has more than withstood the test of time.
The film's visual pinnacle though is the giant space ship Cygnus.
A cross between Brighton Pier and The Eiffel Tower, this gothic behemoth is like no other. The scene where its' lights are switched on suddenly and unexpectedly, is one of awe and beauty.
The exploration of the ship, culminating in the arrival in the control tower is stunning. Ditto the firing up of the ship's Frankenstein Lab like reactors and huge engines for its' final journey to the Black Hole. Even in its' death throes, this huge vessel retains a sad dignity.
Acting honours go to Maximilian Schell as an intergalactic Captain Nemo. Ernest Borgnine, Anthony Perkins, Yvette Mimeux, and Robert Forster all provide very able support though.
The blood red robot Maximilian (I wonder how that name was arrived at...) is an inspired creation, and has a temperament to match its' colour scheme...

The dvd is great, picture and sound are both superb. Playing the film in 5.1 Dolby Digital on your home cinema is something else, especially when your memory of the film in the cinema is in mono. All sound channels are free of distortion and nicely separated. Both Surround channels in particular are superb.
Get this dvd if you can (it is due to be re released anyway) and add one of sci fi's most underrated films to your collection.

Worst Sci-Fi film ever!
How can anyone claim this film has any redeeming value? There are so many problems with it that it would be impossible to enumerate in less than a 1,000 words!

The ending is utterly unbelievable and contains Christian symbolism evoking the Dark Ages! Ewwwwww! I'm scared!!

Disney is about to release this film themselves in August, 2004. Two things: it should definitely be an anamorphic transfer in order to attain much better picture quality than this release and it should have the symbols of "hell" etc. edited out!

all right, let's get this straight:
Okay, people, let us please understand something. The Black Hole started production before Star Wars was released. It was not a Star Wars rip off or something that was rushed out to capitalize on the Lucas craze. It's a completely different film. It has lots of problems, obviously, but you know what? It's *still* better than the Star Wars films. I'll let you figure out why. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

humorous redemption
GOIN'SOUTH is a funny movie about a humorous redemption. Jack Nicholson is the redeemee and lovely Mary Steenburgen is the redeemor. Jack, the low-life criminal, finds that marriage with obedience to Mary is the price he has to pay for going straight. Mary finds that the price of getting cheap gold miner labor through marriage to Jack includes all of the vows, conjugal and otherwise. They actually strike gold and GREED enters into the plot. Greed is a dandy comedy catalyst. The writers gave this movie excellent dialogue. Casting was terrific. What can telegraph a better joke than Nicholson's devilish leer? Mary Steenburgen fit the role of a prim, greedy reformer to a Tee. Even the cover on the box sets the comedy mood of this film with Jack's leering face framed by a noose, saying if I may, "Hey! This is going to be a funny, funny, movie."

A DEFINITE LAUGHER
This was the first incarnaction of Jack reading the phone book: You don't care what's being said because Jack's saying it. GOIN' SOUTH is so pointless it can't help but be funny. The scene where Jack devours the boiled chicken is hysterical (then dead panning to Mary Steenburgen, "How about a little DE-sert?"). I wonder how much of this film was off the script and how much was improved. GOIN' SOUTH isn't ground breaking comedy, but it is a definite laugher.

Give me more
Jack rocked this. He played his part perfectly. I laughed myself silly watching this movie. It was predictable but hell we all like a movie that touches home base every once in a while don't we. If you rent this movie you will probably want to buy it so just buy it first and watch it with style. A clear picture is worth an extra few bucks. VHS is fading away in front of your eyes.

Goin' South
I have watched this movie many times and never get tired of it. I have shown it to many of my friends and they all enjoy it. Jack Nicholson cracks me up every time. No-one could carry this part off as well. Watch this movie and be entertained as you want to be.

Missing some scenes and lines.
My wife and I both agree that the DVD seemed to be missing some scenes and lines, particularly "We don't need no stinkin' batches" by Belushi. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Some new reasons to watch
I saw 'Heartburn' for the first time in a long time last night on HBO. The movie itself - well, time has naturally disassociated it somewhat with the book, so my disappointment at the bleached-out film version of Ephron's tale (WASP-ified, cooking elements in very deep background) has faded away.

Now, the story stands on its own, especially thanks to Streep's strong performance & the excellent Carly Simon music (especially the "Itsy-Bitsy Spider" tie-in). The last 15 minutes or so - really great stuff. The 'key lime pie in the face' scene continues to be a perfect cinematic moment.

But here are three new reasons to watch -

- "Hey, it's Kevin Spacey!" What a surprise to see him in what had to have been one of his first screen roles.

- Eastern Airlines shots. That brings back a lot of memories for anyone who took the Shuttle on a regular basis.

- Processing Meryl Streep's credit card *on the plane* with a old card imprinter. Wow! How times have changed.

So Thrash!
This movie is one of the most phenomenal pitures I have ever seen! It is highly ignored and often looked over, which I have never understood. My confusion is due mostly in part to genius performances by both Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep. The writing and acting are superb.
Heartburn must come out on DVD.

Fairly brilliant
Mike Nichols defied all odds by presenting two of the most unlikable lead characters (insecure whiner and philandering cad)in movie history and yet still created a wonderfully sharp and sad look at a doomed relationship. This is great stuff with strong turns by Streep and Nicholson and a screamingly funny Catherine O'Hara in a small role. Those early negative reviewers completely missed the point of this one. Alas, Ephron's biting touches here softened considerably with each of her successive films.

Heartburn or Men..beware ! Most women only want to breed !
This movie made me sick to my stomach. Here we have a woman like Nora Ephron, a woman with professional job skills and talent and when she marries, she turns into a needy, desperate women whom evidently believes her own self-worth is determined by having babies, one after another. I ususally love all of Meryl's movies, but I could not stand seeing her turn into a needy, always pregnant "homemaker". If I were a man, I would have run awary screaming, too.

It's coming to DVD July 6th!!
Isn't that just the greatest news...it was one of my favorites. ... Read more

Reviews (146)

The feel-good movie of the year for women.
The "Mona Lisa Smile", directed by Mike Newell, is a story about women in society during the 1950s, when they were expected to become educated and then get married and become a mother.

PLOT SUMMARY: Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) portrays a single woman in the 1950s who, freshly graduated from graduate school, gets a job working as an Art History professor at the exclusive Wellesley College for women in Massachusetts. Katherine is shocked when she learns her students have already fulfilled the requirements in their syllabuses by the very first class, and decides to stray against the rules by showing the girls modern art and teaching them that they have a choice in life besides becoming a housewife and mother. Katherine shares a special bond with her students, though a few students really stand out. Betty Warren (Kirsten Dunst) is a "proper young lady" who quickly gets married because her family wants her to and soon learns about marriage the hard way--she becomes rebellious towards Katherine's teachings in the meantime; Joan Brandwyn (Julia Stiles) is a bright and intelligent girl who gets into Yale Law School but must make a choice when she falls in love with a man; and then there's Giselle Levy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who is kind of like Katherine herself, except Giselle is a "player" and likes to fool around with guys...especially men who are a lot older than her. Through these students, Katherine learns about herself and life as she goes against school board rules.

MY OVERALL THOUGHTS: The film was a bit feminist in my opinion, but since I'm a bit of a feminist myself, this only made me enjoy the "Mona Lisa Smile" even more. The acting, of course, was spectacular. I was quite surprised by the acting of the younger cast, though I always knew how talented these young women were and expected nothing less from them. Julia Roberts is as good as ever...she never fails to impress me. The storyline was wonderful and so was the dialogue and overall message of the story. The directing, costumes, settings, etc. were all brilliant. If you are a feminist and like feel-good movies, then you will certainly enjoy the "Mona Lisa Smile".

I highly recommend the "Mona Lisa Smile".

100/100
A+

Empowering
This was an empowering film to me. I loved how Julia Roberts' character, Katherine Watson, challenged these women into different ways of thinking. She helped them all to see what potential they have and that they didn't have to fit a binary of a woman in the 50s. Watson challenged every idea that these women were brought up with: the ideas that a woman's role was to serve her husband and keep house and home. Watson was a teacher ahead of her time and the fact that Julia Roberts played her character allowed Watson to come alive for me. This film was excellent and very well done.

Entertaining but Cliched Plot
I love Julia Roberts' glowing smile and infectious laugh, but this movie is just another cliché of the inspirational teacher. This time, it's not inner-city gang members, but privileged college girls at Wellesley who are motivated by a special teacher. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending, in which Julia Roberts' character admits that marrying and raising a family might not be evil incarnate after all.

a masterpiece...
I was very pleased with how this movie turned out (except the whole Bill situation could have been taken out. it didn't really match her ideals really..). When I saw previews for it, I knew at once I wanted to see it but was afraid Hollywood would ruin it. On the contrary, I was very moved.

I was really impressed how they addressed what is expected from all women, but also how all women are DIFFERENT. On one hand, there is Katherine Watson who believes women should not simply get married and have children, that there is "more to life" than motherhood. On the other hand, there is the university and most of its faculty and students who believe the opposite. And then there are the very few (or maybe one) in between who believe in possibilities... Though the character Katherine Watson has a noble agenda to change the rigid motherly ideals of the school, she has simply fled to the opposite extreme with rigid academic ideals.

Though this movie takes place in the 1950's, these themes are NOT irrelevent. Take it from a college girl herself (and many of my friends) - many of these expectations and pressures still exist in different forms. Replace Katherine with your high school, your peers, and your parents, and replace the Wellesley of the 1950s with your grandmothers, your aunts, your friends and you have MY life with a seemingly opposite but very similar struggle.

Therefore, I give this movie 5 stars. It realistically depicts the struggle that can still be seen in many women's lives today, but does not provide a cop-out answer for the masses. Like the analogy in the film of the paint-by-number sets, women are not cookie cutter shapes!

All the actresses in this movie did a wonderful job. Julia Stiles, Julia Roberts, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and more.. I was easily able to relate to these characters, and their development is exceptionally interesting. This film holds much significance to those of us women who have lived it out in one way or another.

another teacher-as-messiah film
**1/2 In the wheezingly old-fashioned "Mona Lisa Smile," Julia Roberts joins the ranks of Robert Donat, Glenn Ford, Sidney Poitier, Sandy Dennis, Robin Williams, Edward James Olmos, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline, all of whom have played inexperienced teachers who manage to win over and inspire their initially recalcitrant students. It matters not whether these pupils are hardened inner city gang types or snooty prep school geniuses, the arc of the story is always the same. The teacher, armed with a sense of optimism and a zeal to "make a difference" in the students' lives, arrives at the institution nervous and unsure of whether she is really up to the challenge (or "he" in the case of many of these films). After a predictably disastrous start, in which the students belittle her idealism and efforts and attempt to take advantage of her inexperience, the teacher invariably throws out the standard, stuffy, boring curriculum and finds a way to make learning relevant, fun and engaging. This, of course, makes her the most popular teacher at the school, but also a threat to the ossified educational establishment, which throws up endless roadblocks in an effort to keep this know-it-all upstart from upsetting the applecart. Undeterred, the teacher manages to get down to the students' level, rapping with them as if she were one of their own, helping to solve their problems and inspiring them to take their rightful place in society as freethinking, morally upstanding individuals. Then comes the inevitable moment when the teacher must decide, midway through the term, whether or not she will be returning for the next semester, with the student who gave the teacher the most trouble at the start pleading with her to stay on and work her magic for generations of students to come. All of this invariably culminates in a tear-soaked finale wherein all the students gather in worshipful adoration of this almost godlike embodiment of Learning. A number of the movies that have utilized this storyline have been quite good, actually, but "Mona Lisa Smile" is not one of them. By bringing nothing particularly new to the formula, the film can't help feeling derivative and clichéd. Where is Miss Jean Brodie when we really need her?

"Mona Lisa Smile" begins in 1953 with Katherine Anne Watson's arrival as an art history instructor at Wellesley College. The school, as it turns out, is a haven for elite snobs - and its educational philosophy of rote, tradition-bound learning shows that the school is more concerned with turning the girls into dutiful, supportive wives and mothers than freethinking career women (the only classes we ever see the girls attending are art history, Italian, table setting and synchronized swimming, not exactly a rigorous course of study for a bunch of young ladies we are led to believe graduate with some pretty impressive degrees). Enter Katherine Anne, fresh from a state school in "liberal" California, who clearly does not buy into the false value system she finds here. After some initial resistance on the part of the girls and the powers-that-be at the institution, Katherine begins, slowly but surely, to win people over to her modernistic, iconoclastic way of thinking.

As a social document, "Mona Lisa Smile" is yet another film dedicated to exposing the "Stepford Wife" mentality of the conformist 1950's. The problem is that "Far From Heaven" did a much better job of that two years ago. In that film, the main character experienced a gradual awakening as to both her value as an individual and the societal prison in which she lived. During the course of the film, we grew along with her. Katherine, on the other hand, feels like a 21st Century woman transported magically to the 1950's. Not that there weren't such forward-looking women at the time, of course, but it's not very illuminating watching a person, spouting ideas no one in the audience could possibly disagree with, bringing knowledge and enlightenment to the ignorant masses. The acting is good but the characters are all either shallow stereotypes or straw men designed for Katherine to knock down easily. Ironically, the film is every bit as conventional as the conformity it's railing against.

Now that Ms. Roberts has gotten the Messianic Teacher Syndrome out of her system, perhaps she can move on to bigger and better things. This particular hole in her resume has at last been filled. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Uma Thurman is painful to watch in Hysterical Blindness--and that's a compliment. Thurman completely gives herself over to her trashy character, a pathetically self-deluding good-time girl who hangs out in a tavern in Bayonne, New Jersey, circa 1987. She occupies the bar stool next to her best bud (a dead-on Juliette Lewis), willing herself to believe that an obviously indifferent pick-up is Mr. Right. Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) directed this familiar but nicely-rendered HBO production; her visual style, full of obscured sightlines and opaque glass, emphasizes the heroine's inability to see clearly. Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara, as Thurman's mom and her gentleman suitor, add an echo of Cassavetes realism. But it's Thurman's tour de force, capturing the kind of lost soul whose idea of first-date chat is to break an awkward silence by boasting about her best sexual skill. She will make you cringe. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (10)

great performances
5 stars just because the performances in this movie are so good. Uma Thurman especially. She plays it soooo well. Juliette Lewis has a boring part but still she makes it look interesting. The mother character (whoops whats her name?) Is really good too. The story is of two women trying to find love in bars in New Jersey, set in the 80s. Uma is really screwed in the head and has a habit of hurting those who care about her. Shes really high strung. Juliette Lewis is her sweet friend. Uma lives with her mother (?) Who is also sweet and sensible.

BRILLIANT...
This movie was unsettling and hard to watch...I mean that in the best way. Uma Thurman in particular was so pathetic, so clueless and vulnerable....just desperate for acceptance...it was hearbreaking. Watching her character feign happiness and mold herself and her ideals to whatever man happened to be paying attention to her at the moment had me riveted. I have never been so impressed with Uma Thurman...FABULOUS STORY...watch it.

A Major Bummer
Hysterical Blindness centers around three New Jersey women's search for love. Deb Miller (Uma Thurman) has major insecurity issues because her father abandoned her and her mother when she was thirteen, which made her really needy, neurotic and loose. Beth (Julliette Lewis) is a high school dropout and became an unwed mother at sixteen. Deb and Beth hang out at Ollies Bar, a seedy meat market where the guys are only out for one thing. They foolishly think that the man of their dreams with walk through its door. Beth's daughter Amber is more adult that she is and clearly the kid cramps her style. Deb's mother Virginia (Gena Rowlands), a waitress at Skyways Restaurant, finally finds love with Nick Piccolo (Ben Gazzara) only to loose it when Nick dies of a heart attack.

Director Mira Nair claims that this movie was a dark comedy however I found nothing comedic about it though it certainly was dark and very depressing. It ends with no real climax the characters just go with their lives as before. The best part of the movie was the romance between Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara. I think the actors did a good job in their roles but the director just didn't come across with the story. If you must, rent it don't buy it!

Quiet Desperation.....
The performances in this movie are brilliant, but, it also gave me the creeps. I say this because it was so dead-on accurate in portraying the neighborhood I grew up in, and, the lives of "quiet desperation" that many there lived. At the time in which this movie takes place, I was working in a factory in upstate New York. The mentality displayed in this picture, of "you're born, ya work, ya party...." is how most of the people I was around at that time unquestioningly and comformingly lived their lives. I am not crazy about most actors today, but, Uma Thurman and Juliette Lewis have always been two of the few exceptions. In this made for HBO film, they immerse themselves so totally in their co-dependant characters that there is not a sign of a *star*, nor that they are performing...they simply "are" the two lost, searching souls with nowhere to go, and no way to get there if they did. The '80's were such a tacky decade, and these girls have it all "down". Watching them flounder, knowing that they want more out of life than their circumstances have thus far allowed, but not having a clue as to how to begin change, is painful to behold. As are their sad attempts at intimacy and self validation with disinterested men who want nothing more than quick sex. Watching Uma Thurman almost beg a creepy, cavalier one night stand who's just using her to "talk to me..." is heartbreaking. When she asks the bartender "what's wrong with me?", it is not a casual comment, but, a cry from the depths. Gena Rowlands is wonderful also as Thurman's waitress mom, who probably was an early training ground for her daughters bad habits, and lack of self esteem. These are not bad people, but, they want desperately to connect, and just don't know how. Also watching Thurman's character, after another night of rejection, crawl into bed with her mother in a desperate and pained reaching out for unconditional comfort, is a very emotional moment. This movie is about depressing lives, but, is ultimately hopeful, and shows that change, growth, and possibilities can sometimes begin with something as simple as a new living room set. And, the slow realization that, while we're all vulnerable, true happiness begins from within, and, with knowing thyself. I happened upon this movie by chance, and it surprisingly and completely cast its spell on me. A wonderful character study, made into something very special because of the portrayals of Uma Thurman and Juliette Lewis. Watching actors like this is almost an honor. If this sounds like a too extravagant appraisal, it is also because it is so rare. A wonderful experience.

Just great
If you grew up in the 80s and want a little nostalgia this movie is it.The girls in this story makes you feel ashmed to be watching them they are so out of touch with anybody else in this world.We all know people like this and wonder how they keep existing.The acting is excellant.The story gets a little slow at times but you won't be able to stop watching. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Well, I guess it's better than 10-200
After the phenomenal success of Smokey and the Bandit, a sequel was inevitable. The whole crew returned and the budget was increased. Everything looked great. Unfortunately, the script capitalizes on the wrong elements of its predecessor. This film is mired in a ridiculous ploy where the Bandit can't succeed because he is caught up in his own fame. Whatever.

The first film, a masterpiece in comparison, showed the Bandit as surprisingly famous in trucker circles and it found a lot of humor in showing that. But now, everyone in the world knows the bandit... They sell posters... He tried to sell a record... Even Terry Bradshaw and Mean Joe Greene of the Pittsburgh Steelers know him. It changes the films tone to be more like the CANNONBALL RUN films that would come out the following year.

Shockingly, the late Jackie Gleason, who was brilliant in the first film, takes a beating in this film, recycling Buford T Justice's dialogue from the first film ad nauseum. And his useless double appearance as Buford's twin but oh-so-different brothers is nothing short of embarrassing.

The stunt work in the film is certainly bigger than in the first film, but it has a much more evident comedic flair. Cars fly through the air for no apparent reason. And dented and destroyed cars are miraculously resurrected between scenes. All of this is again more like CANNONBALL RUN then the first film.

The one saving grace to the film is the funny characterization put in by Dom DeLuise. He is an abducted Italian doctor baby-sitting a pregnant elephant. (Oh yeah, that's the 'plot')

To be fair, I enjoyed this film when I was younger. It just didn't offer me anything as an adult. So it may still catch your fancy. It even avoids using Jerry Reed music to back up the film.

This film did not deserve another sequel... but it got one anyway...

It's slightly better than 10-200
After the phenomenal success of Smokey and the Bandit, a sequel was inevitable. The whole crew returned and the budget was increased. Everything looked great. Unfortunately, the script capitalizes on the wrong elements of its predecessor. This film is mired in a ridiculous ploy where the Bandit can't succeed because he is caught up in his own fame. Whatever.
The first film, a masterpiece in comparison, showed the Bandit as surprisingly famous in trucker circles and it found a lot of humor in showing that. But now, everyone in the world knows the bandit... They sell posters... He tried to sell a record... Even Terry Bradshaw and Mean Joe Greene of the Pittsburgh Steelers know him. It changes the films tone to be more like the CANNONBALL RUN films that would come out the following year.

Shockingly, the late Jackie Gleason, who was brilliant in the first film, takes a beating in this film, recycling Buford T Justice's dialogue from the first film ad nauseum. And his useless double appearance as Buford's twin but oh-so-different brothers is nothing short of embarrassing.

The stunt work in the film is certainly bigger than in the first film, but it has a much more evident comedic flair. Cars fly through the air for no apparent reason. And dented and destroyed cars are miraculously resurrected between scenes. All of this is again more like CANNONBALL RUN then the first film.

The one saving grace to the film is the funny characterization put in by Dom DeLuise. He is an abducted Italian doctor baby-sitting a pregnant elephant. (Oh yeah, that's the 'plot')

To be fair, as a youngster I really liked this film. So it may still catch your fancy. It even avoids using Jerry Reed music to back up the film.

This film did not deserve another sequel... but it got one anyway...

This Movie Is Really Funny
I Love It When Buford T Justice Is So Mad "Your Not Getting Away From Me Bandit Ill Chase You In Hot Pursuit To The End Of The Earth You Som*****" Lol I Always Liked Jackie Gleason But I Do Miss Him A lot Hes Funny And He was the one that made these films popular

This is the funniest of the funniest
I've seen this movie before on AMC. It's so funny when the trucker says, "Hey Road Runner Ya Hungry?" The mountie says, "Why yes." The trucker saying, " Just move over towards me and we'll have us a mountie sandwich." This film had followed up to the third one with the Da Dum Da Dum shark from Jaws 3 which was also released in 1983.

a silly sequel
This movie has the cast of the original,but its just too stupid and slow-paced to be entertaining.This movie cant match the charm of the original. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

"Home is Where the Heart is"
I've been a fan of Mira Nair's "Mississippi Masala" since seeing it's original theatrical release in the early '90s. I was very dissapointed, when for a good period of time it was out of print.Now to my great surprise and delight the movie has been released to DVD."Mississippi Masala" is a wonderful comedy/drama about coming of age, race relations and ruminations of home and the heart.Director, Mira Nair has deftly told the story of a transplanted Indian family, who has uneasily settled in rural Mississippi.We learn (in a series of backflashes) how the family had to sadly leave their native country of Uganda, under a mass expulsion ordered by dictator,General Idi Amin in the early '70s. The family's father, Jaye (well played by Roshan Seth) loses everything including his property, his best friend, his country and his self respect.Fast forward eighteen years later. The immigrant family's daughter, Mina (Sarita Choudury) has grown into a beautiful young women and is the 'Masala' of the film's title (a hot & spicey mixture of exotic ingrediants). Through a series of comical incidents she meets and falls in love with an pesonable, African American man named Demitrious (Denzel Washington), who runs his own carpet cleaning business.Sparks fly as the area's two minority communities (African-American & Indian) react with both hostlity and humor to the lover's interacial romance.This is a story about discovering one's place in life. About finding out where you belong and being with the one you love. Eventually the main characters learn the lesson that "home is where the heart is".This is wonderful moving film that touches both the heart and the funnybone.I highly recommend it!

BACK WHEN MIRA NAIR WAS STILL A TRUE FILMMAKER
What a brilliant piece of low-key, realistic movie making, from the days when Mira Nair was making in your face movies such as Salaam Bombay and Mississipi Masala.

The first thing admirable about it is Nair's ability to merge three cultures (Uganda, India, & Southern American) into an enchanting love story. An Indian family of a man, his wife and their young daughter Mina are expelled from Uganda under the reign of dictator Amin. The family eventually moves to the U.S. When Mina grows up she finds herself caught in a curious cultural twist and considers herself a mix "masala". She later falls in love with a black carpet cleaner (played immaculately by Denzil) only to stir up a hornet's nest in her family, culture and community.

The movie is from 1992, so the mild racism undercurrent may be a bit tired but wasn't when it came out, in fact most of the ironies (e.g., both the lovers are "colored" in different shades) are shown in a light-hearted and dignified manner.

The movie has a clutch of hilarious moments as well, which make it an all round fun movie to watch. Both the protagonists, Denzil as the southern man and Sarita Chaudhari as the Indian woman, are actually quite likeable characters and you end up caring about both of them.

A very wholesome treat to watch!

Love this film
I love this film. I saw this film when I was a young. My aunt had free tickets to the first showing at the Ritz, in Philly (The Ritz only shows movies that are not well known, such as independent films, documentaries, etc.) This movie stayed in my mind and now I own it on DVD. It is excellent. I loved Denzel in it and Charles S. Dutton is funny also. If you are a Denzel fan, you must have this one in your collection.

magnificent film!
If you aren't familiar with Mira Nair, the brilliant Indian filmmaker who has brought us magnificent (and more recent films) like Monsoon Wedding, this is a great introduction to her genius. I happen to be a Denzel Washington fan, and wanted to see his earlier work, which led me to rent this film.

It is set in the South, and is centered on Meena (Sarita Chudhury), an young, ethnically-Indian, Ugandan national who immigrated to the Southern United States with her parents after the uprising of Idi Amin (Ugandan president) who decided that the way to rid the nation of the "Asian problem" was to expel them from the country to begin with. She settles in the States, cleaning hotel bathrooms with her Mum, and living with her parents as a 24 year old woman. Demetrius (Denzel Washington) is a young African-American man who cleans carpets and helps support his family and stays out of troub