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The hugely ambitious Beckett on Film project gathered together 19different directors to turn the 19 stage works written by Samuel Beckettinto films. The range is vast--from the 45-second Breath to the twohours of his most famous play, Waiting for Godot--but all the worksreflect Beckett's penetrating obsessions with memory, regret, and thesimple, excruciating experience of being. Not every film succeeds--likeall great theater, Beckett's plays demand interaction with a live audienceto express their full intent--and though scholars tout Beckett's everyword as genius, several works are slight (Catastrophe, OhioImpromptu, or What Where will leave many viewers unimpressed).But all the plays feature Beckett's uniquely distilled language; thegreatest of them--including Waiting for Godot (in which two trampspass the time while they wait for someone who may never come),Endgame (in which a blind man and his lame servant bicker and jokeas the world declines), and Play (in which a love triangle isbitterly recalled by two women and a man in urns)--are astonishing in boththeir potent humor and piercing grief.

Though Beckett's stature drew in animpressive array of directors (including Anthony Minghella, PatriciaRozema, and Neil Jordan) and actors (including Jeremy Irons, JulianneMoore, Alan Rickman, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Michael Gambon, and JohnGielgud), some of the finest work comes from relative unknowns. But thegem of the collection is Krapp's Last Tape, about an old manrevisiting his life through recordings he has made throughout his years.It's the perfect marriage of text, actor (the incomparable John Hurt), anddirector (Atom Egoyan, The Sweet Hereafter); in their hands, theplay spins from deeply funny to deeply sad, all with only the slightestdim of the light in Hurt's eyes. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Worth a look.
2 stars is misleading. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Becket. To see a directors interpretation of his work provided invaluable insights into both the works themselves, and the process of directing film.
That being said, I was not amazed. The potential of a four disk DVD and large booklet, exclusively Becket, was unlimited. The product was a half-dozen enjoyable plays, and not even a documentary on Becket. In their great humility, they made a documentary, about themselves, making the DVD you are about to purchase. Great.

Who Put the Film in the Beckett on Film Project?
Directors working on stage-to-screen adaptations find themselves torn between dual obligations to both the original work and the new medium. In the case of creating a collection of films meant to highlight the playwright's vision, questions raised by these obligations become even more controversial: should they remain true to the text, even if elements of the play don't work well on film? Dare they change those elements to better fit their new mode of expression? And in the case of Beckett, what percentage of the collections' earnings should go towards manic-depressive treatment centers? Of course, total objectivity in stage-to-screen adaptation remains a pipe dream. But we have to remember that even a theatric production has a director, who-while possibly faced with less decisions than a film director-invariably must makes choices leading to his own personal interpretation of the play. Ultimately, every production of a play, be it for DVD or Broadway, interprets rather than mirrors the original work. Therefore, the Beckett on Film Project should not be regarded as an unbiased representation, but rather an ambitious interpretation of one of the greatest playwrights of the twentieth century. And in this regard, with few exceptions, the Beckett on Film Project shines with commendable effectiveness.

I wish to illustrate a few interpretive anomalies in the collection, to give you an idea of both the kinds of adaptive problems these directors had to face and some of their solutions. Consider "Act Without Words II," a short and dialogue-free play in which two characters mime their different daily routines against a narrow backdrop "violently lit in its entire length, [with] the rest of the stage in darkness." Director Edna Hughes chose to divide this backdrop into three film frames and to add a movie reel-like quality to the video. This constant reminder that we are watching a film is the same sort of self-referential metatextuality we find in many of Beckett's plays. Hughes' interpretive decision regarding the background also reinforces the repetitive theme of the play. That is to say, these characters' routines will go on and on, day after day, just as this very movie is being filmed-one frame after another. Hughes' use of a freeze-frame effect also highlights the technological superiority that film holds over its older cousin, theatre. The play calls for a "Frieze effect," but only on film can this be accomplished literally; in theatre it must be acted out. These changes by Hughes show intelligence in both his reading and adapting of the play to screen. Now, for something of a contrary example, consider one of Beckett's most famous short plays, "Play," in which three characters, trapped in urns, are forced to perpetually retell the story of the love triangle between them. The inquisitor: a lone spotlight that dictates which one of the three urns speaks, when, and for how long. But director Anthony Minghella's version gets rid of the light altogether, in favor of a loud and sometimes shaky camera, whose stronger presence is meant to take the light's place as these characters' inquisitor. Minghella's technique here ultimately falls somewhere between failure and success. The audible clicks and zooms of the camera do, for a time, give the viewer a feeling of submersion within the scene; since the camera now questions these characters, and we as viewers share the camera's gaze, the film achieves an interesting effect that draws us into the world of the story. But the camera cuts between the three urns so many times that the sense of a "unique inquisitor," as Beckett requests, soon dissipates. Not that the adaptation adds nothing to the play; once or twice, the camera pans around to give a broad scene of the background, a dark, foggy, and graveyard-like field littered with many more people in urns. While this background reduces the ambiguity of setting present in the original play, it does so perhaps necessarily, and in addition, clearly suggests that these characters' situations are in fact meant to be symbolic of some greater human condition. Ultimately, we recognize a tradeoff for every one of these questions of adaptation, but by and large, as these two examples illustrate, the gain outweighs the loss in the Beckett on Film Project. Or, put simply: the directors and actors earn their paychecks.

Now keep in mind that despite the interpretive decisions I just described, the main thrust of this collection remains Beckett's. What does that mean? It means that these plays glimmer and shine with a bleak despair. The most dramatic moments are often the most comedic, and the only happy characters-well, forget about happy characters (after all, "Nothing is funnier than unhappiness," as Nell from Endgame tells us). But, dismal as they can be, Beckett's plays always manage to match their gloom in originality, creativity, and importance. They pose critical questions about what it means to exist as a human being. Do we simply spend our days idly, waiting-for Godot or anything else? Do we bury ourselves in the desert when we say "I do"? Can our condition be reduced to the emblem of a solitary finch, living in a draped cage with a dead mate and only a cuttle-bone to eat, in a darkened room stalked by a black cat whose own life depends on a suicidal man standing at a window? Whether or not you agree, you cannot help but ask, once Beckett has shown you the shadowy corners of his imagination. And keep in mind his influence on theatre and even art in general. Often touted as odd and sometimes inaccessible, but always brilliant, Beckett's plays deserve our attention, whether or not we choose to buy the Beckett on Film collection. What these productions add to Beckett's vision is an important sense of a modern moment. How have the technological advances made since Beckett's death affected what it means to be Beckettian? And how do the questions his work poses affect you? It's worth your time to find out.

Mixed bag
Those who are familiar with the original productions will find this collection both exhilarating and frustrating. The more faithful the directors are to Beckett's vision, the more successful the adaptation to film. Come and Go is perhaps the purest of them, and also the most chilling. Other effective adaptations include Krapp's Last Tape, Rough for Theatre II, Act Without Words II, A Piece of Monologue, and Play (Minghella's truly -cinematic- adaptation probably deserves the highest marks). I'm ambivalent about many others, not least Ohio Impromptu and Catastrophe.

Unfortunately the longer plays (Godot, Happy Days, and Endgame) suffer from the directors' mistaken impression that Beckett's characters must be decrepit, disgusting, and/or humorless. Quite the contrary, there is levity and compassion to be found in Beckett's work, and without it his meditations become intolerable rather than incisive. Godot has its moments, but it's not nearly as effective (or funny) as any number of previous productions.

Pacing is also a significant issue here. Beckett's plays (excepting Not I and Play) demand a very slow reading, with an abundance of silence. Many of these adaptations simply plow through the texts with no apparent consideration of heft or nuance; Rockaby is probably the most egregious example. Other directorial liberties make Not I and What Where wholly unacceptable; these simply cannot be considered Beckett's work.

Happily, more Beckett productions are becoming available on DVD. You can purchase Happy Days with Irene Worth's excellent performance on this very site, three plays (Eh Joe, Footfalls, Rockaby) starring Beckett's favorite actress Billie Whitelaw, and a DVD of Beckett Directs Beckett (the three long plays) hopefully in the near future.

Excellent, with one exception.
First let me say I've been waiting my whole adult life for this collection. I've spent 30 years trying to collect audio and video recordings of Beckett's work, and suddenly here are all the theatre peices in one beautiful package. The chance that you will ever find another film version of most of these works, or ever have a chance to see them on stage, is almost nil. If you love Waiting for Godot and Endgame, you will not regret the money spent on this. Unlike most plays and almost all movies, these are peices to be seen again and again, over a lifetime, letting the beauty and subtlety of Beckett's language slowly soak into your being.

That being said, I was disappointed with only one peice: Endgame. With Michael Gambon as one of the leads, I expected the most from this play. But I'm afraid he was badly misdirected in this. He simply enjoys his dispair too much. He enjoys being a selfish, cruel master and his "Perhaps I could go on..." speech (one of Beckett's greatest)loses all its power. Gambon delivers this with hardly a pause, rambling on with the same puckish tone as the rest of his performance. (I thought maybe I was just too used to an earlier film version directed by Beckett, so I went back to the script to check this. After almost every phrase in the speech, Beckett has written (Pause). Without these pauses to let the anguish of the words sink into our minds, the speech carries no more weight than the rest of the text. Well, probably much more than you wanted to know.)

Short Review: BUY THIS NOW! You'll be watching these films again and again as long as you own a DVD player.

The Artist of the Century
Curious that DVD Basen, the wonderful Danish web-compendium of dvd reviews from all over the world, has yet to register a word on BECKETT ON FILM, by any measure the dvd release of the year. These film renditions of Samuel Beckett's nineteen works for the stage (which is not the same as his "complete dramatic works," which would include radio plays and scripts for television), are, for the most part, thrillingly successful. The plays fall into two types. WAITING FOR GODOT, ENDGAME, KRAPP'S LAST TAPE, and HAPPY DAYS, however revolutionary in their time, still more or less conform to the conventional understanding of what a play is, ie: they contain recognizable characters and the shortest is an hour long. Despite the filmmakers' protests to make true movies of these plays, as opposed to "filmed plays," each of their single-locale settings make the theatrical origins of each work inescapable. Having said that, they are the best "filmed plays" this viewer has ever seen. Most of the remaining plays, particularly the late plays, are very short (under 15 minutes), and as Alan Rickman remarks, seem more like installations or "performance art," then full-fledged plays. What makes these works among the greatest plays ever written is precisely their inability to be transfered to another medium. With one exception, each of these little films, even the most brilliant of them (I'm thinking of the mind-blowing PLAY), must somehow compromise itself as a play in order to make the transition to film. The exception is OHIO IMPROMPTU. The intensity of this two character, ten minute piece perhaps reaches the full measure of its power as a film. Beckett's stage directions specify that its two actors be as alike as possible. On film, they can be exactly alike, by virtue of being played by the same actor, namely Jeremy Irons, who has famously played twins before. Despite the actor's disavowal, the characters of Reader and Listener can't help but conjure the image of DEAD RINGERS' Elliot commiserating with his twin brother Beverly aeons from hence in their own personal purgatory. Irons' performance is impeccable and affecting, although the Beckett purist might wish there were a little less of it. The performances throughout the plays are deliriously good, with the sad exception of the beautiful FOOTFALLS, which suffers from an overly mannered delivery on the part of its two actresess. One can only feel sorry for the director saddled with the relentlessly uncinematic THAT TIME. But BECKETT ON FILM is mostly a box of treasure, and a gift to the world. ... Read more

Reviews (270)

A true cinematic masterpiece
Anthony Minghella's adaption of the novel by Michael Ondaggte, is proof that directors nowadays can still produce beautiful epic romances. This has everything a great movie can ask for and it deserved every single Oscar it was nominated for (sadly no Best Actor win for Ralph Fiennes). It's a quite complicated, yet simple, story about an English archaeologist (Fiennes) and his recollections as his memory and life are leaving him over War World II under the care of an emotionally-challenged nurse (Juliette Binoche, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this subtle, yet superb thought provoking performance).He remembers the desert, his love for a married woman (Kristen Scott Thomas) and of course, his wrong doings while he was alive. The movie is made up of flashbacks or shots of beautiful cinematography set up against even more gorgeous music. The performances are all top-notch. Juliette Binoche and Willem Dafoe (as a thumbless thief) are the stand-outs. The only bicker I have about the film is Kristen Scott Thomas's character. She was supposed to be overwhelmingly sensual and deep and if you ignore the acting of Thomas and instead listen to her lines it will prove more effective, but she just seemed shallow and unsexy. She nearly destroyed many of the scenes with Fiennes, but thankfully he covered up her flawed character (that for the most part, was well-written- just the wrong actress.) I would have also liked to see more of the relationship between the nurse and her lover who undoes dangerous bombs. Anyway, the movie in itself is like a sunrise beautiful and slow and meaningful. A true cinematic achievement and hopefully a classic to be remembered... Anthony Minghella is definitely a promising director although I think this magnificent accompolishment will be hard to out do.

An Affair in the Desert
Well, so much for the days of "if you can't say anything nice....". I don't mind people disagreeing with me, (as one reviewer wisely said, "Your review reveals a lot about your tastes") but when one needs to lambaste a film that is, by all accounts, well produced, I simply must Re-act. Trying to compare this film (or any other film for that matter) to others is like trying to compare animal species. Some may look similar but they ARE vastly different.

This movie on its own should be commended for its lush cinematography, brilliant actors, sweeping muscial score and fine war-era costumes. Since this film was publicly unpopular, it of course won 9 Academy Awards, just like in years past. I believe the Academy got it Right.

To those who (or know how to) care, give this near 3 hour movie a try. True, the main love story is adulterous,(I enjoyed far more the story of Hana and Kip), but the entire cast, including the desert, kept me involved. Lastly, I have yet to read the novel, since being a former drama student, you learn that different mediums require different approaches, so to compare book and film, for me, is without merit. The English Patient, the movie, however, is worth while and worth seeing.

PASSION SWEPT UNDER BY THE CHANGING WINDS OF WAR
Based on Michael Ondaatje's sweeping WWII novel, "The English Patient" is the story of a young Allied nurse, Hana (Juliette Binoche) who finds herself alone in an abandoned Italian monastery and tending to a mysterious burn victim (Ralph Fiennes). Like David Lean's Dr. Zhivago, this mystical and epic film is told through a series of flash backs integrated with a subplot that is supposedly taking place in the present. During the flash backs we learn of the tragic circumstances that have led to the current state of the stranger. Fiennes is Count Laszlo, an archaeologist - and assumed Nazi sympathizer - who is in love with Katherine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas). She, unfortunately, is married to the long suffering, dispassionate, Geoffrey (Colin Firth). The two are off gallivanting through the dessert in search of artifacts when the passionate relationship between the Count and Kate ignites. The resulting, all consuming, lust that overtakes these lovers is intricately balanced and compared to Hana's burgeoning romance with an East Indian soldier who defuses bombs, Lt. Kip Singh (Naveen Andrews). Willem Dafoe is brilliantly cast as Caravaggio - a man whose association with the allies (in a flash back) was exposed to the Nazis, the result being that Caravaggio had his thumbs brutally amputated with a switch blade. Caravaggio is determined to brutalize the man he believe is responsible for exposing his secret, the man he suspects is the burn victim lying helpless and dying in the monastery. Winner of nine Academy Awards "The English Patient" is a bittersweet love story between four people (two couples) who meet with untimely and destructive forces that ultimately alter the course of their lives forever.

THE TRANSFER:This disc was previously released as a flipper from Miramax in a non-anamorphic and somewhat grainy transfer. The previous disc suffered greatly from the intrusion of pixelization and edge enhancement. It also lacked anything in the way of extras. For the most part, these oversights have been corrected on this newly remastered 2-disc special edtion. The picture quality exhibits marginal improvements in both clarity and fidelity, due in large part to the fact that this time around the disc has been enhanced for widescreen televisions. Colors are rich, bold, vibrant but at times tend to be garishly unbalanced. Occasionally flesh tones may appear slightly on the pasty side. Otherwise, there is a deep, textured look to the visual presentation that is thoroughly in keeping with the subject matter. Contrast and black levels are bang on. Fine details are nicely realized. Pixelization still exists and sometimes breaks up finer background information. Also, certain scenes tend to look as though some edge effects have been added. Again, all these shortcomings are relatively minor for a picture that will surely not disappoint! The audio has been remastered to 5.1 and exhibits a very visceral and thrilling sonic experience. The sound of Count Laszlo's plane flying over the dunes is both aggressive and stirring and the musical score is wonderfully spread across all 5 channels.

EXTRAS: include a very comprehensive commentary by writer-director Anthony Minghella, producer Saul Zaentz and author, Michael Ondaatje. Minghella has more to say than the other two but all contribute fascinating tidbits to the production of the film and the inspiration for the novel. The deleted scenes segment is presented in a unique way - I won't ruin it for anyone but needless to say it's more refreshing than the treatment usually afforded deleted scenes. The CBC's documentary on the making of the film is somewhat of a disappointment, relying heavily on trailer junkets and very little but sound bytes from cast and crew. A series of featurettes round out the involvement of Zaentz, Minghella and production designer Stuart Craig. There's also a nice series of interviews with the cast and crew and a great featurette on Phil Brady, the stills photographer.

BOTTOM LINE:The culmination of all this extra material and the rather impressive quality of the film transfer lead me to recommend "The English Patient" to all who love a good story and a thoroughly engrossing, great film.

My favorite movie.
I can watch this movie over and over again. It is the best.

Tragically Passionate
I can't even count how many times I have seen this movie. Each time I watch it I cry for days. A visually beautiful film with a tragic story line that involves war, political conspiracy, a haunting love story and wonderful characters of great depth.

This is one of my all time favorite films and top five love stories. It is breathtakingly beautiful and powerfully tragic at the same time. Worth every moment!! ... Read more

Reviews (239)

Almost
Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, Cold Mountain is mostly a story about both the kindness and the cruelty of ordinary people during difficult times.

It's also a love story.

Unfortunately, at least for this reviewer, I felt that the budding relationship between Inman (Jude Law) and Ada (Nicole Kidman) wasn't developed enough. Although they flirt and share a special kiss before Inman leaves for war, there just didn't seem to be enough of a bond between them for someone to risk their life returning home. (Perhaps this aspect of the film will be fleshed out more in an extended DVD version?)

Honestly, even at 2 1/2 hours, I felt like this epic film could have been a half an hour longer. There were plenty of interesting characters who deserved more screen time.

Up and coming actress Natalie Portman (Star Wars: Attack of the Clones) finally breaks out with an incredible performance as a single mother with a baby just trying to get by through the ravages of war. Even though her part was small, she still managed to convey the utter despair of her very sad character.

Cinematically, this film is breathtaking. In fact, the filmmakers have managed to painstakingly recreate the 1864 siege at Petersburg, Virginia complete with trenches, gaunt Confederates and even the Battle of the Crater. As far as I know, I don't believe this particular battle has ever been depicted in a major motion picture. As such, it was well researched and very authentic.

All in all, Cold Mountain is a good film. However, I believe it missed the mark of greatness by not developing the relationship early on between the two main characters. This detracted a bit from the aspect of Inman's long and perilous journey home. Was she really worth all of that?

In sum, if you're a fan of period Civil War movies like "Summersby" or "Ride With the Devil", then this film is certainly one for your DVD library.

Emotionally Cold Mountain
This story of one man's walk from Virginia to North Carolina in his attempt to return to the love that motivates him has - unsurprisingly - a somewhat rambling form. Somehow I think the rambling and episodic structure was probably better suited to a novel than to a mainstream Hollywood film.

In part "Cold Mountain" is based on Homer's Odyssey, with Jude Law as the Ulysses-like Inman, and Nicole Kidman's Ada Monroe as the Penelope who waits for him despite the attention of at least one highly unsuitable suitor.

The film's set before and during the American Civil War, and begins with a devastating battle in Petersburg, Virginia. Troops from the Northern Army mine the Southern front line. The resulting explosions demolish it to great effect, but all doesn't go according to plan, as the advancing Northern soldiers are caught in the crater made by their own explosions ... and mown down. That scene is writer / director Anthony Minghella's version of "Saving Private Ryan's" opening scene, and very much shows us that the movie isn't going to be about the glories of war.

"Cold Mountain" gets off to an excellent start, inter-cutting gritty battle scenes with Inman's memories of Ada, the woman he loves, and with whom he's shared little more than one hurried kiss. Ada is the daughter of Reverend Monroe, played by Donald Sutherland, and has received a fairly good education in Charleston. That means she hasn't learned how to do much of anything practical.

Inman, after suffering a bad neck wound, decides he is going to return to Ada whatever the cost, deserts the army, and begins his long trek back to North Carolina and Cold Mountain. Ada meanwhile is having to cope with the death of her father, the difficulty of surviving as a single woman, and the attentions of lecherous bad guy and home guardsman Teague, played by Ray Winstone. Her neighbours, including Sally Swanger (the excellent Kathy Baker) try to help her, but it becomes pretty clear she's not going to make it through the next winter without help, and that help turns up in the shape of the extremely practical and down to earth backwoods girl Ruby Thewes (Rene Zellwegger)

Although the film starts superbly, it gradually becomes disappointing. The grittiness of the beginning gives way to ever more Hollywood glamour as the movie goes on, particularly in the story of Kidman's Ada. Kidman gets prettier and prettier as times get harder and harder. Zellwegger comes on like Doris Day in "Annie Get Your Gun" or something out of "Oklahoma", and adds scrunched up funny faces to the mix. And the bad guys back at home turn into cardboard villains that might almost come from a spaghetti western, particularly the almost albino Bosie (Charlie Hunnam). And why are albinos always evil in movies?

Inman's story fares somewhat better. During his trek he encounters a variety of picaresque characters. There's a preacher (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) who is initially about to murder his pregnant black mistress when Inman stops him. Jena Malone plays a girl who operates a ferry boat that will allow them to escape their pursuers, if they pay her enough. Giovanni Ribisi is hillbilly Junior, who in another nod to the Odyssey, lives with a bevy of sex-starved siren-like women. Natalie Portman is Sara, a single mother who Inman sleeps beside and then has to rescue from the attention of marauding Southern soldiers. And there's a strange gipsy woman who - particularly given that much of the movie was shot in Romania - seems rather like a refugee from one of the old universal werewolf movies.

John Seale's cinematography captures the din of war, the stunning scenery of Romania, and the quieter interiors, well. And, visually the film is helped much by the production design of Dante Ferretti, although I wonder if sometimes that too isn't a little too pretty. There's some good music, although the best of it is performed within the film, old American hymns, and folk music such as "Wayfaring Stranger". There's even a song composed by Sting and sung by Alison Krauss, which works better than one might expect it to. Gabriel Yared's more thematic soundtrack music seems rather less memorable.

Ultimately, "Cold Mountain" is marred by several weaknesses, one of the worst is that in its conclusion it's something of a shaggy dog story. It also suffers, like some of Minghella's other films, from a strange emotional coldness: neither Jude Law nor Nicole Kidman touches us as much as they should. Often the emotions surrounding the cameo characters are far more intense, particularly those played by Nathalie Portman and Kathie Baker.

But this is nothing new for Minghella. In both "The English Patient" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley" you wanted to feel somewhat more emotional about the characters than you actually did. In his first film "Truly, Madly Deeply" director Anthony Minghella struck a wonderfully poignant emotional note. With the move to Hollywood his films to have become much more focussed on about surfaces or spectacle, and that's a pity.

Like "Legends of the Fall" Cold Mountain" is ultimately an attempt to transform a sweeping and often gritty historical novel into a movie that's just far more glamorous than it should be for its own good. It's an interesting movie, but not a wholly successful one.

A waste of time
I absolutely hated this movie. Nicole Kidman is too old to play such a young character. The story started depressing and ended suicidal! I actually bought this dvd and after I watched it one time, I threw it in the trash. The only good thing about it was Renee Z's excellent rendition of a tough country girl. Only watch this movie if you like self-punishment.

Moving
Cold Mountain is a very good movie. The only problems I have with the movie is it takes so long to get into (but once you do it's so worth it) and the fact that they barely met and were already madley in love!

As a previous reviewer mentioned there is a very explicit love scene. It is my opinion that the love scene is so very important to the movie. You almost feel the love between the two. The movie would not have made such an impact on me without this scene.

Violence, OK but sex bad?
so it is OK to see people maimed and killed in horrible ways, but if two people have sex it is bad? Give me a break. ... Read more

Reviews (335)

No sense of pace whatsoever
THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY is really a shame. Here are all the elements of an engaging, literate thriller--decent performances, a remarkably disturbing and insightful story (thanks largely to Patricia Highsmith's novel), a chillingly atmospheric score, and a well-realized sense of time and place. The trouble is, I didn't give a damn. This movie is so poorly paced, so slow and uninvolving, that watching it is like trying to slog through a pond of molasses.

It doesn't help that Matt Damon is the wrong choice for the elusive psychopath, Tom Ripley. Damon isn't a bad actor, just a miscast one, and while he nails the various impersonations Ripley must perform and seamlessly switches between identities, he never really fascinates or enthralls on-screen. It also doesn't help that Jude Law, as Dickie Greenleaf, completely upstages Damon in an Oscar-nominated performance that's equal parts fire and ice. The only character less interesting than Ripley is Dickie's long-suffering fiancee, Marge, played by a terribly dull Gwyneth Paltrow, who looks almost as bored by the story as I was.

There are a few great, nail-biting scenes that expertly raise the tension, including the murder sequences and a climactic confrontation between Ripley and Marge. If only the rest of this movie were as rivetingly suspenseful. The denouement takes about half an hour to unravel--I soon lost count of the number of times I thought, "Oh, good, this is finally wrapping up" before the script dashed my expectations by plunging ahead with some new plot contrivance that would require an extra ten minutes to play out. Even at under two and a half hours, this movie feels eons longer than an equally self-indulgent project like...oh, say, TITANIC. The truth is, RIPLEY is smarter, craftier, and more psychologically plausible than TITANIC ever was. It's not a better film, though. How sad is that?

CLASSY & INTELLIGENT THRILLER
Mistaken for a Princeton graduate whilst wearing a borrowed blazer, the low born New York charmer, Tom Ripley (Matt Damon), is dispatched by rich businessman Herbert Greenleaf (James Rebhorn), to travel first class on an all-expenses-paid mission, to bring his errant young playboy son, Dickie (Jude Law), back to New York from his champagne and party filled life on the Mediterranean. However, on meeting the handsome and charismatic Dickie (and his equally attractive girlfriend), the awestruck Tom falls for his charms and an ambiguous relationship begins. Tom, the social chameleon who has talents for forgery and impersonation, feeling that he cannot enter this world as himself begins to transform his identity, by learning new skills, studying jazz, art, geography and foreign languages. He not only changes his clothes he also changes his character. Meanwhile the innocent and trusting Meredith (Cate Blanchett) who met Tom on his arrival in Europe accepts Tom as an equal because she thinks he is Dickie Greenleaf. But all is not well in the playground of the rich, for Dickie is in turns as unpleasant and rude as he is debonair and charming, and soon he and his rich friends begin to tire of the financially inferior and all too clingy Tom, who has no intention of being cast adrift, for it is his belief that "its better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody"...

The Talented Mr Ripley subtly portrays the hedonistic lifestyle of rich, young Americans in the 1950's. In the movie, Tom is less the casebook amoral psychopath of the novel and more a victim of class in his desire to be like the rich but cruel Dickie and Freddie. The film is, however, anything but simple and only about an hour in does the film become anything approaching an orthodox thriller. You are kept hooked throughout as we guess at Tom's motives..., which is at best ambiguous. We observe the mercurial Dickie toy with his affections, whilst Dickie's girlfriend Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow), aware of Dickie's weaknesses, looks on.

Although fans of the novel may be unhappy with the liberties taken with both the plot and the characters from Patricia Highsmiths novel, most people will agree that Anthony Minghella has done an excellent job in imaginatively and successfully bringing The Talented Mr Ripley to the big screen. Not only does he direct this excellent and very intelligent thriller with a sure and subtle touch but he perfectly captures the beauty of the mediteranean, as the movie moves from one spectacular venue to another; from San Remo to Naples, Rome, and Venice. It also stars a top notch and perfectly cast array of the worlds finest young actors, including Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting), Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare In Love), Jude Law (A.I.), as well as Philip Seymour Hoffman (Happiness) and Cate Blanchette (Elizabeth), all on top form. Damon's Ripley is an odd figure, his cumbersome awkwardness contrasting perfectly with Jude Law's cool and casual arrogance as Dickie Greenleaf, lolling around on his Riviera deck-chair as if the world owes him a living. And, although Matt Damon is truly outstanding, it is Jude Law's Oscar-nominated turn and Hoffman's brilliantly obnoxious performance as an ugly-rich American that come close to stealing the movie.

There are many unforgettable moments, in this beautifully crafted movie that Hitchcock would be proud of, as Tom struggles to maintain his dual identity. More dramatically satisfying than The English Patient, The Talented Mr Ripley is an intelligent film, carefully cast and immaculately performed. Highly recommended this for people who love suspense and prefer to watch movies that come with an IQ!!!

Horrible
I must say that this is one of the worst films that I've ever watched. It was very long, and very boring. I didn't care about what happened to any of the characters, as a matter of fact I didn't like any of the them. The story didn't unfold effortlessly but instead seemed to move slowly and with difficulty.

Beautiful Film With Dark Anti-Hero
"The Talented Mr. Ripley" is one of the most unsettling, vivid thrillers made since Hitchcock. Matt Damon leads an All-Hollywood Under-40 cast, including Jude Law, Ms. Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, and Phillip Seymore Hoffman (reprising his obnoxious spoiled brat from "Scent of a Woman," with his arrogance on steroids) in one of his most convincing performances to date.

Set in the 1950's, "Ripley" perfectly captures the look and feel of the period through rich costumes and fabulous sets -- director Anthony Minghella uses the same voluptuous direction that he used to such great effect in "The English Patient." But there are elements of subversion in the movie that match Ripley's subversive, evil soul -- the rise of jazz ("noise," as one character derisively calls it), characters who do nothing but spend their parents' fortunes, and homosexuality and adultery tearing at the rigid social fabric of the times all mirror Thomas Ripley's unnerving ability to manipulate the truth to his own ends.

Ripley is not content to be the best person he can be -- Ripley wants to be the best person that someone else could be. In this case, it's Dickie Greenleaf (Law -- fiendishly handsome), heir to a shipping fortune and ladies' man extraordinaire. Ripley is sent to Italy by the elder Greenleaf to retrieve his son, idling away on the beach with his girlfriend Marge (Paltrow). Teaching himself jazz and inventing stories of schooldays at Princeton, Ripley soon charms his way into Dickie's house.

Ripley knows that the key to being a great liar is to tell the truth as much as possible and allow others to draw their own conclusions. This takes great wit and timing, and Ripley pulls it off fabulously. For a while, things could not be better, but soon the impulsive Dickie tires of the ever-present Ripley, whose attachment to Dickie goes beyond mere friendship into unsettling territories. This leads to a horrifying boat trip where the two Ripley-proclaimed "brothers" speak truths that probably should have gone unsaid.

Ripley finds himself caught up in the world of his own making, and the lies he has spun threaten to ensnare him even as he uses them to break free from his former anonymous life. Delicately balancing new lies and capitalizing on what is, to our modern eyes, a quaintly obsolete communications system (my God, they actually write letters!), Ripley eventually finds himself living the good life in a wonderfully decorated Roman penthouse.

As good a liar as Ripley is, he can't prevent some from figuring out his various lies and secrets. And this is where the movie really gets dark -- Ripley is a man filled with rage, and that rage can lead to gruesome results.

Ripley is a man of considerable talents and appetites. His hunger for acceptance and for love -- there is virtually nobody in the film whom Ripley does not seduce -- is exceeded only by his instinct for self-preservation. Even Ripley is horrified by what he is capable of, and the climactic scene leaves no doubt that for all his talents, Ripley is not someone you ever want to meet.

"Ripley" achieves a lot of its effect through implication, and the films most charged scenes, whether violent or sexual, are actually quite restrained in what is actually shown on-screen. But like "Pulp Fiction," the scenes are perhaps even more powerful for not showing exactly what happens, but by their implications. In that sense, the entire movie is an implication, a set-up for future stories (there are other "Ripley" stories) involving our favorite murderous impersonator. I hope that Hollywood can pull it together to make another installment with Damon as the lead -- he nails it.

VERY GOOD STUFF
The Ripley charector is great to watch he is like a child trying to fit in, he knows something about himself is diffrent but he cannot describe it. Because you have to have a conscience to know the answer. I remember seeing the talented mr. ripley in the theatre and how pleased I was with the ripley charector. His charector was created some time ago and most people do not know it but he inspired most of hollywood's classic villians particuarly the hitchcock ones. Also see RIPLEY'S GAME. I think John Malkovich is even better in the sequel. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Winner of nine Academy Awards and almost every critic's heart, The English Patient (based on Michael Ondaatje's prizewinning novel of love and loss during World War II) is one of the most acclaimed films of modern times. Hana, a nurse, (Juliette Binoche) tends to an archaeologist (Ralph Fiennes) who has been burnt to a crisp in a plane crash. As their relationship intensifies, he flashes back to his overwhelming passion for a married woman (Kristin Scott Thomas). Meanwhile, Hana begins a new romance with a man who defuses bombs (Naveen Andrews) and Willem Dafoe almost steals the show as the thumbless thief Caravaggio. The intricately layered flashback narrative, sounding the depths of the lovers' hearts, improves with repeated viewings--especially with the sharp picture and digital sound of the digital video disc. ... Read more

Reviews (270)

A true cinematic masterpiece
Anthony Minghella's adaption of the novel by Michael Ondaggte, is proof that directors nowadays can still produce beautiful epic romances. This has everything a great movie can ask for and it deserved every single Oscar it was nominated for (sadly no Best Actor win for Ralph Fiennes). It's a quite complicated, yet simple, story about an English archaeologist (Fiennes) and his recollections as his memory and life are leaving him over War World II under the care of an emotionally-challenged nurse (Juliette Binoche, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this subtle, yet superb thought provoking performance).He remembers the desert, his love for a married woman (Kristen Scott Thomas) and of course, his wrong doings while he was alive. The movie is made up of flashbacks or shots of beautiful cinematography set up against even more gorgeous music. The performances are all top-notch. Juliette Binoche and Willem Dafoe (as a thumbless thief) are the stand-outs. The only bicker I have about the film is Kristen Scott Thomas's character. She was supposed to be overwhelmingly sensual and deep and if you ignore the acting of Thomas and instead listen to her lines it will prove more effective, but she just seemed shallow and unsexy. She nearly destroyed many of the scenes with Fiennes, but thankfully he covered up her flawed character (that for the most part, was well-written- just the wrong actress.) I would have also liked to see more of the relationship between the nurse and her lover who undoes dangerous bombs. Anyway, the movie in itself is like a sunrise beautiful and slow and meaningful. A true cinematic achievement and hopefully a classic to be remembered... Anthony Minghella is definitely a promising director although I think this magnificent accompolishment will be hard to out do.

An Affair in the Desert
Well, so much for the days of "if you can't say anything nice....". I don't mind people disagreeing with me, (as one reviewer wisely said, "Your review reveals a lot about your tastes") but when one needs to lambaste a film that is, by all accounts, well produced, I simply must Re-act. Trying to compare this film (or any other film for that matter) to others is like trying to compare animal species. Some may look similar but they ARE vastly different.

This movie on its own should be commended for its lush cinematography, brilliant actors, sweeping muscial score and fine war-era costumes. Since this film was publicly unpopular, it of course won 9 Academy Awards, just like in years past. I believe the Academy got it Right.

To those who (or know how to) care, give this near 3 hour movie a try. True, the main love story is adulterous,(I enjoyed far more the story of Hana and Kip), but the entire cast, including the desert, kept me involved. Lastly, I have yet to read the novel, since being a former drama student, you learn that different mediums require different approaches, so to compare book and film, for me, is without merit. The English Patient, the movie, however, is worth while and worth seeing.

PASSION SWEPT UNDER BY THE CHANGING WINDS OF WAR
Based on Michael Ondaatje's sweeping WWII novel, "The English Patient" is the story of a young Allied nurse, Hana (Juliette Binoche) who finds herself alone in an abandoned Italian monastery and tending to a mysterious burn victim (Ralph Fiennes). Like David Lean's Dr. Zhivago, this mystical and epic film is told through a series of flash backs integrated with a subplot that is supposedly taking place in the present. During the flash backs we learn of the tragic circumstances that have led to the current state of the stranger. Fiennes is Count Laszlo, an archaeologist - and assumed Nazi sympathizer - who is in love with Katherine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas). She, unfortunately, is married to the long suffering, dispassionate, Geoffrey (Colin Firth). The two are off gallivanting through the dessert in search of artifacts when the passionate relationship between the Count and Kate ignites. The resulting, all consuming, lust that overtakes these lovers is intricately balanced and compared to Hana's burgeoning romance with an East Indian soldier who defuses bombs, Lt. Kip Singh (Naveen Andrews). Willem Dafoe is brilliantly cast as Caravaggio - a man whose association with the allies (in a flash back) was exposed to the Nazis, the result being that Caravaggio had his thumbs brutally amputated with a switch blade. Caravaggio is determined to brutalize the man he believe is responsible for exposing his secret, the man he suspects is the burn victim lying helpless and dying in the monastery. Winner of nine Academy Awards "The English Patient" is a bittersweet love story between four people (two couples) who meet with untimely and destructive forces that ultimately alter the course of their lives forever.

THE TRANSFER:This disc was previously released as a flipper from Miramax in a non-anamorphic and somewhat grainy transfer. The previous disc suffered greatly from the intrusion of pixelization and edge enhancement. It also lacked anything in the way of extras. For the most part, these oversights have been corrected on this newly remastered 2-disc special edtion. The picture quality exhibits marginal improvements in both clarity and fidelity, due in large part to the fact that this time around the disc has been enhanced for widescreen televisions. Colors are rich, bold, vibrant but at times tend to be garishly unbalanced. Occasionally flesh tones may appear slightly on the pasty side. Otherwise, there is a deep, textured look to the visual presentation that is thoroughly in keeping with the subject matter. Contrast and black levels are bang on. Fine details are nicely realized. Pixelization still exists and sometimes breaks up finer background information. Also, certain scenes tend to look as though some edge effects have been added. Again, all these shortcomings are relatively minor for a picture that will surely not disappoint! The audio has been remastered to 5.1 and exhibits a very visceral and thrilling sonic experience. The sound of Count Laszlo's plane flying over the dunes is both aggressive and stirring and the musical score is wonderfully spread across all 5 channels.

EXTRAS: include a very comprehensive commentary by writer-director Anthony Minghella, producer Saul Zaentz and author, Michael Ondaatje. Minghella has more to say than the other two but all contribute fascinating tidbits to the production of the film and the inspiration for the novel. The deleted scenes segment is presented in a unique way - I won't ruin it for anyone but needless to say it's more refreshing than the treatment usually afforded deleted scenes. The CBC's documentary on the making of the film is somewhat of a disappointment, relying heavily on trailer junkets and very little but sound bytes from cast and crew. A series of featurettes round out the involvement of Zaentz, Minghella and production designer Stuart Craig. There's also a nice series of interviews with the cast and crew and a great featurette on Phil Brady, the stills photographer.

BOTTOM LINE:The culmination of all this extra material and the rather impressive quality of the film transfer lead me to recommend "The English Patient" to all who love a good story and a thoroughly engrossing, great film.

My favorite movie.
I can watch this movie over and over again. It is the best.

Tragically Passionate
I can't even count how many times I have seen this movie. Each time I watch it I cry for days. A visually beautiful film with a tragic story line that involves war, political conspiracy, a haunting love story and wonderful characters of great depth.

This is one of my all time favorite films and top five love stories. It is breathtakingly beautiful and powerfully tragic at the same time. Worth every moment!! ... Read more

Reviews (335)

No sense of pace whatsoever
THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY is really a shame. Here are all the elements of an engaging, literate thriller--decent performances, a remarkably disturbing and insightful story (thanks largely to Patricia Highsmith's novel), a chillingly atmospheric score, and a well-realized sense of time and place. The trouble is, I didn't give a damn. This movie is so poorly paced, so slow and uninvolving, that watching it is like trying to slog through a pond of molasses.

It doesn't help that Matt Damon is the wrong choice for the elusive psychopath, Tom Ripley. Damon isn't a bad actor, just a miscast one, and while he nails the various impersonations Ripley must perform and seamlessly switches between identities, he never really fascinates or enthralls on-screen. It also doesn't help that Jude Law, as Dickie Greenleaf, completely upstages Damon in an Oscar-nominated performance that's equal parts fire and ice. The only character less interesting than Ripley is Dickie's long-suffering fiancee, Marge, played by a terribly dull Gwyneth Paltrow, who looks almost as bored by the story as I was.

There are a few great, nail-biting scenes that expertly raise the tension, including the murder sequences and a climactic confrontation between Ripley and Marge. If only the rest of this movie were as rivetingly suspenseful. The denouement takes about half an hour to unravel--I soon lost count of the number of times I thought, "Oh, good, this is finally wrapping up" before the script dashed my expectations by plunging ahead with some new plot contrivance that would require an extra ten minutes to play out. Even at under two and a half hours, this movie feels eons longer than an equally self-indulgent project like...oh, say, TITANIC. The truth is, RIPLEY is smarter, craftier, and more psychologically plausible than TITANIC ever was. It's not a better film, though. How sad is that?

CLASSY & INTELLIGENT THRILLER
Mistaken for a Princeton graduate whilst wearing a borrowed blazer, the low born New York charmer, Tom Ripley (Matt Damon), is dispatched by rich businessman Herbert Greenleaf (James Rebhorn), to travel first class on an all-expenses-paid mission, to bring his errant young playboy son, Dickie (Jude Law), back to New York from his champagne and party filled life on the Mediterranean. However, on meeting the handsome and charismatic Dickie (and his equally attractive girlfriend), the awestruck Tom falls for his charms and an ambiguous relationship begins. Tom, the social chameleon who has talents for forgery and impersonation, feeling that he cannot enter this world as himself begins to transform his identity, by learning new skills, studying jazz, art, geography and foreign languages. He not only changes his clothes he also changes his character. Meanwhile the innocent and trusting Meredith (Cate Blanchett) who met Tom on his arrival in Europe accepts Tom as an equal because she thinks he is Dickie Greenleaf. But all is not well in the playground of the rich, for Dickie is in turns as unpleasant and rude as he is debonair and charming, and soon he and his rich friends begin to tire of the financially inferior and all too clingy Tom, who has no intention of being cast adrift, for it is his belief that "its better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody"...

The Talented Mr Ripley subtly portrays the hedonistic lifestyle of rich, young Americans in the 1950's. In the movie, Tom is less the casebook amoral psychopath of the novel and more a victim of class in his desire to be like the rich but cruel Dickie and Freddie. The film is, however, anything but simple and only about an hour in does the film become anything approaching an orthodox thriller. You are kept hooked throughout as we guess at Tom's motives..., which is at best ambiguous. We observe the mercurial Dickie toy with his affections, whilst Dickie's girlfriend Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow), aware of Dickie's weaknesses, looks on.

Although fans of the novel may be unhappy with the liberties taken with both the plot and the characters from Patricia Highsmiths novel, most people will agree that Anthony Minghella has done an excellent job in imaginatively and successfully bringing The Talented Mr Ripley to the big screen. Not only does he direct this excellent and very intelligent thriller with a sure and subtle touch but he perfectly captures the beauty of the mediteranean, as the movie moves from one spectacular venue to another; from San Remo to Naples, Rome, and Venice. It also stars a top notch and perfectly cast array of the worlds finest young actors, including Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting), Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare In Love), Jude Law (A.I.), as well as Philip Seymour Hoffman (Happiness) and Cate Blanchette (Elizabeth), all on top form. Damon's Ripley is an odd figure, his cumbersome awkwardness contrasting perfectly with Jude Law's cool and casual arrogance as Dickie Greenleaf, lolling around on his Riviera deck-chair as if the world owes him a living. And, although Matt Damon is truly outstanding, it is Jude Law's Oscar-nominated turn and Hoffman's brilliantly obnoxious performance as an ugly-rich American that come close to stealing the movie.

There are many unforgettable moments, in this beautifully crafted movie that Hitchcock would be proud of, as Tom struggles to maintain his dual identity. More dramatically satisfying than The English Patient, The Talented Mr Ripley is an intelligent film, carefully cast and immaculately performed. Highly recommended this for people who love suspense and prefer to watch movies that come with an IQ!!!

Horrible
I must say that this is one of the worst films that I've ever watched. It was very long, and very boring. I didn't care about what happened to any of the characters, as a matter of fact I didn't like any of the them. The story didn't unfold effortlessly but instead seemed to move slowly and with difficulty.

Beautiful Film With Dark Anti-Hero
"The Talented Mr. Ripley" is one of the most unsettling, vivid thrillers made since Hitchcock. Matt Damon leads an All-Hollywood Under-40 cast, including Jude Law, Ms. Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, and Phillip Seymore Hoffman (reprising his obnoxious spoiled brat from "Scent of a Woman," with his arrogance on steroids) in one of his most convincing performances to date.

Set in the 1950's, "Ripley" perfectly captures the look and feel of the period through rich costumes and fabulous sets -- director Anthony Minghella uses the same voluptuous direction that he used to such great effect in "The English Patient." But there are elements of subversion in the movie that match Ripley's subversive, evil soul -- the rise of jazz ("noise," as one character derisively calls it), characters who do nothing but spend their parents' fortunes, and homosexuality and adultery tearing at the rigid social fabric of the times all mirror Thomas Ripley's unnerving ability to manipulate the truth to his own ends.

Ripley is not content to be the best person he can be -- Ripley wants to be the best person that someone else could be. In this case, it's Dickie Greenleaf (Law -- fiendishly handsome), heir to a shipping fortune and ladies' man extraordinaire. Ripley is sent to Italy by the elder Greenleaf to retrieve his son, idling away on the beach with his girlfriend Marge (Paltrow). Teaching himself jazz and inventing stories of schooldays at Princeton, Ripley soon charms his way into Dickie's house.

Ripley knows that the key to being a great liar is to tell the truth as much as possible and allow others to draw their own conclusions. This takes great wit and timing, and Ripley pulls it off fabulously. For a while, things could not be better, but soon the impulsive Dickie tires of the ever-present Ripley, whose attachment to Dickie goes beyond mere friendship into unsettling territories. This leads to a horrifying boat trip where the two Ripley-proclaimed "brothers" speak truths that probably should have gone unsaid.

Ripley finds himself caught up in the world of his own making, and the lies he has spun threaten to ensnare him even as he uses them to break free from his former anonymous life. Delicately balancing new lies and capitalizing on what is, to our modern eyes, a quaintly obsolete communications system (my God, they actually write letters!), Ripley eventually finds himself living the good life in a wonderfully decorated Roman penthouse.

As good a liar as Ripley is, he can't prevent some from figuring out his various lies and secrets. And this is where the movie really gets dark -- Ripley is a man filled with rage, and that rage can lead to gruesome results.

Ripley is a man of considerable talents and appetites. His hunger for acceptance and for love -- there is virtually nobody in the film whom Ripley does not seduce -- is exceeded only by his instinct for self-preservation. Even Ripley is horrified by what he is capable of, and the climactic scene leaves no doubt that for all his talents, Ripley is not someone you ever want to meet.

"Ripley" achieves a lot of its effect through implication, and the films most charged scenes, whether violent or sexual, are actually quite restrained in what is actually shown on-screen. But like "Pulp Fiction," the scenes are perhaps even more powerful for not showing exactly what happens, but by their implications. In that sense, the entire movie is an implication, a set-up for future stories (there are other "Ripley" stories) involving our favorite murderous impersonator. I hope that Hollywood can pull it together to make another installment with Damon as the lead -- he nails it.

VERY GOOD STUFF
The Ripley charector is great to watch he is like a child trying to fit in, he knows something about himself is diffrent but he cannot describe it. Because you have to have a conscience to know the answer. I remember seeing the talented mr. ripley in the theatre and how pleased I was with the ripley charector. His charector was created some time ago and most people do not know it but he inspired most of hollywood's classic villians particuarly the hitchcock ones. Also see RIPLEY'S GAME. I think John Malkovich is even better in the sequel. ... Read more

Description

Romantic comedy centering around a New York con edison worker who gets an unexpected second chance at first love. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Very cute!!!
This is a sweet and charming film; only the ending disappointed. The entire film and premise was so different from other romantic comedies, and the leads and supporting cast are fantastic, but the typical overly sugarcoated ending ruined it. I expected better considering the rest of the film. Overall though, this one is recommended over recent Hollywood romantic comedies. It definitely made me smile.

Cute story, but Matt Dillon is all wrong for romantic lead
Matt Dillon was seriously mis-cast in this film. He came across as an unlikable, hopelessly plebian, crotch-scratching "dese, dem, and doze" low-class slob, while the lovely Annabella Sciorra seemed urbane, literate, and softly spoken. One wonders how these two ever got together in the first place. For people who supposedly grew up in the same neighborhood, the speech patterns are noticably at odds, with Dillon's character coming out at the bottom. The premise was predictable, the main character unlikeable, and the ending unbelievable. The supporting cast, however, was superb, considering what they were given to work with. Vincent D'Onofrio is wonderful as the shy pharmacist, Sciorra is a beautiful and engaging ex-wife to Dillon, and Mary Louise Parker comes across as a much better match for Dillon's character than Sciorra. If you want a good romantic movie, see Happy Accidents instead. Review refers to the VHS Tape edition

Mr. Wonderful
This is a feel good movie that proves love can conquer all! Plus, you get to look at Matt Dillon for an hour and forty minutes...need I say more!

Based on a True Story
A man (Matt Dillon) falls back in love with his ex-wife (Anabella Sciorra). That's it. What really makes this movie unique is that it's based on a real "Mr. Wonderful" which so happens to be me. The funniest movie critic in the world is back and says that this movie is a delight, no a treasure to witness. No, I am a treasure to look at.

Casting Error, Big Mistake!
This is an utter failure as a romantic comedy. It is not romantic, nor is it a comedy. The fact that anyone would choose a sullen Matt Dillon over the obviously desirable Vincent D'Onofrio is not to be believed. It is only because of Vincent that I gave it 2 stars for the 6 or 8 minutes he appears in the movie and brings it to life. Vince is always excellent and compelling. He could have made something of the title role, but it was not to be. The audience's loss, I fear. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

ENGLISH PATIENT
Movie was very well made. It has excellent cast. Ralph Fiennes should have won an Oscar for best actor as he is as deserving as the winners best supporting acrtess J. Binoche and director A. Mighella. Ralph Fiennes is perfect for the role of Almazy, who did a truly fantastic acting. He is outstanding when he was ailing and almost ready to die upon recalling the death of his lover insde the cave. The scenes at the desert --- awesome, especially the sandstorm. I did not see the other 2 DVDs inthis package so I can't rate it.

Package incorrectly identifies all movies as anamorphic
I purchased both this volume and Volume I from a local bricks and mortar store after I saw the labels indicating that the packaged DVDs contained widescreen anamorphic (a.k.a. "Enhanced for 16x9 televisions") and Dolby Digital 5.1 versions of The English Patient, Il Postino, and Shakespeare in Love. Sadly, 'tis not true. I don't know whether the false labeling on the packaging was accidental or intentional but it appears that Miramax has simply packaged the same crappy widescreen (non anamorphic) DVD versions of these movies that I've been refusing to buy for several years now. Needless to say, all of the movies are going back tomorrow. As far as I know, Il Postino and The English Patient are STILL only available in a matted widescreen format. Only Shakespeare in Love is available in an anamorphic widescreen format. If you only own a 4x3 format T.V. you probably won't notice a difference - until you upgrade to a 16x9 set. Then, like me, you'll never buy a "fullscreen" or matted/widescreen DVD again. ... Read more