MovieChat Forums > The Hours (2003) Discussion > Unrealistic

Unrealistic

posted 13 years ago by kes992
21 replies | jump to latest

I haven´t decided whether or not I think this is a great movie. I definitely didnt enjoy watching it, but that´s another issue.

But I´d like to ask the people who love this film whether they view it as realistic. I found myself judging it based on its verisimilitude, and I became preoccupied and a little annoyed with, for example, the young Richard´s level of emotional perceptiveness and wisdom, and the one-dimensional acting (directing?) of Moore and Kidman (one-dimensional in that they only had one emotion throughout the entire movie). The dialogue seemed unnatural. Of course I noticed the intentional repetition of images, lines, and scenarios, and other artistic devices. Was I just watching the wrong way?

(FYI I liked the Clarissa Vaughn story best. It was emotionally dynamic, and Streep shone as usual.)

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kes992 13 years ago

Sure! I think I missed something with this movie. I wasn´t so blow away by Kidman´s furrowed brow.

I know that film is an art form and that truth isn´t always best represented by realism. But I still appreciate convincing naturalism, just like I appreciate a naturalistic painting, especially when I can´t understand the purpose of an abstraction in an otherwise "realistic" work of art (the hours seems realistic at least in terms of the characters´ thoughts and emotions). And that´s my problem here.

I´m not going to call any perceived "false chords" mistakes, because I could tell they were intentional. I just didn´t like them, maybe I didn´t get them. It couldn´t have helped that I watched it online in super-low-quality, I´ll probably re-watch on DVD. So I´m interested in what you have to say!

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kes992 13 years ago

also, I just don´t know if I liked Nicole in her role. She seemed to just mumble and look fierce... until the train station, that is

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kes992 13 years ago

Yeah, I liked the way the transitions from story to story were connected and mirrored each other. Clarissa breaks her eggs, Woolfe´s maid cuts up the meat, and Moore does her cake thing, for example.

That said, emotions seemed unnatural sometimes, even though honest emotion seemed to be the goal.

Concrete example is young Richard. He knew his mom was in danger. He know when his mom may have needed to hear "I love you." But he´s 5. Why would it not be enough for us to see it in Moore´s eyes that she recognized that her son loves and needs her, and continued to pursue suicide?

It´s true that I can´t relate much. I know that Woolfe was depressed and suicidal. Its often hard to relate to such characters but this woman still had desires and motivation, which made me sympathize with her in the end.

On the other hand, Moore´s character seemed a postpartum depressive woman who was tortured by family life. Yet, she sympathized with Kitty, did she not also sympathize with her husband? Her character is more confusing to me. And she chose not to commit suicide because of her child. The more I consider it the more I am convinced she just had severe postpartum depression and had to get out.

People behave in strange ways. But as a viewer I can´t help but try to assign some kind of motive to a character, and if I can find none, I think maybe mental illness. We all have desire, and an apathetic character is not as complex, certainly not dynamic... There was obviously depression in this movie but even that does not seem to explain some of the behavior in The Hours.

Visually I have nothing bad to say about the movie. Good cinematography, and a befittingly neutral color scheme.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kes992 13 years ago

It is confusing to me because otherwise what was her motivation to live? Maybe a bit of irony, because Woolfe obviously had reason to live-- she cared for her novel, her husband, her sister, london, yet she killed herself.
Moore cared for nothing yet she couldn´t kill herself. Ambiguous, you bet!

Well thinking about movies always makes me appreciate them more. I already like it better after this little discussion. And next time I will see it on a better screen.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Di_bear 12 years ago

The two of you speak about depression as if outside influences factor into that person's perceptions. Have you ever really been depressed? Have you every truly had suicidal tendencies? When you are in that state, it is the loneliest place in the world, even if you are surrounded by people who love you. Keep that in mind when watching this movie.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] amnesiac-kid 11 years ago

you sound very heartless.

[–] victorherm54 12 years ago

=========cafais: "Here is one of the many artistic details to look for when you re-watch The Hours:

Right after the credits we see Meryl Streep reach for a vase of flowers, then we see John Riley pick up a vase of flowers and place it down in another location, finally we see a maid in the Woolfe residence rearranging a vase of flowers. Three different times; three different people; three different vases of flowers - - yet one action - - a single arc. As skillfully done as a perfect triple lutz. You can almost hear the blade slicing through the ice. "====================

hahaha One of the most ridiculously pretentious things I've ever read on IMDB.

:D "You can almost hear the blade slicing through the ice"

Where do you people come up with this crap??

[–] shurbanm 12 years ago

I agree with you on young Richard. This is my only gripe with this movie. Some would say why do you expect realism. Because without that you are reminded it's only a movie.

[–] jones7418 12 years ago

Moore's character seemed to either be in a bad mood or depressed all the time. She gives an effort to be happy but it isn't there, for whatever reason. Even in her wedding photo, she looks miserable. She was unhappy at least as far back as high school. My guess is she suffered from a terrible chemical imbalance that made her progressively anti-social. Winding up alone, an old librarian, was probably the closest she ever came to being happy.

[–] ciprianl 10 years ago

So you consider that unhappiness is caused by chemical imbalance? Then perhaps Huxley's Brave New World represents the solution to all our problems. A world where everyone were made to be happy (by some kind of genetic engineering combined with proper medication).

[–] akua-4 12 years ago

I just saw it Showtime and found it all to be a construct, but as others have mentioned, found many truths in small moments. I don't know if it was the acting or the writing -- possibly both in that neighter Moore nor Kidman pushed me out side of the world they created when they were onscreen.

Moore: taking her son to the baby sitter, delaying going to be with her ugly husband, kissing Toni Collette, played her shades of grey depression, desire to escape, bird fluttering against the cage, really well.

Speaking of birds, Kidman with her niece, talking about how the female bird is bigger but less colorful, and laying next to is flower bed grave, o... so touching, and when she cries with fierce longing after her sister, for the child filled, familial company-- that struck me deeply... and how she said "goodbye little girl" versus the child's name... ahhh...

[–] pierce-mn1 12 years ago

Both Virginia Woolf's book Mrs. Dalloway and Michael Cunningham's novel, The Hours are exceptionally good reads, but this movie leaves much to be desired, but it's probably just me. I don't think this is material for a movie to begin with, and Nicole Kidman's nose makeup got her an Oscar. Personally, though, the Virginia Woolf and Julianne Moore sequences are good. I just can't stand Meryl Streep, and she slows things down in a role that would have been goof for someone who can act like Jamie Leigh Curtis or Diane Keaton.

[–] mikey_editor 12 years ago

I am always glad when Allison Janney is in a film because it means transgender Americans are still employable

[–] BriMargo92 12 years ago

Why must everything be realistic for it to be honest?

Please re watch this movie again. Try not to judge a movie on realisticness. You will be missing out on many good movies....many different messages.

Also Virginia Woolfs story was based on facts. I dont see how that is unrealistic

[–] TerpStudent 12 years ago

The reason the three leads may seem to be "one-dimensional" is because the film is of course a portrait of one ordinary day out of each of their lives. Characters don't develop or transform much in one day.

However Laura had clearly evolved from 1951 to 2001. Her personality hadn't changed, but she was living honestly.

Ignore the trolls! Any failure to do so will only grant them the satisfaction they seek!