Being a guy, I initially had some doubts about this movie but I was pleasantly surprised after watching it. Usually I'm not a big fan of chick flicks but I really think this movie deserves at least an 8.0 rating. It was a well paced, simple and well-executed movie. I just wonder why others think it deserves anything less than an 8.0.
sharei think it deserves an 8.5 or something... i cried so freakin hard at the end.... ~sniff~
sharei didn't expect such gloom in the movie. from the beginning to the end, all this dark and depressing mood over the movie made me pretty uncomfortable. i can't say i like it very much.
shareYou think *this* movie is gloomy? Read about the original story by Somerset Maugham, you'll probably lose whatever faith you have in humanity after that!
shareI just this movie and am very fascinated by it especially the ending. So...I'm interested in why YOU cried at the end....can you explain please?
shareDitto!
Who Needs Logic When You've got Scientology?
Watts deserved an Academy Award.Too bad some critics disagreed.I cried at the end.
shareIt was a well done emotional moment, and quite a short one. That's the way I like them, sadly, happily... either way... It was a well executed film, and the story, though ever so common, was placed in an uncommon setting, which upgraded it. I'm not too sure I liked the locations... I really liked the location overall... But something was oddly reflected, distance-wise, river-wise, things didn't really seem to fit together properly geographically speaking.
I give it an 8/10 overall. Norton rarely goes wrong in his choices of projects.
***So I've seen 4 movies/wk in theatre for a 1/4 century, call me crazy?**
My thoughts exactly makeshiftcar. Must confess I groaned when one of my daughters suggested Painted Veil at our family New Year's get-together (Please! Not a chick-flick.) But then like you on watching it I was hooked. Gave it an 8.
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I understand disliking the label, but sometimes it is helpful. There are movies that are more likely to appeal to men, to appeal to women and movies that are for everyone. Likely, not for sure. Every woman doesn't necessarily prefer or even like chick flicks and the same with the guys. But sometimes the labels can be helpful.
shareNo, labels are just easy.
Heaven forbid the day that people don't rely on boxing each other in...
being a guy, i understand where you were coming from. but this films pedigree was beyond reproach. i guess it could be considered a "chick flick," but i think it is a "fabulous" film that finally has primaries that express what i have always believed would be a truly rich and lasting reproduction. 9.
shareMy husband would not watch it with me, and then laughed at me when I cried. :( I really think he would have liked it had he not been a butthead about watching it!
Yes I really am a real female, using the Internet. Hoowah.
Yes I really am a real female, using the Internet.
come on...from the moment you learned they were going where there is a cholera [sp?] epidemic, certainly you knew one of them was going to die of it! the only question was which one...
shareBeing a guy, I can uderstand why some guys had doubts about watching this. I did, but I'm happy I decided to watch it because I thought it was a great movie. The cinematography, the dialogue, the acting. It was all great.
"We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I'm no different." Memento
exactly what dinoman said! also, to whatever poster was wondering which one was going to die........read the book mfer!!!!
shareYeah, I did. However I must confess I spent the better part of the movie fervently wishing that the scriptwriters would spare them. In vain, obviously. The movie left me with a fierce determination to find the scriptwriter(s) and basically attack them.
I liked the way they handled it, though. I mean, if they had to kill him, they could have done it a lot worse. They made it at least slightly bearable. For example, I really liked the scene in the flower shop with Walter Jr., and then afterwards turning down Charlie... and the "forgive me"... holy cow, I swear my heart broke when he said that. Yes, I am an emotional female.
Anyway, I loved this movie. I'd give it a 9 or a 10. Just because the acting, writing, cinematography, all of it was so good.
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"I fancy you forgot to pedal."
However I must confess I spent the better part of the movie fervently wishing that the scriptwriters would spare them. In vain, obviously.
and the "forgive me"... holy cow, I swear my heart broke when he said that.
I didn't hate the movie but I wasn't impressed by it. I was really disappointed that it wasn't better after seeing the trailers (I don't read reviews or anything). I love Ed Norton's performances and was looking forward to adding this to the list of movies I liked that he was in.
I didn't have one emotional response to this movie. It's been a while since I've seen this so I can't cite any examples. I just remember being excited for it to come out on DVD, renting it (as a date movie actually -- the date didn't pan out either...hmm *laughing*) and not liking the movie overall. I can't see myself ever making this movie a recommendation. I'd even pass it up if I saw it was coming on USA some Sunday afternoon.
I will say that I never considered this to be a "chick flick". When a movie has romantic themes in it is it automatically a "chick flick"? If so, I disagree.
renting it (as a date movie...
actually -- the date didn't pan out either...hmm *laughing*)
A few people have posted that this movie deserved Oscars. Though it had good acting, direction, and cinematography, I think the film wasn't worthy, though I thought it was a very good movie. I quite enjoyed it, but this isn't the type of film the academy usually goes after.
"To die would be an awfully big adventure"
really? if anything, this is precisely the type of movie the academy goes for!
I mean look at the 'movies like this' thread. All of them are multiple oscar nominees.
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It happened to be a movie we both wanted to see. He had purchased it and we went to his house to watch it after dinner. *shrug*
shareFair enough - I was just messing around anyway .
Besides, I'm not sure exactly what does constitute a good date movie - I guess anything you can both agree to sit through is a good place to start.
This is in no way a chick flick. Maybe you're thinking of My Best Friends Wedding?
This is a masterpiece. The way their relationship deteriorates - the selfishness and spite on show throughout - doesn't make for a comfortable ride. As it draws to its ultimate and unavoidable conclusion you can't fail to be moved because the characters are completely three-dimensional, and the screenplay is not manipulative (your sympathies cannot lie completely with one character over the other). The book comes from the days of the all too common "Love in the Time of Cholera" trash, and tries to get as far away from that nonsense as possible. You could call it "Hate in the Time of Cholera", I suppose . So it wasn't even a chick-book.
I too wonder who is giving this film less than an 8. It's not pleasant, that's for sure, but is Taxi Driver pleasant? The Godfather? City of God? I suppose it hasn't got much action in it and it's more about the human condition - maybe some people find it gets them down. Perhaps people still can't get used to painfully tragic films (Di Caprio's heroic sacrifice in Titanic was the kind of tragic end that's acceptable in Hollywood, and wins the ladies over - I mean at least he didn't s**t himself to death). Naomi Watts character matures dramatically, but at enormous cost. You're moved, but you're angry with them both at the same time. This will make people feel uncomfortable. You really feel the loss and the sense of regret and maybe people just don't like this aspect of the movie. The direction, acting and cinematography are surely beyond reproach - but there are some people who just can't take this kind of ending. Then there are others who probably find it hard to empathize with the characters, perhaps it even leaves them cold. That probably loses it three or four stars for a lot of people.
There are many movies that I love that, even before I look them up on IMDB, I just know they won't get 8+, because they are either too painful, too messy, too controversial or too cerebral. It's too much to expect for people to really get these types of movies.
I'm just grateful that this screenplay is honest and unflinching. Too bad if it doesn't make the IMDB top 250 or win Oscars - neither are that important in the grand scheme of things.
also, not sure i'd call this a chick flick... i mean, the novel was by one of england's most respected male literary figures of the time.
chick flick is more '10 things i hate about you'. or something like 'little women'.
"also, not sure i'd call this a chick flick... i mean, the novel was by one of england's most respected male literary figures of the time.
chick flick is more '10 things i hate about you'. or something like 'little women'. "
I'm with everyone who is puzzled at this being named as a "chick flick." I'm not sure I know what that is supposed to mean anymore..........
People calling this a 'chick flick' do so because it's a relationship-focused period piece. While many of its fans will be 'chicks', as supported by this message board, it is just a great film that any mature person would appreciate/enjoy.