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COLD
MOUNTAIN
5/10
USA 2003
: Anthony MINGHELLA : 152(-155) mins
The US Civil
War, 1864: injured confederate soldier Inman (Jude Law), sickened by the
blood-and-gore senselessness of battle, escapes from military hospital
and heads home for Cold Mountain, North Carolina, and his waiting sweetheart
Ada (Nicole Kidman). Back on the farm, Southern-belle Ada proves ill-equipped
for the outdoors life until a concerned neighbour organises help in the
form of no-nonsense Ruby (Renee Zellweger), who immediately starts putting
things in order. But as Inman continues his hazardous progress, Ada and
Ruby face dangers of their own…
Adapted by
Minghella from Charles Frazier’s bestselling novel, Cold Mountain works
best as a sumptuous showcase for a gallery of strong performances. The
central romantic couple are engaging, despite spending the vast majority
of the movie far apart; Zellweger injects much-needed energy and humour;
and the supporting cast boasts entertainingly vivid (if too-brief) turns
from the reliable likes of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Eileen Atkins. But
the many incidental pleasures of this blatantly Oscar-baiting production
are undercut by Minghella’s over-careful, old-fashioned direction, and
the limitations of his predictable screenplay. Predictable and episodic
as a drama, it tends to reduce complex political, historical and social
situations to the simplistic level of goodies-vs-baddies.
23rd
December, 2003
(seen 22nd December : UCI Filmworks, MetroCentre, Gateshead)
click here
for Oh, Carolina!, Neil’s essay
on Cold Mountain
by Neil
Young
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