A Brilliant Conflict

Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Okay, technically there are worse. I usually like Joseph Fiennes. The movie's plot was badly written and heavily contrived. There was nothing romantic about the romance in this movie. Every line was softly spoken in true stalker fashion. This is the guy that you do NOT want to be with. The whole, "You will never be loved like this," thing is not sweet and loving. It's creepy. When she says he was the man she loved, I asked myself, "Why?" She knew nothing about him. For 14+ years she loved a man she knew nothing about. She stayed with a man she didn't love or care about. Ella was weak and unlikable. The acting was stilted. The plot was terrible. I think the best acting in the movie was Javier. Ray reprises the same kind of role he usually plays. He did a fine job at playing the same character he usually plays. This movie has probably ruined Fiennes for me as well. Just all around bad. 2 stars only because I finished it.

Brazilian Globo TV showed yesterday in it's "gala" time this film. Maybe the complete belief in the 'universal' (rather coprophagous) appetite of the masses for a bit of cheap entertainment between reality show "Big Brother" and the soporifics Late Hour News...On the other hand, a proof that prestige of American film in general, and of names like Schrader, Liotta, Fiennes are untouched If I write here right now that we took it as a bona fide self-parody, or maybe an attempt to emulate Ed Wood in producing the worst film possible - Yes, things like that are already been said before on this board, as I read above...The best point, to place it, after all, above the 'awfull' grade: It's funny, thanks for some sincere giggles and roar of laughters while the whole evolves - in short, a classic in the "worst of" category... (In this mood, don't' miss it!)

It is (Gilda) meets (The Count of Monte Cristo). Watchable ? Yes. Effective ? Yes. Great ? Nay ! In fact Hollywood kind of kept itself far from this romantic melodrama since the 40s and the 50s. In the eastern half of the world these themes are still beloved, rather holy. Look at the Indian movies. They never get board of steamy love dreams, hard revenge stories, and fake white hair for the actors! This time writer director (Paul Schrader) tried to make a comeback. But why despite the actual, sometimes charming, gloss I felt that everything was dead predictable, being extremely clear-cut from miles away ? I believe not much of efforts were done to reform the pretty old characters. I didn't feel something revolutionary. And under the cloudy skies there was nothing but warm colors and some delicate dialog. The idea that neither the girl, nor her husband, identified the returning lead didn't convince me for a second. The make up, the hand's infirmity, the accent, and the hair color weren't enough I suppose. I thought that there must have been other powerful matters. The scene of "I want your wife" wasn't less unconvincing itself. The lead was facing a man who got to kill before due to his love, so threatening him this cheeky wasn't for the sake of anybody on one side, and wasn't quite the revenge that the character longed for on the other side.The movie's factors, especially the cinematography and the soundtrack, worked highly. The cast made a fine job, but why I thought of more charismatic stars to play these parts?! Maybe because this kind of icon stories don't demand lesser than icon actors. In terms of being captivating stars like (Glenn Ford, Rita Hayworth, Tyrone Power), this movie's ones seemed like the understudies. But you can't blame them for trying.Welcome to some portion of decent pure melodrama. I know that this movie will be cherished by a lot of young viewers who didn't use to experience black and white movies (or many Indian ones). But as for me, I enjoyed it as something to watch, and not to touch deeply or dazzle outwardly. It's a commercial movie, but it was lighter and less original than being as classic as its antecedents. It got magic. But not the magic.

Great movie -albeit, not too original. Good acting -let's say I was pretty well content with the actors and they're portrayals of the characters. An old story with an different twist -or maybe twists that seriously remind of a bunch of different movies. But you figure, 'Hey, it's going to have a unique and blow-your-mind kind of an ending,' right? WRONG! In fact, I'm still waiting for the ending to happen. It's been hours and the DVD is still in the thing, just playin'. I waited through ALL the credits, hoping that some kind of 'sneaky' ending would come, and NADA! It's like they just ran out of film or something. But, hell, I'd forgo any or all of the credits just to see how this frickin' story ends. PLEASE! thank you -7 out of 10- if anybody cares. I doubt my opinion matters, but this COULD have been 10 out of 10 with SOME (just a modicum) of closure. Maybe even 'the end'. At the end.the end