Surprisingly incoherent and boring

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

First of all, let me say how incredibly funny--and offbase, the criticisms of this film are. Crankiness about the acting and script, in particular, are hilarious. Except for being about 30 pounds too light for his part, Clive Owen perfectly captured Ernest Hemingway. He was brave, a braggart, a bully, an unabashed adulterer and he did mistreat John Dos Passos during and after the Spanish Civil War. Nicole Kidman as Martha Gellhorn also did a fantastic job as the hardworking, courageous Gellhorn. (BTW: the priss who objected to her sexiness in pants was laughably wrong. Gellhorn did, in fact, catch Hemingway's--and many other men's eye with her long legs and looks.) After having read several Hemingway biographies, I'd say this is a pretty accurate look at the pair, minus a few points for some Hollywoodisms. For example, Mary Hemingway was asleep in another room the morning Hemingway committed suicide. All in all, a terrific film and it's best to ignore the silly carping of the critics, particularly those who MISSPELL HEMINGWAY'S NAME when it's in the title of the film . One "m," people.

The production values on this TV movie are impeccable; expensively mounted sets, well-crafted costumes, and a clever use of technology that integrates the modern-day actors into archive film. This latter technique is especially good when it comes to showing Hemingway (Clive Owen) and Gellhorn (Nicole Kidman) and their involvement in the Spanish Civil War, and on their return to late Thirties New York. The main problem with Philip Kaufman's film, however, is the plot, which does not have much to say about the two protagonists, other than the fact that Hemingway's capacity to love women was often severely affected by his obsessive masculinity. The desire to prove himself triumphed over everything; it invaded every aspect of life, rendering him quite an unpleasant, if successful person. Gellhorn comes across as a feisty person, but we wonder precisely why she remains so attracted to Hemingway. Partly the fault lies in Clive Owen's performance; at no point does he come across as someone blessed with extraordinary creative talents. On the contrary he seems petty-minded, almost babyish. Nicole Kidman does what she can with a thankless role, but her performance remains studiously one-note. The film is at least an hour too long; it simply makes its central point about Hemingway's behavioral shortcomings over and over again. Definitely one to watch only once.

It doesn't benefit from being an HBO made for television film, but it does have an indulging romantic moments and enthralling storyline. I wasn't expecting a voice as deep as the one Kidman uses for Gellhorn, but her performance works and you are with Martha's motivations and actions every minute. Clive Owen isn't as successful as Kidman, but he has scenes to seize the audience's attention. Hemingway and Gellhorn mixes the typical style, specifically, the cinematography sparks creativity with different film stocks it utilizes. Not a must see, but a worthy watch.Rating: 7/10Grade: B

I'm surprised at the many negative comments posted here. I thought this was a superbly done film in all respects. It captures the essence of the Spanish civil war and the feel and mood of the thirties. The recreation of Frank Capra's famous (and controversial) photo was brilliant as was that of another famous photo: the abandoned child in the ruins of Nanking. The fades from black and white to colour were a neat technique that capitalizes on our memories of both the Spanish and Chinese conflicts which of necessity are based on black and white newsreels. And although it's been done before, inserting the movie's characters into actual footage of FDR and other historical figures was brilliant. The one negative --- otherwise I would have given it a 9 or even a ten --- ware the needlessly long, overly explicit and laughably acrobatic sex scenes. They cheapen an otherwise very well done film!