This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Cider House Rules is the best movie I have ever seen! It is full of so much meaning for all of humanity. Tobey Mcguire made the film what it is; a wonderful story about life. No wonder it won academy awards. Anyone who has been in an orphanage knows what love and acceptance can be in making a life. Tobey Maguire exemplifies in his daily life all the qualities we should strive to have.

The Cider House Rules is a great movie with a well developed plot and a very talented cast. It is a very hard hitting movie that deals with some very surreal themes. As we follow Homer Wells leave the orphanage that he spent his whole life in, we get to experience a young, naive man seeing the world for the first time, and being put in to his shoes in such an effective way by the writer and director makes it feel like it is our first time as well. I have to agree with the late great Roger Ebert in saying that this movie has far too many sub plots that is barely gets a chance to touch on several of them. I understand that it is based on a book that had all these stories, which works out fine for a novel, with a movie, however, it would have been far easier to cut it down to under five stories that could fit in to a two hour gap effectively. The cast is phenomenal from beginning to end, Tobey Maguire delivers a rich, layered performance, and his chemistry with Charlize Theron makes for an effective on screen relationship that is without a doubt one of the movies highlights. Michael Caine delivers one of his most versatile performances to date in this role, playing a loud, well spoken Amerocan, he showcases his range and takes home an Academy Award for this role, which he could not deserve more. Slow moving plot that is a pleasure to watch unfold. Well written with top notch performances, The Cider House Rules is certainly worth the watch for anyone looking for a good drama. A young medic clashes with his mentor at the orphanage where he was raised and takes a job on a cider farm. Best Performance: Michael Caine

The Cider House Rules (1999): Dir: Lasse Hallstrom / Cast: Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Michael Caine, Delroy Lindo, Paul Rudd: Boring drivel staged as an art film. Too many disjointed subplots, none of which regard those stupid Cider House rules so the title functions on absolutely nothing. Tobey Maguire was raised in an orphanage by an abortionist played by Michael Caine. When a couple arrive for an abortion Maguire travels to the Cider House where he will pick apples and have sex with Charlize Theron while her husband is off to war. A real yawner with three pointless deaths that present nothing to the movie. There is a knife guy that is suddenly written out of the story. The incest factor leaves more questions than answers. Does any of this garbage matter? Director Lasse Hallstrom is backed with fine production. Maguire is miscast as this apple picking playboy who will ultimately make a controversial decision. Theron is there for no other purpose other than to sleep with Maguire then feel guilty when her husband turns up injured as oppose to dead. Caine begins well then witnesses pointless death scenes. Delroy Lindo is wasted as another apple picker. Paul Rudd has the misfortune of playing Theron's cuckold husband who was risking his life while she spread her legs. Its appeal depends on one's view of abortion. Overrated mess that should be aborted with a shotgun blast. Score: 2 / 10

Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine) runs an orphanage located at the isolated train stop St. Cloud's, Maine. Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire) was twice rejected in adoptions and grows up to be Larch's apprentice. Larch teaches him everything including performing abortions but he disagrees on abortions. Everybody loves him. In 1943, Wally Worthington (Paul Rudd) and girlfriend Candy Kendall (Charlize Theron) come for an abortion. Homer decides to leave the orphanage with them to everyone's chagrin including Dr. Larch. He works at their apple farm staying in their Cider House with the seasonal workers. Wally goes off to war. Candy and Homer start an affair together. Dr. Larch is setting up for Homer to return as the new doctor in the orphanage as Larch fakes all the medical credentials even without Homer's approval.The movie floats through many points and many themes in this story. The movie opens with a slow but interesting orphanage story. When Homer leaves the orphanage, the movie diffuses the attention between him and back at the orphanage. It is still interesting but the movie loses some of the little intensity. The romance lacks a certain heat. I don't think Tobey Maguire is a particularly good romantic lead. The story does have a nice slow burn. It's a fascinating dark poetic feel that keeps pulling back the audience. It takes some dark turns. The movie is based on a novel. Like many of these adaptations, it's a tough thing to squeeze a large book into a much shorter form.