I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

Better Late Then Never

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

Older but totally buff Bruce Greenwood (as Tom Avery) has been married three times and considers himself unlucky in love. He discusses romance with listeners in his job as a late-night radio talk show host. Often seated below his billboard image on the subway, Mr. Greenwood attracts some weird one-night stands, especially women with foot fetishes. Assured by one of his adopted mothers there is "a lid for every pot," Greenwood finds his lid in beautiful Emilia Fox (as Fay). She works on mermaid exhibits for a museum. When problems surface in Ms. Fox' parents' marriage, we are left to wonder if the institution will survive. Enjoyed Greenwood and Fox as actors, but never cared whether or not their characters were able to maneuver modern marriage intrusions. The plight of parents Edward Fox (as Richard) and Martha Henry (as Audrey) was more interesting.***** The Republic of Love (9/11/03) Deepa Mehta ~ Bruce Greenwood, Emilia Fox, Edward Fox, Martha Henry

THE REPUBLIC OF LOVE is yet another fine film from Canada based on Canadian Pulitzer Prize Winner (for 'The Stone Diaries') Carol Shields' novel by the same name, and written for the screen and directed by the gifted Deepa Mehta ('Earth', 'Fire', 'Water', etc). It is a satisfying story about the human boundaries set by/for love and how those 'republics' touch and clash and interact.Tom Avery (the very gifted actor Bruce Greenwood) was an illegitimate child, raised by a homemaker class as a teaching lesson in how young brides to be should learn the skills of tending house, who has grown up, married three times out of a need for belonging and for being loved, and is currently unattached, making his living as a night talk show host helping the lonely hearts. Into his life steps the beautiful museum curator, currently immersed in a Mermaid exhibition, by the name of Fay (Emilia Fox) who remains single because of her exceptionally high demands for a partner. The two meet, fall immediately in love much to their individual surprise, and proceed to court and encounter other couples (especially their parents) who seem to hold the winning medals for perfect marriage.Fay's parents (James Fox is Richard, the father) have just celebrated their anniversary when Richard abruptly decides to leave his wife. Fay runs to her mother's rescue, leaving Tom alone and the apparent brunt of Fay's disillusion of marriage. The changes that occur cause Tom to reflect on his history of marrying too often in unions that have not met with success. How Fay and Tom ultimately resolve the abutments of their personal republics is the part of the story that carries the film.The entire cast includes some of Canada's finest actors and the film is solidly directed by Mehta. There are aspects that disrupt the flow of the story, the main one being the incessant and very loud East Indian music that seems wholly out of place and is at best distracting (the score was written by Talvin Singh). Mehta also elects to throw in some bizarre cutesy animation at the end that for this viewer cheapens the story. But flaws aside, this is a fine film graced by the presence of Bruce Greenwood and Emilia Fox. Recommended entry from Film Movement. Grady Harp

The problem with 'Republic of Love' is that it is a film made because it has a good filmmaker, not a good script. There was totally inadequate attention to detail in the drawing of the lead characters, and the result is a sprawl that is tied together by a good visual sense, not a good narrative one. If you are making a political allegory, that can be fine, but if it is a love story, you are sunk. I kept thinking about all of those publicly funded organisations which had bank-rolled the film and, in spite of my leanings towards the public support of fine filmmakers, found myself thinking that people who were risking their own money would not have jumped with such a weak script (and barely adequate cast...)

Words cannot describe the distance between the novel and the piece of work on the screen. Yes, I know, "novels suffer in transition to the screen." But they should not suffer this badly. Carol shields deserves better treatment and not from a "Bollywood" director who claims to be Canadian by paperwork.