MOVIE - THE HOURS - Review Rating $$$$$ $$$$ (OUT OF 10)
STARRING - Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman (Virginia Woolf), Julianne Moore, Ed Harris, John C. Reilly, Stephen Dillane & Allison Janney.
DIRECTOR - Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot)
Based on the 1998 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Michael Cunningham.
The Hours is the story of how Virginia Woolf's novel, Mrs. Dalloway, impacts upon and influences the lives of three women; the author herself, a 50's housewife, and a modern day lesbian version of Martha Stewart.
What is most intriguing about The Hours is that, despite little actually happening, you almost immediately become engrossed in the intertwining stories of these three women. One of the reasons that you become caught up, so quickly, in The Hours is that the three women portrayed are all dynamic individuals facing compelling personal circumstances.
The second reason that your interest is maintained relates to the storytelling method employed. The story of the three women unfold in what essentially amounts to vignettes interrupted by vignettes from moments in the lives of the other two women.
Each vignette serves to further deftly develop the character of each our heroines and advance their story line. Each vignette is also a soap opera like cliffhanger in that they end at a point that leaves you wanting to know what happens next.
The third reason why The Hours is so compelling is the performances given by three of Hollywood's most talented leading actresses and a superb supporting cast. Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven) shines once again as a 50's housewife. There is something about her, the era, and the characters she portrays that produces an on-screen persona that is utterly convincing and entrancing. She exudes a sexuality and vulnerability reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe. Meryl Streep (Adaptation, Kramer v. Kramer) once again reminds us of the depth of her talent. Hers is the toughest role, in my opinion, because her character is both less intriguing and sympathetic than the other two women. The fact that her portrayal makes us care about this character is a testament to the powerfulness of her performance.
By now everyone knows the story of Nicole Kidman and the fake nose. You simply will not recognize her. What you will recognize is that the boundaries of Kidman's talent is apparently limitless. The diversity of her recent roles defies compartmentalization. The transformation that Kidman undergoes, depending on what a role requires, is so masterful that one wonders if she is part chameleon. She so completely blends into her surroundings that you completely forget about her larger than life public persona. Her portrayal of Virginia Woolf embodies nuance layered upon nuance that has to be seen to be fully appreciated.
The supporting cast is pivotal to the success of The Hours. The male partners of all three woman, Ed Harris, John C. Reilly and Stephen Dillane are all worthy acting adversaries. Indeed, Ed Harris's performance is being touted as worthy of an Oscar. It is going to be interesting to see how he fares going up against the elder statesman Paul Newman. Personally, while I think Harris gives a great performance, I thought his portrayal of the painter Pollack was better. However, that performance was overlooked at the time and he deserves a golden statuette.
The only failing in The Hours is the ending which I won't ruin for you by divulging it. I will say that it turns into an unconvincing tribute to lesbianism. I don't like being hit over the head. As with the final moments of One Hour Photo this scene would have been better if we had just had our suspicions confirmed without the added melodrama. This is a relatively minor flaw that is easily overlooked in an otherwise brilliantly conceived and executed movie.
The Hours is another example of the ability to tell a complex and complete story in less than two hours. This is a pet peeve of mine and always worthy of mention.
Go see The Hours, a movie so compelling the ending will seem like it arrives minutes after the film began. Those minutes are precious and filled with gems.
Alternative Reviews:
Roger Ebert's Review
Peter Travers / Rolling Stone Review
Rotten Tomatoes Reviews
Official Website
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© Copyright
2003
David Schwartz.
Last update:
8/9/03; 11:07:05 PM.
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