"Cold Mountain" - A Technical Review

Rating: 10/10 (24 January 2005)

Adapted from the Charles Frazier novel, and a poignant study of love prevailing over distance, time, and war, Cold Mountain (2003 Miramax Films) tears a romance asunder by means of the Civil War.
Reverend Monroe (Donald Sutherland) and his beautiful and loving daughter Ada (Nicole Kidman) move from Charlotte to the community of Cold Mountain, North Carolina just before the War Between the States. Ada subsequently meets and falls in love with Inman (Jude Law), a local laborer and soon-to-be Confederate soldier. Inman is sent to the front lines as his relationship with Ada is only beginning, and, soon after their relocation, Reverend Monroe passes away, leaving Ada to care for herself. Much to the dismay of her neighbors, Ada is unable to take care of both herself and the Monroe's property. When it seems as if the situation could not worsen, Ruby Thewes (Renée Zellweger) arrives and restores the Monroe estate and Ada. Inman meanwhile escapes from a military hospital, deserting his country and its cause, to return to Ada, to whom he has been writing and from whom he has been receiving letters. The movie relates Inman's journey home and also chronicles the difficulties that both Ada and Cold Mountain experience in the absence of all of its able-bodied men.
Virtually every aspect of Cold Mountain is effective in contributing to the movie's success as a whole. Casting is excellent. Each actor fits his or her role quite well  there are very few times in the movie that the audience is reminded that this is a production by professional storytellers. Scenery is unquestionably one of Cold Mountain's fortes; sweeping panoramic shots of picturesque landscapes characterize the movie's cinematographic establishment of setting. Along the same lines, the movie's setting (both time and location) compliments the central theme of romance exceptionally. Cold Mountain's use of Civil War-era Appalachia for a backdrop plays on the nostalgia of the audience perfectly. The tempo of the movie is another of its strengths. At no point is the viewer bored  constant plot twists abound and new characters appear often, yet the observer commands a comprehensive understanding of the tale at all times. To top it off, Cold Mountain successfully utilizes an oft-ignored component of cinema: music. The musical score does its job modestly, enhancing the different elements of the film, but it rises to the task when called upon.
First-rate casting, outstanding cinematic work, and a plot that is both captivating and moving provide for an extraordinary movie. Cold Mountain relates a saga of romance and undying love while exploiting the historic sentiments of its viewers.