Not nearly "Minghella" enough for me

Rating: Null/10 (22 July 2004)

Never before have I been so bewildered by a movie before, a movie that is by equal terms laughably bad and awe-inspiring. The opening battle scene is one of the best I have ever seen filmed (although the question of how Inman's Indian friend survived the knife fight with the black Union soldier when it clearly shows he was about to get the sharp end of it), and the reflection of fighting soldiers in the bloody mud puddle with a blood-drenched Union flag on the ground was a nice touch.
The problem I had with the film (notice I did not say, "the problem with the film" props to me!) is that, crowd-pleasing moments and Minghella-type storytelling do not mesh. Rumours abound that Boss Weinstein had too large a hand in this production in his zeal for the annual Oscar campaign. The deft artistic risk-taking and touches that Minghella lovingly placed on "The English Patient" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley" are few and far between in "Cold Mountain".
Ms. Natalie Portman is of particular notice, she gives an excellent supporting performance in her all-too brief screen time, and the sexual tension between her and Mr. Law clearly overshadows the tension that Inman and Ada were supposed to have. It just goes to show that some things cannot be faked.
I must point out Robert Altman's excellent film "McCabe + Mrs. Miller" on how to properly film a period movie, much less a Western. In that film, you can literally feel the dirt and grime oozing out of everything. The actors have real dirt on their face, clothes, and under their nails, not movie makeup. I only mention this because its the inappropriate use of makeup in this film that distracted me from fully immersing myself in the story. For example, when Ada meets Inman for the first time, instead of concentrating on how they are reacting to each other, I was totally mesmerized by the detail and complexity of Nicole Kidman's eye makeup.
This is a good movie, but not a great one. Somehow, I expected better from Minghella. I think he has paid his dues by now, so perhaps on his next Miramax film he will be able to tell Boss Weinstein what exactly he can do with himself.