Easily Best Picture 2003: War is not Civil

Rating: Null/10 (5 December 2003)

Attended a screening last night followed by Q & A with Minghella, John Seale & Dante Ferretti. This movie is a jaw-dropping acheivement in storytelling - every element beautiful, perfectly told.
Performances by the all-star cast are stellar: Jude Law throws down the gauntlet in a performance that could have been eroded by "actorly" indulgence in a less-finessed actor. Here, he is marvelous - subtle, empathetic; it's a beautiful and spare rendering of a simple man living on fumes in a war he doesn't wholly embrace. Supporting characters are a delight - Philip Seymour Hoffman is Ham-City, appropriately, in his role as a disgraced preacher. Natalie Portman provides one of the most heart-wrenching performances I can think of related to this time and a woman's plight in the Civil War; it's an absolute gut-punch of a portrayal. Taryn Manning and Melora Walters are absolutely unrecognizable in their roles. Scene after scene, you discover that these supporting characters are heavyweights in their own right, but the revelation of their identity is not detrimental to the flow of the film. The actors seem to delight in their anonymity here, with the exception of Nicole Kidman's character Ada, who is (puzzlingly) perpetually rosy-cheeked and pearl-toothed. Kidman's performance is effective - we believe her story, her passion, however she looks like a movie star here - so much Vivian Leigh in "Gone with the Wind" - which, for my eye, did not enhance the believability of the character.
This is a film about the Civil War, told through the eyes of the denizens of rural Cold Mountain, North Carolina. The story is based on a book by Charles Frazier, which I (thankfully) did not read - thus had no basis for comparison. The statements that this film makes about the horrors of war are strong and disgustingly realized, without being overtly political or heavy-handed. We get the idea that this is how our Civil War was waged, in the mud-pits, sumac-covered gullies and smoking cabins of rural America. The film takes a look at how the war impacted the civilian population of the country, not just the soldiers. Without giving too much away, this film delivers a prescient message about what is going on in our world right now.
Technical credits deserve awards, certainly. Ferretti's production design and Ann Roth's costumes resonate with period detail, and help tell the story particularly through the use of color. Observe Nicole Kidman's Ada go from white to black as the movie progresses. Seale's photography is intimate and natural. This is not lyrical, obvious camera work, which is a good thing. The audience gets the feeling that they are observing the action naturally, invisibly. It's a gorgeous bit of cinematography that is so invisible as to go unnoticed, but let's hope not, at Oscar time.
For making a movie about North Carolina, it's curious and sad that the film was shot in Romania. However, you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference. Who knew that Transylvania was a lush, hilly Southern-US-looking region, where you could actually grow tobacco -?
There is so much more to say about this wonderful film, but it's best to just go out and see it. I can't wait to see the message boards on this film once it is released. Hats off to you, Anthony Minghella - you've done it again. 5/5 stars.