I'm in love!

Rating: 10/10 (5 March 2005)

I've now watched Cold Mountain twice in 24 hours. I have to say, this is one of the best films I've seen in a long time. When the film first came out, I wasn't at all tempted to view the movie. It appeared to be dull and depressing. I happened to receive the novel as a gift, and recently finished reading it. I was absolutely enchanted with the book. I've never really been impressed with movie adaptations of books. This novel was so brilliant, I felt an urge to see the visual adaptation. My oh my, I'm glad I've seen it!
The acting was absolutely superb. The whole cast gave believable performances that totally envelopes you with emotion. My favorite character was Inman. He didn't say much, but his body language and facial expressions spoke a thousand words. I also think the chemistry between him and Ada closely represented what was written in the book. They only kissed once before Inman went to war, so some may think it's unreasonable for them to cling to their love through three or four years of separation. We're talking about the 1860's people...sex before marriage was uncalled for. A kiss meant so much more than it does nowadays! The cinematography was stunning. Who knew that Romania was so beautiful? According to the director's commentary, scenes jump from S. Carolina, to Virgina, and then to Romainia. The transitions were seamless, and you had no idea the filming was done on two different continents. You could also understand why Inman was so drawn to Cold Mountain. Not only was it Ada, but the locale was mesmerizing. The music was entertaining and poignant. Stobrod's fiddle changed his life forever, which in turn brought him together with his daughter he neglected for so many years. The music not only affected the characters emotionally, but the viewer as well.
What more can I say? I am absolutely shocked. I had no idea I'd be so in love with this film. I'm an indie film type of gal, but I'm ecstatic I gave this big budget Hollywood film a chance!