A Gritty Look Back

Rating: 10/10 (13 January 2004)

If there was anything that really stuck out to me in Cold Mountain, it was the beautiful imagery. The scenery was just amazing, and you really get a sense that you are looking at a Civil War-era South. Some may complain that this movie lacked compassion or chemistry, but wasn't life back then a lot more restricted than it is now?
I thought the actors did a tremendous job, but it was the side characters that really stole the show. Natalie Portman gave a very strong performance in a small, but powerful scene. Philip Seymour Hoffman provided some surprising comic relief as did Renee Zellwegger who really shined as a tomboy who resurrects Nicole Kidman's broken down ranch. In fact, I'd say Renee deserves an Oscar for this role, but that's not for me to decide.
The movie is a little long, but you come to appreciate the struggle Jude Law's character goes through as he treks miles to reunite with Nicole Kidman, all while being hunted down as a traitor. I imagine this story isn't that far from the truth. Life was quite different back then, as I noted earlier, and probably more ruthless, so it wouldn't surprise me that some people were hunted down like dogs.
So overall, this is a very powerful flick. It gives you a true sense of what life was like back then, and it's another adaption of the classic Odyssey tale that just never gets old.
My IMDb Score: 10/10. My Yahoo! Grade: A (Outstanding)