It puts itself in the way of people's kindness.

Rating: Null/10 (8 April 2004)

Allow me to preface my comments by saying that I have yet to read the book on which Cold Mountain is based, but Minghella's dependable allegiance to the literary works he translates to film lead me to assume that the original story is similar enough.
Jude Law offers a superb performance as Inman, the impassioned and driven lover who withstands many trials in his quest back to his love. Although Law makes it very easy to believe that Inman is truly in love and devoted to Ada (Nicole Kidman), the non-existent foundation of their love as laid out in the first 30 min. of the film left me often thinking "Oh! Com'on, they wouldn't be that in love, that devoted, to someone they barely even know!"
Kidman's performance is average as Ada, the object of Inman's affection and the prize at the end of his course. She pulls off the over-privileged and under-experienced upper-class girl quite well, but when it comes to the basic tenets of a character's believability, she falls slightly behind. One viewer mentioned that she loses her accent sometimes, but I never even heard her accent. Throughout the course of the film, she is supposed to toughen and become more worldly, but she looks like the same porcelain Kidman in raggedy, rough-hewn clothes.
Renee Zellweger delivers one of the best performances of her career. I have never agreed with the Academy more than when they gave her the Best Supporting Actress Award. She is wholly Ruby. She is witty, unapologetic, and never skips a beat. She seems to be the hearty person of the character she portrays.
Anthony Minghella's work in this film is well executed. Beautiful, sad colors, even when the Sun is shining, subtle photography that blends with the story, and top-notch performances by (almost) all on screen make it worth at least a rental. When I think about Minghella's films, I realize that he cares more about the culture and the place in which his characters live rather than the characters themselves, and this is more apparent than ever in Cold Mountain.
In general, the film is quite impactful and intense. The performances are engaging and the scenery beautiful, but the love that acts as the foundation and cause of the plot is weak and gives way easily to the scrutiny of a discerning viewer.