A tale of two movies

Rating: 8/10 (2 February 2004)

When Miramax spends $80 million dollars of their money to back a film, then spends another $25 million for marketing it, you can be sure that they expect huge things in return for their investment. Then again what studio doesn't? Most studios are pleased as punch when their films simply give them a profitable return on their investment. I'm sure Miramax loves a profit margin as well as any other studio but for films like Cold Mountain they make them because of the little visions of gold Oscar statuettes dancing around like so many sugar plums in Harvey Weinstein's head. Nothing wrong with that either, I suppose, but when you set out to make a film with winning awards being a top priority, everybody had better be at the top of their game. It is apparent in Cold Mountain that everyone involved is trying hard to achieve greatness.
Minghella bring us the riveting stories of a Confederate Soldier, Inman Balis, struggling to find his way back home to the life and the woman he loves, Ada Monroe. Ada, at the same time is struggling to hold on to her farm with the help of Mountain woman Ruby Thewes.
Cold Mountain is a breathtaking film to look at. John Seale's cinematography of Civil War Battles and landscape is almost worth the price of admission alone. Dante Ferrati's production design, especially in an early battle sequence will leave you gasping. Along with Minghella's direction, it will remind one of the opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan. In other words, war is chaos and hell, and there's not much glory in getting your body parts blown around the battle field.
I can find no fault with the acting in this film either. Though some have been critical of Nicole Kidman performance and most notably her accent. I found her southern accent to be every bit on a par with many others who have played the Southern Belle but were hardly from the South. It is (the accent) easily comparable to that of Vivien Leigh's Scarlett in Gone With The Wind. As for her performance, it is a role that is not demonstrative, requires reserve and Kidman gives it exactly that. So why fault an actress for staying in character and bringing to life the role of Ada Monroe as it was meant to be?
Jude Law will quickly make you forget his robotic role in AI. As Inman Balis, he too is a quiet reserved Confederate soldier, who is willing to fight for the cause up until he has nothing left to give, and begins to see how hopeless and pointless the bloodletting has become.

As mountain woman, Ruby Thewes, Renee Zellweger nearly steals the show. When she shows up to aid Ada in putting her farm back together, she brings new life to the film and the audience. Having watched as Ada struggles just to stay alive, and as Inman deserts the Confederate Army, Ruby gives us a shining glimmer of much needed hope. She is a strong willed, no nonsense woman, and with Ada and Ada's farm sees a chance to have something that would not have been possible previously.
There is not enough words available to me to talk about the excellence of the rest of the supporting cast. Brenden Gleeson plays Ruby's no good father who returns for a last chance at redemption. Eileen Atkins as the always concerned, always giving friend Maddy, who after witnessing one of many senseless acts of brutality in this film, is forever changed. Natalie Portman as the young widow Sara, trying to deal with the loss of her husband while raising her ill child will make you forget completely about her stale performance in Attack of the Clones. Ray Winstone, who plays the head of the local home guard, is as evil and lecherous a villain to ever disgrace the South. Donald Sutherland is also on hand giving a touching portrayal as Ada's father.
So, with all the great cast and production values, why does Cold Mountain fail to achieve greatness? Unfortunately, it just tries to do way too much. Most of the blame is with the screenplay, and the rest of it has to be placed on the shoulders of director Minghella. In trying to bring us so much story, we are never quite drawn into it the way we should be. At times we are with Inman as he fights to make his way home, then we are returned to the story of Ada and Ruby on the home front. What this does is shortchange both stories. The opening scenes between Kidman and Law pass by so quickly that we never truly understand the chemistry between them. This is made even more difficult because Ada and Inman are both quiet and reserved by nature. We can see where they may be attracted to one another but we never feel it in our hearts. Ada's struggles on the farm and Inman's struggle to return home are both captivating in themselves but trying to tell both stories just doesn't blend together. Just as we are being drawn deeply into Inman's story, Minghella quickly whisks us away to check in on Ada and Ruby. By the time we may return to Inman's narrative, it has lost whatever momentum it might have gained. I would have like to have seen a film about the story of Ada Monroe, Ruby Thewes, Maddy and Teague. A film about a Confederate soldier deserting the army to return home would also have been a great film. Putting these two stories together is trying to give us too much of a good thing, and sometimes it's better to have just enough than overfilling the cup.
My Grade A-