don't care for the romance

Rating: 5/10 (31 December 2014)

Before the war, Ada Monroe (Nicole Kidman) and Reverend Monroe (Donald Sutherland) arrive in Cold Mountain, North Carolina. She immediately falls for Inman (Jude Law) and they become sweethearts. In 1864, Union sappers set off a large charge under the Confederate trenches outside of Petersburg where Inman is stationed. Union soldiers charge into the crater and are trapped under heavy Confederate fire. Inman is injured by friendly fire. After reading a letter from Ada, he deserts to go back to Cold Mountain. Meanwhile Ada's father dies and she is unable to work the farm alone without slaves. She is hounded by a home guard soldier. Her neighbor Swangers (Kathy Baker) sends her Ruby Thewes (Renee Zellweger) to help.
The movie starts with a very impressive battle. It is one of the grittiest vision of the ugliness of war. After that, the movie depends on the romance. The overwrought melodramatic romance doesn't strike me with any heat. It is literally the proverbial love at first sight. In great film romances, they spend a little time building to that point. It is usually time well spent. This is no Scarlett and Butler. In fact, Nicole Kidman makes me want to ring her neck like that rooster. The Old South of Cold Mountain before the war is a beautiful lush gentle place with few references to slavery. I guess that's fine although they mention that the Monroes let go of their slaves. It seems like a good thing to put on screen. Inman's journey seems fascinating but very random. Renée Zellweger may have won the Academy Awards but it's a bracing performance next to Kidman's. Overall, there are interesting scenes but most of all, I find the romance rather uninspired. This is no 'Gone With the Wind'.