Wonderful heartache

Rating: 9/10 (12 July 2004)

Judging from the plethora of comments I've seen in the message board, there are lots of folks that loved and hated this movie. I could not have hated it, and not because I am located in the south.
I think that Nicole Kidman and Jude Law were perfect for these roles. The romance that the previews promised turned into a longing that I felt with every bit of the woman I am, but it didn't really disappoint me that it wasn't exactly as much a romance as I felt I was led to believe. I hadn't seen or read much about the movie before I saw it, and I'm glad. It was mostly a big surprise all around.
Renee Zellweger may just be the actress that stole the movie, but then I think she does that with every movie she appears in. I'll say she was an addition that kept it from becoming morose, for sure. Thankfully she added a bit of wit, whimsy, down home country feelings, which are very much a part of any southern home. Her brutally honest presence in Ada's life gave a feeling of security, even when she was being sarcastic which is often. *smile*
The war scenes were difficult to watch and seeing the desperate men that did their best to return home only to be shot down by the home guard hurt... because even though I understand their need to encourage loyalty to the confederacy, surely they had to realize that it was quite fruitless to kill that which you needed so badly - able bodied men! I cannot understand this part of history - meaning, I do not see what benefit it gave the confederacy, and may very well have been one of the reasons the south lost that war so pitifully. So many men deserted that were shot rather than rehabilitated.
Anyway, I thought Donald Sutherland was wonderful in his brief role, and think he always lends a classy air to any movie. The ending was bittersweet... the waiting, looking and watching, hoping and praying they both did ended differently than I'd thought it would.
I would buy this one and recommend it to anyone. Whether you like it or not is up to you, but I loved it and so did my husband.