Amazing Amazing Amazing

Rating: 9/10 (29 March 2004)

Movies are designed to speak to people, for them to relate to. While most of those movies are made to have people relate to extreme or common to all folks this movie speaks to a select few. But it does so with such respect, such brilliance and such beauty that it is hard not to be moved by its message.
Let me first say that I have hated every Jim Carrey movie with the exception of The Truman Show, I don't like slapstick prat falls, and funny faces and his normal over the top act. In this film it is amazing how well he depicts someone believable. He is both sad and happy, hurt but strong and he is willing to give up pieces of himself for another that he loves.

Scenes where he is back into childhood are so beautiful and unexpected, we all think if we could go back and confront the bully with our current mind we would "not be afraid of them" but they still prevail. And while given several opportunities to be very "Jim Carrey" he is tender and understated.

As far as Kate Winslet, I have admittedly only seen one film with her in it "Titanic" and her other Artsy films did not make my VCR or eyes. She, aside from being beautiful is truly believable. She is able to be both hated and loved in the same breath. You can see that she is a good person with problems, not evil.
I am not going to jump on the supporting cast support bandwagon on this film as I found them to be very much in the background. While good they were necessary components to make the film work.
I think this performance which has been well liked by most people who see it, and liked by most critics may be a surprise Oscar hit next year like the Piano was. Jim Carrey defiantly deserves a nomination and Michel Gondry should get at least a best Writing Nod.
Worth seeing, worth thinking about, and most of all worth remembering.
5 out of 5 *'s