One of Kubrick's best.

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 1999)

Wow! Truly a must see! Kubrick's final film delivers an amazingly emotional and psychological experience unlike any film to date. At first glance, the simple plot and lack of dialogue appear to make for a pretty dry movie. Kubrick though, true to form, teases, prods and uneases his viewers through an unbelievably perfect ballet of sight and sound. At some points in the film, the music rips at your nerves with merely a few keys on the piano. At others the music provides an eerie subtlety to the immoral chagrin forced upon the viewer by Kubrick's intense visuals. The dialogue, though scarce, follows the music and imagery in that the viewer becomes entirely enveloped in the emotions that the carefully chosen discourse drags them through, especially during Kidman's monologues. Conversely, Cruise portrays his intensity through painful facial expressions and tortured demeanor. Both hollywood superstars gave an amazing, unique performance, even though this is not a hollywood picture. This is not a Tom Cruise film. This is not a Nicole Kidman film. This is a Stanley Kubrick film. In a better world, this film would steal the academy awards...we shall see.