One little thing keeps the movie from greatness.

Rating: Null/10 (12 January 2003)

Even after being withheld from the viewing audience for so long I was ready to give this movie the benefit of the doubt. Everything was clicking into place for the material to astound me. The costuming and cinematography were brilliant, the sets built by hand amazing, and the actors put on performances of a lifetime. The story was even involving despite the time old revenge thy family cliche. But then the movie got hit in the face by the romantic subplot. Theres nothing truthfully wrong with most of the romantic scenes in the film. There are the good scenes like Jennie nursing Amsterdam back to health after his mauling by Bill, or Amsterdams reaction to Bills little display of Knife Throwing using Jennie as his assisstant. But when the first scene started and the two began to bicker with each other, I knew exactly where this was headed; Jennie used to be Bill's girl!!! And suprise suprise Amsterdam some how becomes pigheaded in his treatment of her until one night of passionate lovemaking. To me if both of these plot points had been left out for more convential scenes of the two falling in love, the romance would have been a little less hard to swallow. As it is whenever Dicaprio and Diaz began bickering on the screen, I began to nod off in my chair.
As for the rest of the movie though, Scorecesse has directed the film which should definitely be up for the running in the best picture category this year. Everything mentioned before under his watchful eye smacks of perfectionism. The history while disjointed from the great book, is noticably applied in scenes. While no review would be complete with out mentioning Daniel Day-Lewis's brilliant portrail as Bill the Butcher. If he was not nominated this year for some kind of award, then it proves every single award for film is a sham.