Magnifico

Rating: 10/10 (19 February 2007)

I'll make this short since there are probably thousands of reviews here already.
This is the 2nd movie after Saving Private Ryan that reduced me to tears at the end of the show. The success of this film was largely made possible by the talented director, great cast and a huge budget allocated for the movie. Although Crowe was the lead actor, much credit have to be given to Richard Harris and Joaquin Phoenix(not forgetting Oliver Reed) for adding depth and character into the movie. If I were only allowed to choose one, I would pick Harris(in portraying the slain emperor) as the best supporting actor over Joaquin, Oliver or Connie Nielsen. I think his performances are very powerful and not to mention the fact that I particularly admire his incredible acting in the scene where he told Joaquin he was not going to be his heir to the throne. His gestures, his expressions when listening to Joaquin's rant were just so real that you really feel for him being an aging but noble emperor.
Russell Crowe is better off given roles as a fighter(for a good cause) just like James Braddock in that boxing movie. He's still better suited to movies with patriotic kind of battles such as this one in Gladiator. Crowe just sucks big time acting in dramas and movies with love elements. Please we don't want to see him fall in love with Meg Ryan! We want an action star out of Russell!! I hope the directors are reading this so that Crowe can be given more roles that involve leading a pack of army or something and turn out to be a hero at the end. Never mind if he's dead or alive at the end of the show but it just adds more compassion and probably reduce some folks to tears if he really fails to keep on breathing at the end.
My 2 cents worth.