These are perfect performances by Kidman and McGregor -- both emotionally and the way they look..

Rating: 10/10 (3 June 2001)

This is a fresh, exciting movie that has to be seen, and seen on the wide screen. It is brilliant in many aspects, with few valleys. I would have enjoyed more coverage of the dancing and a few less camera swipes, fly-arounds, and quick cuts, though. Some of the art direction is breathtaking. Nicole Kidman is absolute filmic beauty.
Most incredible is the way Kidman and McGregor stay within their characters and make their romance real and totally believable -- not so much as a story but as a magical connection that burns between them. Both have a screen presence in this film that is magnetic and captivating, and when they are together their combined energy makes looking away from them impossible. They are brilliant, and since many of their scenes with sustained emotion and emotional development are cut together from footage in totally different make-up, costumes, settings, and lighting, the work of both the director and editors must be considered brilliant, as well.