Perhaps the best love story in the history of cinema

Rating: 10/10 (31 July 2018)

Watched this movie again, for maybe the tenth time since it was first released in 1990, and it is still as fresh as ever. An angry business man who uses his money to destroy businesses, and the in the process hurt people, meets a street hooker, a real slut, and they fall in love. Alone, both are struggling to survive; together they form a bond that nothing can break. On the surface the story seems farfetched, even contrived. A rich guy hooking up with a slutty whore - no way. However, this why this movie is so great. The story is not only believable, but appealing. Despite the huge difference in their social statuses - Edward is loaded with money and spends it, while Vivian is struggling just to pay the rent - both characters have one thing in common - intelligence. In each one's respective circles, they are surrounded by people who are not only vile but stupid. The movie captures how Edward and Vivian immediately connect. It is the key scene in the movie and shapes the entire story. Botch that scene and the whole story collapses. The cast brings this story to life. Richard Gere and Julia Roberts deliver the best performances of their careers. Gere is somber and tense and Roberts is sassy yet a little menacing. Their chemistry is impossible to miss. They become the characters they are playing. The movie depicts the story in a straightforward manner. The movie shows how Edward and Vivian evolve, in the process bringing out aspects of themselves that were lying suppressed. Alone, they were fighting the world; together, the world is theirs. Tremendous story about the power of love.