Gilded cage

Rating: 8/10 (22 December 2009)

I have not read the novel, nor, I believe, anything else by Yates, though I would like to. From what I understand, it does not delve as much into the female lead as this does. I knew that I wanted to watch this from the moment I saw the trailer, and it did not disappoint me in the least. There is so much poignancy and so many brilliant observations about human psychology, nature and relationships in this, and, without knowing with certainty, I can imagine that they can be traced back to the author of the book. This is immensely realistic, as well as rather authentic... it really does feel like something out of the 50's. The plot is compelling all the way, and it develops well throughout. This is well-paced, there is not a boring moment to be found. The characters are credible, well-written and deep. Every role is well-cast, and DiCaprio and Winslet(who seems capable of exuding a ton of emotion with as little as a glance of her eyes) are flawless. All of the acting performances are spot-on. This is engaging and impeccably dramatic. You can't help but sympathize with the pair's struggle against conformity. This is not for those who see films as being escapism, as you might expect from anything by Mendes. The editing and cinematography are excellent, and the look of this is not glamorized. There is infrequent strong language, a little sexuality, and brief nudity in this. The DVD comes with an interesting and informative commentary track by Sam and Justin Haythe(who adapted this for the screen), a well-done featurette, and deleted scenes with the option of hearing the director's thoughts on them. I recommend this to everyone mature enough to appreciate it. 8/10