Good God, man, pull yourself together.

Rating: Null/10 (25 September 2004)

Yet again another example of a year when a small independent film should have taken home the golden statue known as Oscar, but instead a bigger budgeted independent film (if you can call it that at all) swept it all. This film was none other than The English Patient.
I know this was actually an independent film, but it surely didn't look like one when I went to go see it in the theater. Big sound, big big budget, and beautiful (expensive) scenery, leaves only the actors to be the 'independent' of the entire scenario. Ralph Fiennes, Kristen Scott Thomas, and Juliette Binoche, and Willem Dafoe round out this seemingly independent production. Minghella pulls out no stops as he takes us on a whirlwind tour of  World War II?
Love is a power theme as the human spirit is explored through eating peaches and talking about the 'one that got away'. While this was enjoyable the first time I watched it, I do not thing I could force myself through another viewing. It was interesting, but not provocative. It was enjoyable, but not powerful. It was emotional, but not gut-wrenching. In essence, it was lacking the 'umph' to get to the next level. I really think this could have been a decent film, but sadly, Hollywood caught it way too soon!
Grade: ** out of *****