Not bad, but not for me

Rating: 5/10 (27 May 2002)

This is a film I approach with mixed feelings, because while I think it's a good piece of work, its excessive running time (Three hours?) and the extremely sluggish pace don't make for a movie I want to see. Actually I watched it in the cinema (Thinking it would be 'faster') and I remember nearly falling asleep and wanting the movie to end.
Make no mistake. I'm not saying the movie is bad, but its flaws are what I've pointed out above, and if a film has a good cast and acting but lasts much too much, loses most of its charm. Similar examples include Magnolia or Gandhi, being the latter one I haven't seen nor I think I ever will. Not that I am fond of shallow stuff, but I don't like seeing films that could be used as a cure for insomnia, either. I'm serious.
However, I'm going to give The English Patient at least a rating of five, because you could do a lot worse.