Pleasantly Surprised

Rating: 8/10 (11 March 2001)

My biggest film-buff friends didn't like this movie, so it took me nearly five years to get around to seeing it. I'm very glad that I finally did see it. Expert cinematography, carefully-handled subplots, and rock-solid acting make this film a cinematic masterpiece.
The movie is slow, but I didn't find it boring. This is basically a frame story told in flashbacks. Be careful when watching this movie to note the dates of the various flashbacks, because they're not all in sequential order; however, I found that they were masterfully interwoven.
The primary love story didn't really pull at my heartstrings at first, but I frequently have to make an effort to set aside personal judgmentalism for a story about an adulterous relationship. It's easier for me when the betrayed spouse is blatantly evil or a big jerk, like Lord Wessex of "Shakespeare in Love" (Poor Firth... his female's always falling for a Fiennes) or the Thief of "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover." While Clifton may not have been a perfect husband, he genuinely loved his wife. Near the end of the movie, when Almasy and Katherine go back to the cave, (I'm trying to avoid a spoiler here) is when their love story really seizes my heart. It was around this point in the film that I began to realize what all the hype was about and see the genius of this film. I think the last 30 to 45 minutes are the best part of the movie and well worth the wait. This film was definitely worthy of its 1996 Best Picture nomination. Did it deserve to win? I haven't seen its competitors recently enough to offer an informed opinion, but I don't think the '96 Oscars upset the order and balance of the universe.