Once is enough for this one

Rating: Null/10 (28 August 2002)

I was so looking forward to seeing this when it came out because I'd heard so many good things about it, but I can honestly say, I have never been so let down by a film in all my life.
Oh it's a beautiful film, well made with great cinematography and two very beautiful actresses but that's not enough to make me like this overrated piece of cinema.
Don't get me wrong, I thought Juliette Binoche was wonderful and she thoroughly deserved her Oscar. I really connected with her character's story but unfortunately Hana's story was only a sub-plot to the Count and Katherine's doomed love story.
I have to say, nothing surprised me about this film, doomed love and love triangles have been done before, a thousand times. I felt no sympathy for the Count or Katherine, at the end of the film I felt that they had gotten what they deserved. I think for someone to feel that way about a love story is a damning testament to the way a film is made, particularly this one. I ended up feeling more sorry for Katherine's husband (played admirably by Colin Firth) than for the Count or Katherine.
I'm a great fan of love stories and romance but this just didn't do anything for me. I didn't like the two leads at all and I certainly didn't connect with them. I found the sub-plots far more interesting than the main story line. Defoe, Firth and Binoche were great and I was far more compelled by them than by Fiennes or Scott Thomas.
In short I'd just like to say that once is enough to watch this film. I've only seen it once and I have to say, my time could have been better spent. Not a deserving Oscar winner by any stretch of the imagination.