Film Review: The English Patient

Rating: Null/10 (11 April 2001)

Loosely based on Michael Ondaajte's book, Anthony Minghella's rendition of this war-time love story combines themes of love, betrayal, patriotism, morality, faith, and mortality. With a much deserved Best Picture Oscar, the movie is beautifully filmed, the plot intricately and masterfully laid out, and is accompanied by a masterpiece of a score. Repeat viewings are required for this movie as the plot can be at first difficult to understand. Indeed, it wasn't until the second and third times I saw it, that I truly grasped how intricately layered it was with themes about humanity. A rich and deeply absorbing movie, it is both emotionally captivating and intellectually satisfying. Don't be put off by it's long running time. It's well worth it. (Sidenote, this is my favorite movie of all time.)