An awful movie

Rating: 3/10 (28 May 2002)

There is so much that is wrong with this movie. It's atmosphere is grim from beginning to end, for no real purpose. Harvey Keitel, a wonderful actor in certain types of movies, is almost comically miscast here. Holly Hunter, normally a very verbal actress, is called upon to keep her trap shut through the entire movie. Why is she a mute? It seems that Jane Campion is trying to make some sort of feminist point here about the silencing of women--why do feminists feel like they have to make an entire movie in order to bludgeon us with a political cliche? And there is absolutely zero chemistry between Hunter and Keitel, even as they're compelled to grope each other for the cameras.
Then there's the music. What period is this supposed to take place in? I would guess 19th century by the costumes, but Hunter's character plays the piano in a style more appropriate to a New Age street performer in Seattle than anything from that century. And it's truly bad music, adding a tinge of schizophrenia to the overall gray mood. Watching this is a truly dreary experience.