Flows like a poem

Rating: Null/10 (17 September 2000)

Ada (Holly Hunter) refuses to speak and loves her piano like nothing else in the world. She travels with her piano to New Zealand for an arranged marriage with Alisdair (Sam Neil) and arrives by boat on a beach. They can't carry her piano so it stays on the beach.
Ada has a lil daughter Flora (Anna Paquin) and a secret relationship with George (Harvey Keitel). This movie is all about the relationship between those 4. They story is kind of compelling, though it didn't quite move me (apart for several scenes that were quite touching). The acting is marvellous. Both Hunter and Paquin won an Oscar for their performance. I was especially very impressed with 11 year-old Paquin who gave a very convincing and natural performance.
Most of all this movie is about its stunning visuals and music though. The movie flows like a poem. Especially the images outside are beautiful and music is some of the most wonderful I've ever heard in a movie. Summit for me of the movie is the beach scene. Hunter is playing the piano which is standing all alone on the beach. The song is absolutely wonderful and the images are poetic. Paquin is dancing as a ballerina to the beat of the music... SO beautiful. I've played the whole sequence about 6 times before I returned my tape. Definitely one of the best scenes I've seen.

Of course since I just loved the music I got the soundtrack. Track 4 (The Heart Asks Pleasure First), track 6 (The Promise) and track 15 (The Sacrifice) all feature that wonderful theme (I think track 4 is the very version from the beach scene). One of the most beautiful tunes I've ever heard in a movie.
All in all a rare and beautiful movie and one of the best movies of 1993.

8.5 / 10