Product: Head in the Clouds (2004)
Rating: 4.0
MY GRADE: A minus.
This bittersweet epic love tale encompasses a golden time for three lovers and their friends in the early years before the Spanish Civil War and then World War II. It follows a rich heiress (Charlize Theron) who pretty much just wants to enjoy her privileged lifestyle and though she had many male admirers and lovers she finds herself falling for a man of somewhat lower station (Stuart Townsend), who aspires to fight in the Spanish Civil War and then in the French Resistance. Some might argue he's an idealist whereas she is a realist though the film supports the belief that we live in the same world and therefore need to defend it even if it is another country. Penelope Cruz plays a love interest and friend to Theron, longing to return to her Spanish homelands.There are prominent themes of fate, love, duty and doom. The lovers are definitely torn in their beliefs between love at all expenses and duty to an ideal.As of late I'm finding the WWII stories to be saturating the market but I did find the unattainable love story engaging. Pessimists will find it melodramatic.This picture won a number of Genie Awards. Memorable soundtrack, too. I am surprised this picture wasn't based on a novel.CINEMATOGRAPHY: A minus; STORY/PLOTTING/EDITING: B plus to A minus; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: A minus to A; EPIC SCOPE/COSTUMES/SETTING: B plus; ROMANTIC TALE FOCUSES: A minus; WHEN WATCHED: early September 2012; OVERALL GRADE: A minus