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What a
bleak movie. The ending certainly wasn't what I thought it would be (I actually thought that Inman and Ada would actually
end up together, rather than one of them dying) but I think the film was better because of it. It's not a fairy tale, it's
a fairly realistic tale of lost love and the trials of war. It's difficult to know who is the good guy and who is the bad
guy, or if there even is one. There are times when the film appears to side with the South (that is where it takes place,
and the characters are Southern), but both Union and Confederate soldiers alike are portrayed as brutal and cruel (though
I think the Union more so than the South). Perhaps war is the villain here. It tears the lovers apart and kills characters
and rips families apart. It eventually kills Inman even. He has been wounded and suffers his wounds throughout the film, but
he is also a deserter of the Confederates, which means death for him. He is eventually killed by his wounds and one of the
men who hunts him for his desertion. His death is not particularly sad, yet it is the culmination of many of the deaths of
the film. Plus, for those hopless romantics who wish to see a happy ending (you get one, but perhaps not the one you wanted)
his death no doubt is distressing. The acting is simply superd. Nicole Kidman as Ada and Jude Law as Inman are very good in
their roles. But the best is Renée Zellweger as Ruby. She is uncouth and spirited and very likable. The film is well made,
although Brendan Gleeson as the troubled and unChristian minister is an awkward character among the other more stable characters.
The cinematography is brilliant. The South is beautifully captured in the camera and makes the land look splendid, even with
a war being fought. I found no real problems with the film. It was a bit long and not being a Southern sympathizer I found
the portrayal of the Northerners a bit cruel. Loss is a major theme here. Everyone has lost someone, whether it be through
war or the trials of life. This loss has taken it's toll on each of the characters in turn. Ruby refuses to be underneath
anyone after her troubles with her father, Ada's life turns to ruin after the death of her father, and the young mother Sara
(Natalie Portman) is so distraught over the loss of her husband that she needs Inman to sleep in her bed with her one night.
This is a love story, but it is also a story about the horrors of war and what comes with it. The film is also appropriate
for our time, what with the war in the Middle East. But it is still a love story. Love is wonderful, but it is also a trial.
Love is not easy, whether it is love for a child or parent, love for a country or land, or love for a significant other. Love
does not exactly prevail in the end; true, Inman returns home but he and Ada do not live happily ever after, and Ruby does
marry and reconcile with her father. I suppose one could argue that love does prevail, though, as Ada gets her life back and
the movie ends happily. But everything in life has a price, as is evident here. I did enjoy this movie, especially the fine
performances from the main actors. It's not a film to watch if you are feeling romantic and happy, but if you are looking
for high-class entertainment or are feeling down about love, then this film is a good choice.
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