FILM TITLE: NELL DIRECTOR: MICHAEL APTED COUNTRY: USA 1994 CINEMATOGRAPHY: DANTE SPINOTTI MUSIC: MARK ISHAM CAST: Jodie Foster, Liam Neeson, Natasha Richardson, Nick Searcy, Richard Libertini SUPER FEATURES: Excellent film all around.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some films take you by surprise, and just tear you apart. And then some films make you feel guilty that you didn't enjoy them sooner. NELL is such an example.
This is an excellent, loving, and caring film about .... well, about .... Nell, who has been raised in the woods away from all contact, except her own corners of the world. And she has created her own language, based on the sounds of her grandmother who brought her up. Nell had been afraid of the daylight since her young days, when she was scared.
And two people have come to discover Nell, and have different opinions about how to study her and re-introduce her to society. Jerome is a bit of an anthropologist, and he does things his own way. And Paula is representing an academic side that takes what it can at whatever price for the sake of its own ego.
And Jerome manages to get a three month observation period, to find out what they will do with Nell, now that she is by herself. They find that Nell comes out at night, and sleeps most of the day. During the night she lives her imagination, and the memories of her childhood, with what appears to be a twin sister who died, in unclear situations, and was buried by Nell amidst the rocks and caves in the area.
Nell manages to survive the eventual court proceedings, and she has grown to cope very well with everything around her. She eventually joins the family of the local sheriff, whose wife has a similar physical condition to that of Nell. Nell may have grown some, and her innocence is now translating into womanhood, but she has not lost any of the feel she has for the child within, as the last scene indicates.
There are some wonderful things in this film, and most of them center around Jodie Foster, and the design of the film. It is a visual showcase, and well designed in the evening and night scenes that it creates to display the child within this grown woman. In the evenings Nell goes to the lake in front of the house and relives in her mind, the happy days with a twin sister, and the way this is directed and photographed leaves no doubt as to what is the prettiest and best part of this film and story, and what we, the audience, are supposed to defend.
This is a film with excellent performances, even if Liam Neeson is probably the weaker of the three leads. He seems to gasp to keep up with two ladies that have lived theatre and film all their lives and know how to be and unload at any minute. His character is good but not as strong as the other two. The other two stand out, and Liam's characterization only stands out because he is in the way between the outside and Nell, and just about everyone has to go through him. But he manages to hold himself well, even if the acting has to descend into the level of mechanics to be able to get something across. One never feels this lack of ability and confidence in the other two ladies. But it is not fair to say that Liam is not good. He is very good.
This is an excellent film, well designed all around, with excellent music and cinematography for anyone who is capable of enjoying these things. It is not only a strong film, but one that will linger for some time in one's mind. Quite an achievement in design and creativity.
Excellent work.
4.5 GIBLOONS Copyright (c) Pedro Sena 1995. All Rights Reserved.
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