THE CIDER HOUSE RULES *** (out of four stars) A review by Jamey Hughton
Starring-Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Michael Caine, Delroy Lindo and Paul Rudd Director-Lasse Hallstrom Canadian Rating-PG
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In anticipation of the John Irving adaptation `The Cider House Rules', I imagine audiences were more skeptical than optimistic. Although Irving's novels have been revised to big-screen format in such gems as `The World According to Garp', the most recent example was the sentimental 1998 drama `Simon Birch' - a film that Irving reportedly detested to such a degree that he wanted his name removed from the finished product. In addition, the production of `The Cider House Rules' represents a 13-year battle for theatrical redemption. But surely don't scoff and dismiss it as another boring sentimental weeper, because `Cider House' actually offers a touching human story with a finely textured dramatic impact. To pass it up would not be a substantial mistake, but the experience is light, moving and ultimately worth your while.
The story opens during the mid-1940's at an orphanage in St. Clouds, Maine, where Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire) has resided for his entire life. Homer was denied admittance into the army because of a heart defect, and so he has stayed to help the kindly old head physician Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine) conduct deliveries and illegal abortions. When young couple Candy Kendall (Charlize Theron) and Air Force pilot Lt. Wally Worthington (Paul Rudd) arrive at St. Clouds with a request for the latter, Homer spots an opportunity to depart and begin a life of his own. Once out in the world, he is given his first view of the rippling waves of the ocean and is graciously offered a job in an apple orchard owned by Wally and his mother. Here, living in the Cider House with Mr. Rose (Delroy Lindo) and his employees, Homer finds a comfortable niche away from the orphanage. And when Lt. Worthington is called into battle, a romantic subplot develops between Homer and Candy, who (as it turns out) are hopelessly in love with each other.
Quite simply, `The Cider House Rules' is a movie of subplots. Another particularly shocking one, involving Mr. Rose and his young daughter (Erykah Badu), also culminates as the film reaches the meat of the story during its second half. I suspect that, without these involving examples of threading the central coming-of-age story together, the film could have toppled altogether like a clumsy house of cards. The process of evaluating Irving's novel to the fullest and discovering the morals and values of Homer's journey is a somewhat overlong (and occasionally aimless) exercise for director Lasse Hallstrom and company. Ultimately though, the film peaks during the climactic moments in dramatic satisfaction without even beginning to get excessive, and the rough patches earlier are overcome by a string of marvelous performances from a top-notch ensemble cast.
Maguire (`Pleasantville') is totally believable as the chief protagonist in `The Cider House Rules', and his earlier scenes with Caine (shining brightly in an Oscar-nominated performance) are among the most effective in the film. Theron (the rising star of `Mighty Joe Young' and `The Astronaut's Wife') is superbly convincing as the character of Candy, who deals with grueling issues that will be easily related to. The remainder of the cast (including the always forceful Delroy Lindo) deliver uniform performances of greatness. Backed by a beautifully flowing musical score by Rachel Portman and gorgeous cinematography courtesy of Oliver Stapleton, `The Cider House Rules' moves melodiously until Homer's journey has come to a close, offering several Kodak moments of poignancy and good-natured humor along the journey.
Looking back on the film, I'm finding it difficult to properly interpret some of the underlying messages that Hallstrom was attempting to identify. At times, `The Cider House Rules' becomes a victim of its own leisurely agenda - in hindsight, the cream filling is more tasteless than it seemed as I was exiting the theater. But `Cider House' still manages to win you over with its sublimely moving story, even if the emotional depth you were hoping for never fully arises. John Irving should be pleased with this finished product, and for that matter, so should you. `The Cider House Rules' induces a rewarding smile as the curtain closes, and that seems sufficient enough.
(C) 2000, Jamey Hughton
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