

Commonplace

Reviewed: December 16th, 2003

Cold Mountain
is Miramax's overt memo in compensation the Best Picture Oscar of 2003. It's a exhaustive, very romanticized, Civil War epic directed by Oscar winner Anthony Minghella (
The English Patient
), and features three big stars; Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renée Zellweger. Filled with battle scenes and stoned drama, this large screen just screams, "I'm a Best Notion contender!" As it happens, although this Dialect right obvious asseveration muscle repel some, I think
Cold Mountain
lives up to its own hype and is in low-down one of the best pictures of 2003.
It tells the story of Inman (Jude Law), a Confederate soldier who deserts from the army after a near death experience at the bloody battle of Petersburg. This intense battle scene rivals
Saving Private Ryan
's opening moments in terms of violence and mayhem. Deciding that he's had enough of war, Inman sets out for his home on Cold Mountain where he hopes that Ada (Nicole Kidman) will be waiting for him.
While Inman has been misery the realities of war, the mannerly southern belle Ada has been forced, following the death of her reverend father (Donald Sutherland), to learn how to survive on her own. She does a completely poor job of it until colorful beachcomber Ruby (Zellwegger) shows up on her farm and offers to help.
The movie follows the two storylines of Inman and Ada's journeys with flashbacks to how they met and fell in love intermingled. Inman's travels bring him into contact with an assortment of different characters, adventures, and well known actors in minor roles, including a small but well played part by Natalie Portman as a young widow with a baby. Ada's journey is more internal as she learns to become more independent.
While all three of the leads give good performances, it is Zellwegger who steals the most scenes and stands the best shot for an Oscar. As Ruby she stomps around Ada's farm spouting colorful lines and providing comic relief amongst the heavy drama. By contrast, Kidman plays it very restrained and Law's Inman is more of an observer to the events going on around him.
Minghella and his Cinematography partner John Seale (
English Patient, Talented Mr. Ripley
), ensure that if nothing else, the movie looks fantastic. The battle scenes are vivid as are the quieter moments, particularly those at the end in the snow filled mountains.
The only weakness I found was that the villains of the movie, the Home Guard who track down Deserters, are so two-dimensional. They have a very specific plot function to perform, but little character besides just being 'the villains'.
At 2 and half hours in length, some may find
Cold Mountain
too long. Are there scenes that could have been trimmed? Of course there are, but personally I think the film would have been weaker if they had been cut.
Up against
The Return of the King
, it is doubtful that
Cold Mountain
will take home the Oscar, despite Miramax's best efforts, but in my opinion it at least deserves a nomination.
Did you enjoy Scott's march past?

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Reviewed: July 18th, 2004

Unprepared Mountain
is the most over rated movie since
The English Long-suffering
! It is unoriginal and poorly written. It looks OK champion but is really extremely forgettable.
Ada is nothing more than a Scarlet O'Hara wannabe. Early in the movie, she is a flirtatious southern belle. Within a few moments of eye batting and silly conversation, she convinces Inman to clear an entire field, even though they just met for the first time. After her father dies, she is left destitute on her beautiful plantation. The only thing missing was Ada standing on a hill proclaiming that; "As God as my witness, I will never go hungry again!"
Scott pointed out that the bad guys are one-dimensional. What he should have wrote is that
all
the men in this movie are one-dimensional. Ada grows as a person. Ruby deals with her father issues. Inman walks a hell of a long way just to get laid. All of the guys in this movie are either morally reprehensible or mentally challenged. I put Inman in the latter category.
Jude Law walks around the entire movie with a blank expression. I had no idea what was going on with this character, and after the first hour, I stopped caring altogether. In the beginning of the movie, Inman is shy and indecisive. At the end of the movie, he is shy and indecisive. Ada makes the first sexual move, and had he been more decisive he would have not gotten shot by the albino. So after three years of war and travel this guy has not grown?
Yes, Ruby is the best thing about this movie. Her first scene with the chicken is classic. The movie should have been told entirely from her perspective. Unfortunately, she is the supporting character, and we are left with a half-baked Scarlett O'Hara and an Inman who is just plain half-baked.
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