Overview: In adapting his own novel The Cider House Rules for the screen, John Irving sacrificed at least some of the depth and detail that made his humanitarian themes resonate, while the film - directed with Scandinavian sobriety by Lasse Hallstrom - is often vague about the complex issues (abortion, incest, responsibility) that lie at its core. Allowing for this ambiguity (which is arguably intentional), the film retains much of what made Irving's novel so admired, and like Hallstrom's earlier feature What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, it's blessed with a generous, forgiving spirit toward the mistakes, foibles, and desires of its many engaging characters.
Central to the story (set during World War II) is Homer (Tobey Maguire), a young man raised in a Maine orphanage, where the ether-sniffing Dr Larch (Michael Caine) rules with benevolent grace while performing safe but illegal abortions. To expand his horizons, Homer follows a young couple (Charlize Theron, Paul Rudd) to do fieldwork on an apple farm, where his innocent eyes are opened to the good and evil of the world - and to the realisation that not all rules are steadfast in all situations. By the time Homer returns to the orphanage, The Cider House Rules - which features one of Caine's finest performances - has run out of steam. The film ends up being memorable more for its many charming and insightful moments than for any lasting dramatic impact. Is Homer fated to come full circle in his kindhearted journey? It's left to the viewer to decide.
Tech View:
Reasonable colours, somewhat suitably washed out. Some grain and occasional screen artefact.
Extra's:
Usual watch-once (if you're really bored ) ho-hum promo's.
Critique:
First off - an Oscar (tm) for Michael Caine? You are kidding me right? His acting - fine, his accent - atrocious. The part of "Mr Rose" is played by Delroy Lindo, similarly from Sarf Lundun, only his accent never intrudes upon the performance. Tobey M's curiously passive, near idiot-savant style is bang on for Homer though. All the leading characters have a curious moral ambivalence that is treated very generously (in one case I would say too generously) by Irving.
Despite the movie dropping much of the discursiveness of the novel it still fails to hang together. Things just happen, the drift of the central character somehow leaking into the dawdling story-line.Beautifully filmed, interesting and unusual subject matter, strong moral questions: it has all these but is fatally nailed by a complete lack of momentum.
Probably the most successful of the three John Irving screen adaptations, The Cider House Rules is a decent and thoughtful film. Hallstom avoids the ickyness that marred Chocolat, and is very good at photographing snow and Charlize Theron in the nude (body-double methinks - first rule of Hollywood nakedness, if you can't see their face, it ain't them!).
Recommended.
Des Bull.
Trailer
Film Credits
Directed by Lasse Hallstrom
Produced by Richard N. Gladstein
Written by John Irving
Starring Tobey Maguire
Charlize Theron
Delroy LindoPaul Rudd
Michael Caine
Cinematography Oliver Stapleton
Editing by Lisa Zeno Churgin
Distributed by Miramax Films
Release date: 17 December 1999
Running time: 126 min.
Language: English
Budget: $24,000,000 (estimated)
Gross revenue: $88,545,092
Cast and Characters
Tobey Maguire as Homer Wells
Michael Caine as Dr. Wilbur Larch
Charlize Theron as Candy Kendall
Paul Rudd as Lt. Wally Worthington
Delroy Lindo as Arthur Rose
Erykah Badu as Rose Rose
Heavy D as Peaches
Kieran Culkin as Buster
Jane Alexander as Nurse Edna
Kathy Baker as Nurse Angela
Kate Nelligan as Olive Worthington
Paz de la Huerta as Mary Agnes
J.K. Simmons as Ray Kendall
Evan Parke as Jack
Jimmy Flynn as Vernon
Erik Per Sullivan as Fuzzy S.
Skye McCole Bartusiak as Hazel
Academy Awards
The Cider House Rules won two Academy Awards and was nominated for an additional five:
Won - Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Michael Caine
Won - Best Adapted Screenplay: John Irving
Nominated - Best Picture: Richard N. Gladstein
Nominated - Best Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Nominated - Best Editing: Lisa Zeno Churgin
Nominated - Best Music, Original Score: Rachel Portman
Nominated - Best Art Direction: David Gropman and Beth A. Rubino.
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