
Ralph Fiennes and Kristen Scott Thomas dance in -- say it with me now, teeth clenched
together -- The Eeeeenglish Patient.
|
patient. 1. adj. bearing annoyance, pain, etc., without complaint
or anger. 2. n. a person who is under medical or surgical treatment.
You'll understand both definitions after sitting through the rambling, three-hour
epic of The English Patient, the indie gem that stole the hearts and tears
of every woman in America last year, not to mention pretty much all of the Academy
Awards. If you missed its theatrical release, home video is a great place to catch
it; even though you'll miss out on some of the majestic cinematography, the promise
of a pause button more than outweighs any loss of quality. You'll probably need rewind
as well, if you want to follow the subtlety of Minghella's unnecessarily convoluted
plot structure, tracing might-be-a-Nazi Fiennes through the African theatre of WWII,
his love affair with the often-naked Thomas, his care under Oscar-winner Binoche
after being horribly burned in a plane crash, and his dealings with Dafoe as the
mystery man in all of this, as if things weren't complicated enough. While it's an
adventure on the surface, The English Patient has a love story as its heart,
and its earnest soul ultimately redeems any superficial flaws. Be forewarned, though,
that the best movies never have happy endings
--Christopher Null
Full Length Reviews
The English Patient 
Other Films by Anthony Minghella
The Talented Mr. Ripley 
Film Vault Suggested Links
Gone With the Wind 
Fifty Four 
Oscar and Lucinda 
Related Merchandise
Search for related videos at Reel.com
Search for more by Anthony Minghella at Reel.com
Search for related books at Amazon.com
Search for related music at Amazon.com
Rate this Film
If you don't want to vote on a film yet, and would like to know how
others voted, leave the rating selection as "Vote Here" and then click the
Cast Vote button.
|