Evening Movie

Having read the book, I had to see the movie. Although I probably would have rented the movie anyway, not wanting to miss such an impressive cast all in one place:

Toni Colette - POW!
Glenn Close - POW!
Claire Danes - POW!
Meryl Streep - POW!
(plus her daughter, Mamie Gummer, playing her younger self)
Vanessa Redgrave - POW!
(plus her daughter, Natasha Richardson playing her movie daughter)

Turns out five rights sadly make a wrong. Not sure how this happened since Michael Cunningham (wrote The Hours) adapted Susan Minot's book, which was a best seller. How could that get screwed up?

The script was awkward in many places and the movie didn't flow well. It could have been an epic with notable Oscar performances, but it just fizzled. I even fast-forwarded through some parts because I either lost interest or felt uncomfortable about the bad acting. I felt sorry for these incredibly talented actresses. With the exception of a heart wrenching moment from Glenn Close (thank you for throwing her a bone), the actresses weren't given a fair chance to shine. Neither were the male roles, played by Hugh Dancy and Patrick Wilson.

If there was any reason to rent the movie, it would be to admire the magnificent coastal mansion that half the movie is shot at. It doesn't look real until you step inside and gawk so hard you can almost touch the dreamy murals. The decor is perfection and the view is sublime.

Other than that, the movie is mediocre and soporific at best. The book is definitely the better bet.