Joely-Richardson Movie Reviews

Pongo and Perdita are the proud parents of 15 dalmatian puppies. When an old friend of the family, Cruella De Ville, shows up offering to buy all the pups, the trouble begins. Soon it's a madcap, fun-filled race to find 99 missing puppies before they're turned into coats!

This is a classic Disney animated film. It contains several wonderful, memorable moments... such as Cruella's confrontation with Roger, and the courtship of Roger and Anita.

The animation is bar none. As far as stylized, caricaturized animation goes, this is one of the top five to watch for believable, fluid movement. The characters, mostly, are unique and unforgettagle.

The score is par for the course, though it has the same feel as the score for Jungle Book. (Dalmatians actually came out first...) The three actual songs in the film are quite hummable and entertaining, but this is definitely not what one may categorize as a musical.

For sheer entertainment, 101 Dalmatians is at its best during the suspense scenes, of which there are many. Quite an interesting (and somewhat scary...) movie.

Anyone who is picky about their animation will notice the re-use of many "cycles", which was pretty much a necessity when you're talking about drawing 99 puppies running through the snow.

In addition, there are a few points in the movie where the action wanes and the plot slows down a little too much. That's about the worst thing I can say about the story...

Overall impression: 101 Dalmatians is a must-have for your movie library. Though the video is currently out of production, it is still available on DVD. Animators and hopeful in particular will find a great reference piece in this film.

And Cruella DeVille is cool...

It was a stroke of genius for the legendary Disney Studio to decide to remake their classic 1961 animated feature "101 Dalmatians", as a live action feature. Never a great fan of remakes, I feel this story is a natural for a live action version and on first viewing it totally won me over. It has so much to offer viewers of all ages, whether it be its 99 gorgeous Dalmatian puppies that would melt the heart of any dog lover, a top class production with terrific sets, locations and stunts or a wonderfully wicked villianess in the incomparable Cruella De Vil played to perfection by gifted actress Glenn Close.

The film follows closely the original story and tells the tale of London couple Roger and Anita who meet through a Dalmatian dog mixup in a London Park and fall in love, marry and find themselves the happy "parents" of 15 beautiful Dalmatian puppies when their Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita begin a family of their own. Their happiness is short lived however when Anita's boss the dastardly Cruella De Vil spots the puppies and immediately makes plans to have the puppies kidnapped so that she can turn their pelts into the extravagant spotted fur coat she has always dreamed of having. What ensures is a comical tale full of laughs, great stunts and hilarious situations of the "boo the villian, cheer the dogs" variety. The Dalmatian parents, with the aid of many assorted members of the animal kingdom from woodpeckers, squirrels, and assorted sheep pigs, and dogs not only succeed in tracking down the missing puppies in their hideout but also outwit Cruella and her incompetent accomplices at every turn. The animals revenge on Cruella and her accomplices makes for most of the humour as they find themselves being dumped through falling roofs, landing in tubs of gooey molasses and being smelled out by skunks!

No expense was spared on this production and indeed all the live action characters bare an amazing resemblance to their cartoon counterparts. Gleen Close towers over the whole production in her performance as Disney Studios most famous villianess the totally over the top Cruella De Vil. Her makeup, hair styles and clothing is everything you would imagine Cruella to be. It is to the credit of Glenn Close that she succeeds totally in bringing to life such a well known and "loved" cartoon villianess. A supremely talented actress as seen in such diverse roles as those in "Fatal Attraction", "Dangerous Liaisons", "Meeting Venus", and "Paradise Road" among others, she is a total riot as the bizzare fashion designer with an extreme fur fetish. It is she who makes "101 Dalmatians" such memorable viewing and her encounters with the animals in the second half of the film will have you laughing for ages. The sight of Cruella rising out of the tub of molasses where she has been unceremoniously dumped by the animal brigade will bring fits of laughter to the viewer. The film also boasts the great talents of Jeff Daniels and the lovely Joely Richardson as Roger and Anita the loving couple drawn to each other by their fondness for Dalmatians, and the gifted Joan Plowright as Anita's former Nanny who finds herself performing the role again but this time for the 15 puppies in the house. Much of the comedy stems from the great playing by Hugh Laurie and Mark Williams as the wacky Jasper and Horace employed by Cruella who's job it is to steal the puppies for Cruella. They receive the main brunt of the animals "revenge" to great comic effect as does John Shrapnel in the role of the sinister scarred Skinner who is employed to turn the puppies coats into Cruella's new coat. The animal stunts performed in this film will have you gasping as the animals seem top take on human personalities of their own to brilliant effect. The location photography around London and in the snow scenes at Cruella's hideaway also create a very pleasing look to the film.

I never fail to watch "101 Dalmatians" without finding a smile appearing on my face. It is a totally delightful film that is just as much for adults as it is children which is a real credit to the Disney Studios. Glenn Close really makes the film a viewing experience with her over the top playing here but if you are in anyway a dog lover you can't help but be totally captivated by these delightful 101 spotted creatures charming the audience in "101 Dalmatians". Enjoy!

The animated version of this is tremendous. This is the first Disney movie that I have ever owned, and I still have it after 10 or more years. I'm 18 now, but I can't stop loving this movie. I think it is my favorite Disney movie, and one of the most enchanting, and enduring movies of all time. I just watched it the other day, and i still think it is brilliant. It's a movie for kids and adults alike to love and cherish forever.

Pongo and Perdita are the proud parents of 15 dalmatian puppies. When an old friend of the family, Cruella De Ville, shows up offering to buy all the pups, the trouble begins. Soon it's a madcap, fun-filled race to find 99 missing puppies before they're turned into coats!

This is a classic Disney animated film. It contains several wonderful, memorable moments... such as Cruella's confrontation with Roger, and the courtship of Roger and Anita.

The animation is bar none. As far as stylized, caricaturized animation goes, this is one of the top five to watch for believable, fluid movement. The characters, mostly, are unique and unforgettagle.

The score is par for the course, though it has the same feel as the score for Jungle Book. (Dalmatians actually came out first...) The three actual songs in the film are quite hummable and entertaining, but this is definitely not what one may categorize as a musical.

For sheer entertainment, 101 Dalmatians is at its best during the suspense scenes, of which there are many. Quite an interesting (and somewhat scary...) movie.

Anyone who is picky about their animation will notice the re-use of many "cycles", which was pretty much a necessity when you're talking about drawing 99 puppies running through the snow.

In addition, there are a few points in the movie where the action wanes and the plot slows down a little too much. That's about the worst thing I can say about the story...

Overall impression: 101 Dalmatians is a must-have for your movie library. Though the video is currently out of production, it is still available on DVD. Animators and hopeful in particular will find a great reference piece in this film.

And Cruella DeVille is cool...

It was a stroke of genius for the legendary Disney Studio to decide to remake their classic 1961 animated feature "101 Dalmatians", as a live action feature. Never a great fan of remakes, I feel this story is a natural for a live action version and on first viewing it totally won me over. It has so much to offer viewers of all ages, whether it be its 99 gorgeous Dalmatian puppies that would melt the heart of any dog lover, a top class production with terrific sets, locations and stunts or a wonderfully wicked villianess in the incomparable Cruella De Vil played to perfection by gifted actress Glenn Close.

The film follows closely the original story and tells the tale of London couple Roger and Anita who meet through a Dalmatian dog mixup in a London Park and fall in love, marry and find themselves the happy "parents" of 15 beautiful Dalmatian puppies when their Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita begin a family of their own. Their happiness is short lived however when Anita's boss the dastardly Cruella De Vil spots the puppies and immediately makes plans to have the puppies kidnapped so that she can turn their pelts into the extravagant spotted fur coat she has always dreamed of having. What ensures is a comical tale full of laughs, great stunts and hilarious situations of the "boo the villian, cheer the dogs" variety. The Dalmatian parents, with the aid of many assorted members of the animal kingdom from woodpeckers, squirrels, and assorted sheep pigs, and dogs not only succeed in tracking down the missing puppies in their hideout but also outwit Cruella and her incompetent accomplices at every turn. The animals revenge on Cruella and her accomplices makes for most of the humour as they find themselves being dumped through falling roofs, landing in tubs of gooey molasses and being smelled out by skunks!

No expense was spared on this production and indeed all the live action characters bare an amazing resemblance to their cartoon counterparts. Gleen Close towers over the whole production in her performance as Disney Studios most famous villianess the totally over the top Cruella De Vil. Her makeup, hair styles and clothing is everything you would imagine Cruella to be. It is to the credit of Glenn Close that she succeeds totally in bringing to life such a well known and "loved" cartoon villianess. A supremely talented actress as seen in such diverse roles as those in "Fatal Attraction", "Dangerous Liaisons", "Meeting Venus", and "Paradise Road" among others, she is a total riot as the bizzare fashion designer with an extreme fur fetish. It is she who makes "101 Dalmatians" such memorable viewing and her encounters with the animals in the second half of the film will have you laughing for ages. The sight of Cruella rising out of the tub of molasses where she has been unceremoniously dumped by the animal brigade will bring fits of laughter to the viewer. The film also boasts the great talents of Jeff Daniels and the lovely Joely Richardson as Roger and Anita the loving couple drawn to each other by their fondness for Dalmatians, and the gifted Joan Plowright as Anita's former Nanny who finds herself performing the role again but this time for the 15 puppies in the house. Much of the comedy stems from the great playing by Hugh Laurie and Mark Williams as the wacky Jasper and Horace employed by Cruella who's job it is to steal the puppies for Cruella. They receive the main brunt of the animals "revenge" to great comic effect as does John Shrapnel in the role of the sinister scarred Skinner who is employed to turn the puppies coats into Cruella's new coat. The animal stunts performed in this film will have you gasping as the animals seem top take on human personalities of their own to brilliant effect. The location photography around London and in the snow scenes at Cruella's hideaway also create a very pleasing look to the film.

I never fail to watch "101 Dalmatians" without finding a smile appearing on my face. It is a totally delightful film that is just as much for adults as it is children which is a real credit to the Disney Studios. Glenn Close really makes the film a viewing experience with her over the top playing here but if you are in anyway a dog lover you can't help but be totally captivated by these delightful 101 spotted creatures charming the audience in "101 Dalmatians". Enjoy!

The animated version of this is tremendous. This is the first Disney movie that I have ever owned, and I still have it after 10 or more years. I'm 18 now, but I can't stop loving this movie. I think it is my favorite Disney movie, and one of the most enchanting, and enduring movies of all time. I just watched it the other day, and i still think it is brilliant. It's a movie for kids and adults alike to love and cherish forever.

I stumbled onto this movie on a late night session of mindless channel surfing and was instantly drawn in.

I loved the way Sam and Lucy's marriage is depicted in this film. There's something instantly endearing about these two, and you just want to follow along in their (at times hilarious, at times gut-wrenchingly-sad) attempts to conceive a child. This movie is written in a way that really allows you to become (perhaps reluctantly) emotionally invested in the two main characters (perfectly captured by Richardson and Laurie). I also found myself completely enamored by Hugh Laurie, not because I thought he blatantly good looking or something, but because I really felt for him as the devoted but imperfect husband. I later stumbled on to the fact that Laurie played the equally haughty and attractive Mr. Palmer in another one of my favorite films -- Sense and Sensibility.

I suppose this review is just one glorified run on sentence, but don't let my stream of consciousness praise put you off -- this is a truly delightful movie.

Oops! I got edited... I chose that subject heading because that was the title that the director guy in the book of this movie wanted to call the movie that the character in the book wrote the script for. Confused? Sorry, there's no need to be. Just watch the movie and read Ben Elton's 'Inconceivable' like I did and it will all make sense!!

This movie displayed fantastic English humour as well as touching romance. Not to mention tackling the sensitive subject of Infertility. You find yourself laughing at the fact that Hugh Laurie's Sam has to shove a container of man juice up his bottom to keep it warm, yet at the same time, you feel sad because no matter what they put themselves through, Sam and Lucy just can't seem to get pregnant. And to make matters worse, ignorant old Sam isn't giving Lucy the attention she deserves!!

Hugh Laurie was absolutely gorgeous and Joely Richardson was stunning. It was funny yet sad, and seemed to present both a bloke's and a woman's point of view in the most honest of ways. I felt all fuzzy and lovey towards my partner afterwards, and I think it would probably have that effect mainly on people who are in a long-term relationship.

The one-liners are brilliant and there are cameos from a few great English actors that we all know and love.

What can I say? I love it! I had a tear and a giggle.

I ordered this movie on Pay Per View cable tv. because of the fact that James Purefoy was in it...never expecting it to be so well done and...Funny! It was one of ny first experiences with British comedy and I was extremely pleased not only with Mr. Purefoy's performance but also the entire cast. if you are looking for an off the wall comedy..this is it!

If you are weak of stomach and religous stay away!!! Has to be a film that will gain a following in the years to come. I myself thought it was disgusting. I was left agape and shocked. The story follows two sisters who grow into an obession with eachother that leads to horrifying conclusions. This film tells the truth in what love between siblings should be put a stop to when it started. In what I cosider...I have no words. The ending which is shocking, but I must admit had to be left to show was a, well satisfactory climax. But still shocking. I would recommend it only to the strong of heart and shock. This film as I said will be a cult favorite.

Sister My Sister is like "Heavenly Creatures" with more sex and less madness. It simply lacks the nuanced believability of "Creatures'" Paulie and Juliet's descent into madness as well as "Creatures'" top-notch production values. That said, any movie that even deems comparison with the now-classic Heavenly Creatures is clearly good and worth-seeing in some respects. And indeed, Sister My Sister creates a claustrophobic, quietly sickening atmosphere which left an intriguing grab on my emotions.

Jodhi May and Joely Richardson star as unnaturally close sisters, Leah and Christine. The two work as maids for a sadistic gentlewoman (Julie Davies, Mrs. Weasely in Harry Potter) and her adult daughter that she endlessly oppresses. Through various sisterly activities and excellent acting by both May and Richardson, they are completely believable as sisters. Thus their eventual sexual relationship not only intellectually but emotionally feels incestual, a nuanced feat that the filmmakers effectively pulled off.

But what drives Leah and Christine to become lovers and later criminals? Their despotic employer? Too close of quarters? Pre-existing emotional instability? I believe the answer is all three, and speculation seems warranted since this movie is in fact based on a true story, the sensationalistic crime that shocked (and also entertained) 1930's France... the OJ Simpson case of the time...

The primary reason to see this movie is not for a history lesson though. It is about the drama between the sisters, as their relationship evolves towards progressively extreme heights. And it is for this drama that the film should be seen. What keeps it all afloat is the fantastic acting on display. Joely Richardson, an actress who's appeared in a lot of cheese since making this movie (Event Horizon, the Parent Trap) proves her adeptness as she plays an essentially unlikeable character and acrobatically makes her sympathetic and compelling throughout the entire film.

Jodhi May's performance as Leah is another example of this actress's ability and charm. She respects and looks up to her big sister, Christine, and as this admiration grows into lust, May makes this transition tragic AND tender. She is an actress who acts with her eyes. And throughout Sister My Sister hers seem to assess every situation with maximum articulateness. May's performance should have been a wake-up call to any Hollywood producer with a brain. This IS the girl.

Despite May's expert character development, most of the movie suffers from lack of transition. The ending seems a little abrupt. In Heavenly Creatures everything built up to the climax. In Sister My Sister, a good twenty more minutes would have helped in properly building the tension towards the final, tragic act.

Overall, I recommend this movie. Jodhi May and Joely Richardson make it entertaining and emotionally affecting.

Once, in a great while, a film is released that completely shakes your long held beliefs on morality, the politics of class and justice. This is just such a film. Centering on the relationship between two sisters employed as maids in the household of an upper class woman in provincial France, this film is absolutely stunning to behold. Julie Walters gives a fantastic performance as the arrogant and demanding employer who ruthlessly controls the hired help while simultaneously chipping away at her daughter's sense of self worth.

Jodhi May lends an air of youthful naivete to the film as Lea, the devoted younger sister who is the constant favorite of all who meet her. But what makes this film truly superb is Joely Richardson's portrayal of the confused and tortured older sister, Christine. Richardson is able to convey a wealth of emotion with nothing more then a solitary glance and the viewer is left feeling absolutely shattered as they see the gradual physical and psychological disintegration of Richardson's character.

It is no surprise that the film builds to an unbelievable climax of brutality and murder. Nancy Meckler's use of foreshadowing is skillfully done as she presents a situation that can only end in tragedy for all those involved. What may be the most shocking aspect of all, is that this film was inspired by actual events.

If you are weak of stomach and religous stay away!!! Has to be a film that will gain a following in the years to come. I myself thought it was disgusting. I was left agape and shocked. The story follows two sisters who grow into an obession with eachother that leads to horrifying conclusions. This film tells the truth in what love between siblings should be put a stop to when it started. In what I cosider...I have no words. The ending which is shocking, but I must admit had to be left to show was a, well satisfactory climax. But still shocking. I would recommend it only to the strong of heart and shock. This film as I said will be a cult favorite.

Sister My Sister is like "Heavenly Creatures" with more sex and less madness. It simply lacks the nuanced believability of "Creatures'" Paulie and Juliet's descent into madness as well as "Creatures'" top-notch production values. That said, any movie that even deems comparison with the now-classic Heavenly Creatures is clearly good and worth-seeing in some respects. And indeed, Sister My Sister creates a claustrophobic, quietly sickening atmosphere which left an intriguing grab on my emotions.

Jodhi May and Joely Richardson star as unnaturally close sisters, Leah and Christine. The two work as maids for a sadistic gentlewoman (Julie Davies, Mrs. Weasely in Harry Potter) and her adult daughter that she endlessly oppresses. Through various sisterly activities and excellent acting by both May and Richardson, they are completely believable as sisters. Thus their eventual sexual relationship not only intellectually but emotionally feels incestual, a nuanced feat that the filmmakers effectively pulled off.

But what drives Leah and Christine to become lovers and later criminals? Their despotic employer? Too close of quarters? Pre-existing emotional instability? I believe the answer is all three, and speculation seems warranted since this movie is in fact based on a true story, the sensationalistic crime that shocked (and also entertained) 1930's France... the OJ Simpson case of the time...

The primary reason to see this movie is not for a history lesson though. It is about the drama between the sisters, as their relationship evolves towards progressively extreme heights. And it is for this drama that the film should be seen. What keeps it all afloat is the fantastic acting on display. Joely Richardson, an actress who's appeared in a lot of cheese since making this movie (Event Horizon, the Parent Trap) proves her adeptness as she plays an essentially unlikeable character and acrobatically makes her sympathetic and compelling throughout the entire film.

Jodhi May's performance as Leah is another example of this actress's ability and charm. She respects and looks up to her big sister, Christine, and as this admiration grows into lust, May makes this transition tragic AND tender. She is an actress who acts with her eyes. And throughout Sister My Sister hers seem to assess every situation with maximum articulateness. May's performance should have been a wake-up call to any Hollywood producer with a brain. This IS the girl.

Despite May's expert character development, most of the movie suffers from lack of transition. The ending seems a little abrupt. In Heavenly Creatures everything built up to the climax. In Sister My Sister, a good twenty more minutes would have helped in properly building the tension towards the final, tragic act.

Overall, I recommend this movie. Jodhi May and Joely Richardson make it entertaining and emotionally affecting.

Once, in a great while, a film is released that completely shakes your long held beliefs on morality, the politics of class and justice. This is just such a film. Centering on the relationship between two sisters employed as maids in the household of an upper class woman in provincial France, this film is absolutely stunning to behold. Julie Walters gives a fantastic performance as the arrogant and demanding employer who ruthlessly controls the hired help while simultaneously chipping away at her daughter's sense of self worth.

Jodhi May lends an air of youthful naivete to the film as Lea, the devoted younger sister who is the constant favorite of all who meet her. But what makes this film truly superb is Joely Richardson's portrayal of the confused and tortured older sister, Christine. Richardson is able to convey a wealth of emotion with nothing more then a solitary glance and the viewer is left feeling absolutely shattered as they see the gradual physical and psychological disintegration of Richardson's character.

It is no surprise that the film builds to an unbelievable climax of brutality and murder. Nancy Meckler's use of foreshadowing is skillfully done as she presents a situation that can only end in tragedy for all those involved. What may be the most shocking aspect of all, is that this film was inspired by actual events.

There certainly are flashes of brilliance in "I'll Do Anything". It conjures up some wicked satire and includes an extremely talented cast. However, this is a film whose flaws far outweigh its high points.

Nick Nolte plays Matt, a Hollywood actor who has gotten a few decent roles but whose current career is struggling. Tracy Ullman is hilarious as his estranged wife, Beth. Together they are the parents of a young daughter named Jeannie (Whittni Wright). Matt has moved on with his life and, being the caring father that he is, has little interest in ever seeing his daughter. It's been two years since he last saw her, when he gets a call from Beth. She needs him to come out and take Jeannie back to Hollywood for a few weeks. Once Matt gets there, however, he finds out that Beth is actually going to prison for several years and now he is solely responsible for taking care of their daughter.

So not even 30 minutes into the movie, Tracy Ullman's character is already gone. As if that's not bad enough, look at this absolutely amazing list of actors who have about five minutes or less of screen time: Joely Fisher, Vicki Lewis, Anne Heche, Ian McKellen, Jake Busey, Rosie O'Donnell and even Woody Harrelson. What in the world were they thinking by showing up glimpses of all these people without fleshing out any of their characters?!!

That's not the worst part though. Both the father and daughter characters are extremely unlikable. Extremely. Matt Hobbs is a self-absorbed jerk throughout the entire film. His daughter is even worse. In fact, I have been racking my brains to come up with a child in a movie I have disliked more. So far, I haven't been able to come up with one. Jeannie is one of the most shrill, spoiled and obnoxious little girls ever put on film. This all continues up until the last five minutes of the movie. Then, completely out of the blue, both of these characters turn on a dime and become very charming and loving. Sorry, but their transformation was too quick for me to buy.

Along the way, James Brooks (writer/director) is at least able to give us some funny moments. Once Ullman's character is gotten rid of, the humor baton is passed to Julie Kavner. Her character, Nan, has this uncanny ability to always tell people the brutal truth. She works for Burke (Albert Brooks), an egotistical movie producer who always seems to say and do the wrong thing. Combine Nan's scathing honesty with Burke's chronic bad manners and you get a cute couple.

With a different father and daughter, "I'll Do Anything" could have been a nice little sleeper. However, it is unable to overcome the unappealing attitudes of Matt and Jeannie.

Very entertaining not knowing what the next moment held. Matt deserved what he got, not knowing his daughter. Jeanne! A great performance and all from a small package. So much talent displayed. A wonderful cast. I absolutely LOVED IT.

I'LL DO ANYTHING showed me that Nolte is a good actor. As soon as I realized he was doing a dandy job acting his role--luckless actor--the movie carried on quite well without my analysis. Nolte has been swirling in the Hollywood maelstrom. His life has been designed to believe that acting is the most important matter in the world. Then,as often they do, the vissicitudes of life dump his 5 year old, hard-to-handle, daughter into the scenery. She is a precocious stick of dynamite. The story takes a few swipes at the cheapside of Hollywood. Otherwise, it is no expose. It is full of fun and healthy laughter.

Can anyone tell me where to find the soundtrack for this film?

It is one of my favourite movies of all time.Kirsty is my cousin and I am trying to find her. Can anyone help, without invading her privacy. I realize that is important.

This movie was brilliantly filmed and acted. It is a little known gem of the highest quality. It's ashame people can't get past the subject material, because it's a rare film that is this well written, acted or filmed.

It's so good to see a movie that epitomizes a good old Hollywood classic. It includes all of the true essentials; romance, danger, adventure, and of course dashing men. Michael Douglas is his usual handsome self and plays his part as tough on the outside, loving on the inside, very well. Liam Neeson is naturally, absolutely gorgeous and charming even as a Nazi solder. I even have to give Melanie Griffiths some points, she had the perfect 1940's girl look and attitude. Overall the movie was a great romance with plenty of danger. It was a very interesting story without being deep and depressing. By the time it was over, I was ready to go become a spy in Germany and find myself a Liam Neeson of my own! This movie was a great escape from the real world...just like Hollywood should be. Definitely worth seeing!

This film is a heartfelt yet fast-paced story of two American spies who fall in love amidst the dangers of doing their jobs deep in the heart of Germany during World War II. Michael Douglas plays Ed Leland, a hard-edged and patriotic military spy who unwittingly falls in love with Linda Voss (played with the warm mix of charm, innocence and thrill by Melanie Griffith), a Brooklyn girl of Jewish descent who wants to do her part using her perfect German speaking abilities to work as a cook and try to discover the location of a bomb being built by the German army. Both lovers get more than they bargained for when Linda ends up in the home of a high-ranking German official and risks her life trying to discover the location of her Jewish relatives hiding in Berlin. An outstanding supporting cast that includes Joely Richardson, Liam Neeson and Sir John Giulgud makes this film a must-see, especially if you are a sucker for World War II nostaligia and "I'll Be Seeing You." Believable or not, this film is a keeper.

I can not wait until this movie comes out on DVD because my VHS version is worn out from watching it over and over!
It is truly one of my all time favorite movies, and I normally can't even stand Melanie Griffith!
I would recommend this film to anyone. Especially anybody that has an interest in the history of the 1940s, WWII, and doesn't mind it presented in a romantic drama.

I thought the this movie just brought on a bad image of the british aka red coats as they were called in this so called
"movie". All though this movie may have been fun to watch you will learn hardly anything about the time period. Many things about how the british treated the Americans were false like how the british burned the church with all the towns people in it. This would not happen back then the british were not likely to commet war crimes at the time.

It is true that this movie isn't for everyone (or anyone, apparently, who claims English nationality...makes me wonder what treatment they gave "Gandhi" when it was released). ...
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I will admit that I wouldn't want to pass a history exam based on wholly on the content of "The Patriot"...however, it is quite a bit more historically accurate than "Braveheart", a film to which it is often compared. However, I would like to list in detail the aspects of this movie that WERE done correctly, either theatrically or historically.
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1.) The idea of going to war with England for independence was hardly a unanimous feeling throughout the Colonies. Just as there are people who live within English territory today who feel loyalty to the Crown (Rangers fans in Glasgow, for instance), so were there loyalists (Tories) within the colonies who happily considered themselves to be British. Such voices aren't often heard in other film productions depicting this subject; in that aspect "The Patriot" was spot-on in its depiction of Colonial politics.
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2.) Contrary to many negative (read: British) reviews of this movie, the British army in general and their officers specifically are not portrayed as murderous Visigoths. It is true that the "lead villain" role is seen as exceptionally loathsome in his conduct, but I failed to see his conduct as being condoned by other officers within his chain of command; indeed, there are many times when his actions are equally questioned (and scorned) by his own subordinate and superior officers. I feel that the director was trying to personify the horrors and depravities of war (surely found in any number of the multitudes of men who have commanded troops since the dawn of warfare) within the single, easily identifiable form of one man (Colonel Tavington; the fact that the actor portraying Colonel Tavington did such a fantastic job with the character and by doing so caused the viewer to paint the British with a rather broad brush in forming such a negative opinion is more of a positive reflection on the actor's work rather than the result of the film's director attempting to show the British as 18th-Century nazis). The same goes for Mel Gibson's heroic character Benjamin Martin; no one man did as much to much to win any war (with the possible exception of Achilles in Homer's "Iliad") as Gibson's did in this movie...but in the same sense that the dark side of man must be personified in one character, so must the heroic and uplifting aspects of good.
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3.) Like "Braveheart", the battlefield scenes (and the obligatory "M*A*S*H"-inspired "post-battle triage" scenes) in this movie are brutally realistic and not for the faint-of-heart. Besides the battle scenes themselves, which are memorable, the set designs and costumes are fantastic...I believe, based on my own historical studies, that this movie did accurately present the aspects of life within Coastal Colonial Carolina in the late 18th Century.
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4.) Slavery is, of course, the most notorious memory that remains of America's first two centuries. It should be noted, however, that the institution of slavery was not widespread among the general population. Only those wealthy enough to own the amount of land necessary to require a salve labor force could afford the slaves by which the land could be worked; landowners of lesser means (such as Benjamin Martin) would acquire his labor force the old fashioned (and far more enjoyable) way of excessive procreation.
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In summary, this movie definitely isn't for everyone. Like the "Miracle On Ice" story of the 1980 Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament, it probably helps to be an American to gain full enjoyment of "The Patriot". There are moments within the movie that are legitimately touching and heartfelt; and there are aspects of this movie which some will simply find too intolerable to allow for any enjoyment. My opinion is that is a Hollywood production that is (somewhat) factually flawed, but a very entertaining movie otherwise. If you're an American and/or a Mel Gibson fan, you're going to really enjoy this. For those from "the other side of the pond" who hold a grudge even after all this time, I daresay this won't quite be your cup of tea.

This is such a moving film. Graphic and honest, full of history and good characters. The plot and pacing are great. Top notch performances. Excellent film.

I thought the this movie just brought on a bad image of the british aka red coats as they were called in this so called
"movie". All though this movie may have been fun to watch you will learn hardly anything about the time period. Many things about how the british treated the Americans were false like how the british burned the church with all the towns people in it. This would not happen back then the british were not likely to commet war crimes at the time.

It is true that this movie isn't for everyone (or anyone, apparently, who claims English nationality...makes me wonder what treatment they gave "Gandhi" when it was released). ...
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I will admit that I wouldn't want to pass a history exam based on wholly on the content of "The Patriot"...however, it is quite a bit more historically accurate than "Braveheart", a film to which it is often compared. However, I would like to list in detail the aspects of this movie that WERE done correctly, either theatrically or historically.
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1.) The idea of going to war with England for independence was hardly a unanimous feeling throughout the Colonies. Just as there are people who live within English territory today who feel loyalty to the Crown (Rangers fans in Glasgow, for instance), so were there loyalists (Tories) within the colonies who happily considered themselves to be British. Such voices aren't often heard in other film productions depicting this subject; in that aspect "The Patriot" was spot-on in its depiction of Colonial politics.
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2.) Contrary to many negative (read: British) reviews of this movie, the British army in general and their officers specifically are not portrayed as murderous Visigoths. It is true that the "lead villain" role is seen as exceptionally loathsome in his conduct, but I failed to see his conduct as being condoned by other officers within his chain of command; indeed, there are many times when his actions are equally questioned (and scorned) by his own subordinate and superior officers. I feel that the director was trying to personify the horrors and depravities of war (surely found in any number of the multitudes of men who have commanded troops since the dawn of warfare) within the single, easily identifiable form of one man (Colonel Tavington; the fact that the actor portraying Colonel Tavington did such a fantastic job with the character and by doing so caused the viewer to paint the British with a rather broad brush in forming such a negative opinion is more of a positive reflection on the actor's work rather than the result of the film's director attempting to show the British as 18th-Century nazis). The same goes for Mel Gibson's heroic character Benjamin Martin; no one man did as much to much to win any war (with the possible exception of Achilles in Homer's "Iliad") as Gibson's did in this movie...but in the same sense that the dark side of man must be personified in one character, so must the heroic and uplifting aspects of good.
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3.) Like "Braveheart", the battlefield scenes (and the obligatory "M*A*S*H"-inspired "post-battle triage" scenes) in this movie are brutally realistic and not for the faint-of-heart. Besides the battle scenes themselves, which are memorable, the set designs and costumes are fantastic...I believe, based on my own historical studies, that this movie did accurately present the aspects of life within Coastal Colonial Carolina in the late 18th Century.
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4.) Slavery is, of course, the most notorious memory that remains of America's first two centuries. It should be noted, however, that the institution of slavery was not widespread among the general population. Only those wealthy enough to own the amount of land necessary to require a salve labor force could afford the slaves by which the land could be worked; landowners of lesser means (such as Benjamin Martin) would acquire his labor force the old fashioned (and far more enjoyable) way of excessive procreation.
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In summary, this movie definitely isn't for everyone. Like the "Miracle On Ice" story of the 1980 Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament, it probably helps to be an American to gain full enjoyment of "The Patriot". There are moments within the movie that are legitimately touching and heartfelt; and there are aspects of this movie which some will simply find too intolerable to allow for any enjoyment. My opinion is that is a Hollywood production that is (somewhat) factually flawed, but a very entertaining movie otherwise. If you're an American and/or a Mel Gibson fan, you're going to really enjoy this. For those from "the other side of the pond" who hold a grudge even after all this time, I daresay this won't quite be your cup of tea.

This is such a moving film. Graphic and honest, full of history and good characters. The plot and pacing are great. Top notch performances. Excellent film.