Rating: 
Summary: Unsequential and unbelievable
Review: Jonathan Demme and Oprah are inspired by Toni Morrison and have the cash to do a movie. Morrison's novel is deep and moving, qualities for which the movie attempts to emulate. The story is slow, but it is told well. Also, Oprah delivers an outstanding performance. However, the story stuggles to project the imagery which is depicted eloquently throughout the novel. I felt like I was watching a Stephen King made-for-tv adaptation instead. The movie is still very compelling and possibly even enthralling, but there is little to praise regarding its adaptation from paper. It does not do Morrison justice.
Rating: 
Summary: Reality scenes not necessary(rape,lynch,sexual)
Review: 8/13/01 I purchased the video out of curiosity ,since it received negative response from all who mentioned it to me(they didn't like the mixing of voodoo and the harsh reality of slavery and racism)...the occult scene, made me revisit the video several times to try to understand, and as happens with many artists' and authors' works, the more often you try to interpret the work, the more acceptable the work becomes, since you see more of the creative (scenary), actors' talents, etc. and general story content. It's not a movie that would go well in memory with just one viewing(in my opinion).
Rating: 
Summary: Can someone please tell me what this movie was about?
Review: Because even after watching it I dont have a clue. I must be missing something or, as I suspect, there is nothing there to begin with. I realize that there are parallels and lessons on morality in this film but I just wasn't able to pin down any in particular. Definately a movie for you if your an English lit major who enjoys torturing yourself on elusive plots and supposed "hidden meanings".
Rating:
Summary: read the book
Review: This was one of the most tedious movie watching experiences I have ever had. Some novels arent filmable and Beloved is a prime example.
Rating:
Summary: Thandie is Dandie
Review: Yes indeed: "Anything dead coming back to life hurts." Especially if it's Jonathan Demme's career. You know him well--he's an Academy Award-winning director. And this movie is based on, if not completely covering, the novel by Toni Morrison with a similar, if not the same, title. Demme used a variety of cinematography-esque devices in order to portray the heartfelt saga of Beloved, a young swamp girl who finds love in all the wrong places. He even orchestrated entire sequences of people walking, talking, and looking at each other--now if that doesn't beat "The Silence of the Lambs," I don't know what would! And instead of long, boring shots of Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins...they have Oprah and Danny Glover NAKED! (Incidentally I am SO ecstatic about the Wide Screen edition DVD.) After reading Morrison's novel, I find it completely necessary to include Danny Glover's derriere, since it is a crucial symbol in the book--one that represents the hugeness of his love for Sethe. Demme fortunately left out the ridiculous "boxwood bushes" and unimportant "hot thing," which all together display Morrison's weak efforts to depict the human condition anyway. But overall I'm glad this is film succeeded (as we knew it would): I mean, Morrison wrote the novel practically as a screenplay, what with the ready-made film images and coherent inner-thought "rememories." But, this review is missing something...oh, of course! Thandie Newton! Thandie Newton! Thandie Newton! Why didn't she win a Best Supporting Actress award? Why wasn't she nominated? What's up with dat?! She sustained her stunning, multi-dimensional character throughout the WHOLE movie--now that deserves many accolades, which she received when Toni Morrison herself proudly said: "Child, [Thandie Newton is amazing! and should have won the Oscar!] I think...[her rendition of Beloved is in NO way a deviation from my novel]." ... I myself experienced ...exhilaration of relief when the film was finally over.
Rating: 
Summary: I couldn't tear myself away from the screen.
Review: I read the book a few years back. It was the best class assignment I've had since NBC showed "Separate, But Equal" with Burt Lancaster. I like that this movie followed the book, so there was no confusion between all those levels. Also, I like that the daughter recognized the ghost of her sister before the exorcist scene.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Failure
Review: I saw Beloved when it first appeared in theaters. I had read the book, so the film was not confusing. The setting was lovely and at times the acting was brilliant, but as a whole, it was a complete failure. I suggest making the effort to read the book rather than waste three hours on a film that is at best mediocre. Those who are too lazy to discover Morrison's poetic language and beautiful characters between the covers of a book might find this film satisfactory, however, for those who have experienced Morrison's incredible voice, it only taints her novel's brilliance.
Rating: 
Summary: come sheep read......just kidding
Review: I enjoyed beloved and i cant beleive it didnt do very well in america, but usually great,original "thinking" movies dont sit well with people who dont have an once of imagination. Im not talking solely of americans but just the narrow minded people of the world. OK then, this movie has superb acting and the story sends chills up my spine and tears down my cheek,it is a spiritual -love-horror story set in a time when black americans didnt have the greatest of lives (to say the least).Open your mind and see if you have the power to absorb this tale....
Rating:
Summary: One of the worst movies I have ever seen
Review: Before I begin my review of the atrocity that is Oprah Winfrey's Beloved, let me just say that I am a horror movie fan. I've watched many terrible, gory films. However, there has never been a film so hideous that I simply couldn't finish it, no matter how hard I willed myself. That, however, was before I saw THIS. I honestly have no idea where to begin insulting this film because there are so many things wrong with it. Let it just be said that this is a perfect example of what happens when a self indulgent star, a self indulgent director, a pompous cinematographer, and a clueless screenwriter are given carte blanche to film whatever they chose. The result is a terribly photographed, incoherent, ugly, violent, three hour soup opera with no apparent purpose other to repulse the audience. Worse, the film is painstakingly loyal to Morrison's book. Characters seem to spew bodily fluids at intervals of about ten minutes and these include: puss, blood, urine, drool, feces, vomit, and in a very graphic scene, birth fluid. This would be much easier to stomach if the acting were good, and some of it is. Unfortunately, the few decent performances are underscored by lots of terrible ones. Particularly, the scenes involving Beloved are rendered unintentionally hilarious by her zombie like schtic of drooling, talking as though severly mentally retarded, and screaming hysterically while looking directly into the camera. Another female character who supposedly helps Sethe escape slavery in the first place runs around ranting incoherently about velvet and overemoting like a manic depressive on hard drugs. As if all this weren't enough, the director and cinematographer seem intent upon overstylizing every single shot. Some shots are colored and executed so conspicuously that one wonders if the actors weren't tempted to stop midway through and say: "by the way, this shot took a lot of work to create, so you better enjoy it". The result is blatantly manipulative and borderline unwatchable. Finally, the music in this film is terrible. Scene after scene is illustrated by the same stereotypical african american "gospel" singing which starts out as pretty, becomes intrusive, and then gets annoying. Soon, even this feels contrived, and we are left just wishing scenes would end. Ultimately, I have one point and only one point to make: DO NOT SEE THIS FILM, DO NOT RENT THIS FILM, DEFINITELY DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDERN SEE IT. If you do you will suffer worse than any of the characters depicted.
Rating:
Summary: Lazy people wouldn't like this story
Review: I've read many of the reviews, and it seems that those who didn't like the movie or the book are those viewers and/or readers who are simply too lazy too delve deep into a book or a plot line to get something out of it. Sadly, Americans are becoming a culture of "give it to me straight" folks who want the plot line presented to them on a silver platter, right out in the open so they don't have to think. these same folks probably never picked up a novel over 500 pages and attempted to get through it. SAD! Do I sound snobby? No, I'm only 21 and yes, at first read I thought Beloved was confusing.. but then I read it again. And thought about it. What a concept, eh? If you are a lazy viewer, who doesn't like to have to think about something disturbing, then go back to your Disney video collection. If you have the guts to delve into Beloved, then this movie is for you. The message in this story is too important not to give it a chance.
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