Rating: 
Summary: A quiet un-Hollywood tragi-romance
Review: I am not sure how faithful this movie is to the original and true story of British author C.S. Lewis' romance to an American divorcee, Joy Gresham. Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger seem well matched to play the contrasting characters of the soft-spoken, shy, and retiring English writer, and the brassy, outspoken American poet. Winger doggedly refuses to let her quiet Oxford don settle into his comfortable emotional cocoon, and the superb casting and acting bring out the multiple emotions of character played by Hopkins from his introspective, affective restraint to deep love as the relationship between the two characters evolve. But this is no Hollywood romance! There are moments toward the end which seem saccharin, but overall this is a well balanced movie.
Rating: 
Summary: C.S. Lewis for dummies.
Review: A shamelessly tear-jerking soap opera from that paragon of conventionality, Richard Attenborough. *Shadowlands* will seem a lot better to those who don't know much about C.S. Lewis, but for those who know something of his life and writings, it will seem inadequate. It's really almost inexcusable that a movie about this famous intellectual, children's novelist, and Christian apologist is so devoid of intellect, so devoid of the ideas that made this figure unique in 20th Century letters. (The movie shows Lewis speaking the same tail-end of the same lecture to THREE different audiences. Didn't he have anything else to say?) If you want to make a movie about a nice, quiet, shy old English guy who falls in love with a brassy-voiced American, then do us all a favor and invent the characters out of whole cloth. C.S. Lewis deserves better than this. And it's pretty far removed from what actually occurred in his life. He and his future wife, the American poet Joy Gresham, had known each for years before tying the knot, relating to each other primarily as fellow Christian intellectuals. Here, Attenborough (or the playwright who originally wrote the story) insists on a standard Hollywood "cute-meet": Joy blares out "Anybody here called 'Lewis'?" in a tea-room. But I suppose that we can't expect too much intellectual discourse in a movie designed for the multiplex. Ultimately, one gets the sense that the filmmakers are almost out to get Lewis: that same speech he keeps making has something to do with God wanting us to experience suffering so that we can "grow up". Can you see what's coming? That's right -- cancer for his new lady-love. Debra Winger is sadly put in the position again where she has to slowly die of incurable cancer, as in *Terms of Endearment*. As for Anthony Hopkins, he -- rather like Robert Duvall -- tends to basically play himself whenever he's trapped in a mediocre script, and he does so here.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Wonderful performances by all and a beautifully told story. Smart, funny, sad, uplifting--I loved it!
Rating:
Summary:
Stark, Sad, Beautiful
Review:
This is a basically true story about the late C.S. Lewis, author of "The Narnian Chronicles", "The Screwtape Letters", and a number of other works. I've not seen most of Anthony Hopkins' work because I'm not a fan of thrillers or cannibalism (I've seen his "Audrey Rose", a movie about reincarnation, probably the only good one, ever), so forgive my naivete', but his and Winger's performances in this movie are monumentally great. The movie is beautifully shot, faithful to the period in which it's set, and portrays an emotionally complex man who was perhaps unaware of his own emotional complexity. Marvellous, heartbreaking, and not "just a chick flick". You won't want to watch this movie every week, but your home is a poorer place without a copy.
Rating:
Summary: Anthony Hopkins at his best
Review: This bittersweet drama stars Anthony Hopkins as C.S. Lewis, the acclaimed English writer of books on Christianity and childrens' fantasy. In the 1950s, Lewis was a middle-aged Oxford Don and bachelor, content with his well-ordered life, uncomplicated by deep emotion. He meets an American fan, Joy Gresham, who is as bold and blunt as he is refined and restrained. He agrees to marry her "on paper only" so she and her son can stay in England, but their friendship gradually deepens. When Joy is diagnosed with cancer, Lewis realizes he truly loves her; they are married in a religious ceremony and live together until her death a short time later. At middle-age, Lewis had never experienced love or deep pain or grief until he met Joy. His new feelings confused and frightened him because they were real and entirely new to him. Joy helped him to understand and express his feelings and to live in the moment, knowing that death would soon part them. Anthony Hopkins is exquisitely fragile and vulnerable as Lewis. I simply could not stop looking into his eyes, which reflected great love as well as inconsolable pain. Sadly, Debra Winger was miscast as Joy. I found her annoying and unbelievable. The script came close to being perfect, but fell short and, at times, was unrealistic and corny. The location photography is stunning, showing majestic Oxford University and the idyllic English countryside. As with most films about famous people, there are inaccuracies here. (For example Joy had not one, but two sons, and she and Lewis knew each other for ten years.) I recommend "Shadowlands" for those who appreciate Anthony Hopkins' great acting skills; they will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A superb love story
Review: This is one of my favorite love stories, that deals head on with the realities of a marriage. It is a well told story, with great acting by all those invovled. If you are ready to be entertained and yet challenged at the same time, you will surely enjoy this movie. From laughter to tears, this movie may just capture your heart.
Rating:
Summary: Great acting and powerful music
Review: Though not as biographically accurate as one would have hoped, Shadowlands is still a captivatingly powerful exploration of love, loss, and longing. The blurb above is a fine description of the movie, so I won't throw in my two cents. I would only add that the soundtrack is one of my favorites (along with Platoon, of course!). For a great biography of C.S. Lewis, which looks deeply at his relationship with Joy, you can't go wrong with "Jack: A Life of C.S. Lewis", by Sayer. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: The Best True Love Story Of Our Time!
Review: This has to be my favorite movie of all time. Winger and Hopkins are a perfect match. I have seen this movie a hundred times and I still cry. This love story as it unfolds breaks my heart yet makes me see what real true love is between two people.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and Poignant--Thought provoking--and Introspective
Review: Shadowlands is a rare film in today's world of films...Both Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger give outstanding performances. The film touches the heart...and beautifully expresses one of the most important truths for us to realize: The moment we have now is all that is. The past does not exist--the future does not exist. Treasure this moment...treasure those you love...and follow your heart...make your dreams come true. It's also a poignant expression of the need to be in touch wih one's deepest feelings...and to express them. I highly recommend this film. Knowing it is a true story has now interested me in getting C.S. Lewis' work...and I look forward to reading what this brilliant man has written. Christine Smith
Rating:
Summary: Not quite Jack, but good nonetheless
Review: This is certainly an "interpretation" of Lewis, his life and his relationship with Joy. His faith and spirituality are downplayed to the point of hurting the integrity of the film, but the raw emotion found in this version is certainly welcome. This film version also draws heavily on the crisis of faith he suffered after Joy's death. I can recommend the BBC version (with Joss Ackland and Clair Bloom) more readily, but it too has its problems. It does examine his faith more generously and is a bit more factual. Be sure to read two of Lewis' books to accompany this film: "Surprised by Joy" (story of his conversion -- it's not about his wife startling him), and "A Grief Observed" which chronicles the crisis of faith he had after her death.
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