Rating: 
Summary: FATEFUL SERVANTS [and not too good either]
Review: IF you can get through the first half - the 2nd section - after the 'murder' is excellent! THEN see it again straight through - and then sit back and digest [with a small glass of non-poisonous port!]What a superb vision of ANY TIME! It's all very contemporary - somewhat along the lines of "Being There" and "Remains of the Day". Robert Altman's vision of life 'above and below' stairs is seen through many eyes and ever revaling. EXCELLENT DVD with superb backgound details, re the accuracy, manner and manor, etc. etc. and destined to become quite a collector's piece - especially the 'missing scenes'. Performances? Oh, one could go on and on and on - Stellar cast to say the least - TRY to do this on this side of the pond - Not! Maggie Smith is the epitome of the post-Victorian lady [perhaps circa Oscar Wilde] One who deliberately chooses her words and insults you without your being aware of it [the 'green-dress' comment, the 'don't encourage him' line, etc. brilliant dialogue]. Others? Well, Helen Mirren naturally [what a way she's come since "Savage Messiah"], Eileen Atkins, Jeremy Northham {Ivor Novello - "The Lodger"}, Clive Owens - a new face well-worth watching, and Mr Ryan Philippe - excellent [and should kiss the ground Altman walks on for getting this break], Emily Watson, endless list ..... with the great ALAN BATES, quite, quite superb! [Observe neophyte! - and learn from this Master's 'drunk-scene'] Pitch perfect music by Patrick Doyle - underrated, but well worth a nod! A Classic Absolute!
Rating:
Summary: Another unfortunate misstep from Altman
Review: One of my criteria for how good a movie is has to do with how much I remember of it on Monday, after watching it on Friday. Gosford Park, unfortunately, fails that test. I'd forgotten most of it by Saturday. While I was watching it, I was involved, but now all I motice is what was missing. All these wonderful actors gathered in one place, under the guiding hand of Robert Altman, and most of them (excluding a few notables) are completely wasted. Why was Derek Jacobi even here? An unknown could have played his role. And Stephen Fry? His character was entirely out of place and the imbecile cop (not Fry's fault). Maggie Smith? Kristin Scott-Thomas? Bob Balaban? Ryan Phillippe? All wasted or not up to the challenge. Perhaps I should concentrate on what was good about it. I'll name a few names: Emily Watson, Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, Alan Bates, Kelly McDonald. Well, that's about it. The sets were wonderful. The detail was marvelous. This is one of the situations when a solid script--followed with discipline--would have been a credit. Altman's improvisational style just does not go with the repressed English culture of this film. It's especially bad when what starts out as a whodunit turns into a whoaholdonaminute and takes two-and-a-half hours to do it.
Rating: 
Summary: This isn't like CLUE........ however I Enjoyed it anyway
Review: True I did rent this DVD thinking it would be like the classic "CLUE" movie, but it wasn't. Like someone mentioned earlier the murder doesn't happen until the latter part of the film and I still am not sure who is who in the movie, but I enjoyed it enough to say I will have to rent it again and maybe put on the sub-titles so I can understand more. They don't make movies like this anymore the wrap-up of the murder at the end happened without a build-up, In My Opinion and the rest of the movie just flows from there. That left me feeling like I missed something. Hmph bottom line is it was a good flick worth the time and money, good performances by all. Loved Emily Watson, Maggie Smith and Jeremy Northam. Is it me or does Ryan Phillippe remind me of his character in "Cruel Intentions" in every movie he does now???
Rating: 
Summary: An entertaining study on the classes in pre-WWII England
Review: Gosford Park is more than a murder mystery. In fact the murder is incidental to the story. It's about two classes of people. The servants and the served, two groups at the opposite extremes of social acceptance. Altman does a great job of showing how intertwined and dependant they are on each other. The rich are often snobbish, self-absorbed and just plain mean. But not always. The servants are full of gossip about their employers, simpler (that might be arguable) and kinder. But again, not always. Pride and lust, money and vengence and a lot petty squabbles end up being greatly entertaining. Not in a soap opera fashion, but rather at sociological study of inter-relationships between classes. For me, the best moment is when the "film star" plays and sings at the piano with the aristocats who are bored with it while in the shadows of the hallways and staircases the servants are captivated by his music. The cynical seen-it-all-before attitudes of the upper classes contrasted with the star-crossed servants who are willing to let themselves be entertained without constraints. I liked Altman's "The Player" as a comment on Hollywood and in a similar fashion, Gosford Park is his comment on class and society in England. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Lost In This Park
Review: A normally outstanding cast makes up a so-so whodunit, focusing on the stark contrasts between the well-to-do and the working class servants who take care of them. "Gosford Park" has too many people whose identities get lost in this myriad of affluence. Yes, the cast is great (hence the 2 star rating) but it's hard to tell who's who, no less than whodunit. Perhaps a smaller cast would be better or better yet...if everyone wore nametags to identify themselves.
Rating:
Summary: Probably not "Best" but not bad either
Review: I waited for the DVD of "Gosford Park" because I'd been told it was hard to keep up with the dialogue.....even with subtitles, it's sometimes difficult to keep up with it in the crowd scenes. It's "Upstairs, Downstairs" with a dash of Dame Agatha, of course. And, like the former, the "Downstairs" folks were much more appealing that the snobs upstairs. I thought Altman did a better job with "Cookie's Fortune" and that one didn't get nominated for anything. But it is thoroughly enjoyable, although Jacobi is pretty much wasted.
Rating: 
Summary: A Waste of Time and Money
Review: After seeing and hearing wonderful things about this movie, I was really expecting something fabulous. I found myself squirming in my seat, debating, after one hour of viewing, whether to shut it off and pleafully return it to the video store and request a refund. Where to begin? I could not keep up with who was who, all that I remember in this mess of a script is: 1)a chubby maid getting it on on tables with I'm not sure who
2)an old lady who makes Leona Helmes look like Mother Theresa 3)a cute dog who's acting was better than the rest of the cast, primarily because he had no speaking parts
4)a long shot of a photograph that presumably helps us to understand that this photo represents something "important"
5)a phony Australian accent by a guy who takes up a glass of hot milk to a gal that I still haven't figured out her part
6)an old geezer who everyone hates (but he has the cute dog)
7)Unbelievably shallow people who get overdressed every night and stand around talking behind each others backs
8)Servants who apparently have no life and admit to this
9)A big house
10)What was the point of this movie?
Rating:
Summary: Turn on the subtitles
Review: This movie begins with a rain storm, then bogs down in an overlong, shallow tale of a herd of useless, boring people drinking tea and wearing clothes while a regiment of bitter, whining servants runs up and down stairs catering to its petty demands. As if this weren't soporific enough, Americans unaccustomed to thick English, Scottish, and Irish accents will struggle to understand more than about one out of five words. The problem is compounded by overlapping dialogue, echoing rooms, and lots of mumbling and whispering. There's just no excuse for this. I've seen dozens of British movies, including many featuring the actors in Gosford Park, and had no trouble understanding what was being said. Whether or not it was intentional on Altman's part, it's just shoddy film making. After about an hour, I turned on the subtitles for the deaf, which solved the problem. Unfortunately, by then I just didn't really care any more. Altman made one great movie--M*A*S*H. The rest (particularly the dreadful Nashville) have been horrid, and Gosford Park can be added to the list. If you must see it, be sure to turn on the subtitles from the beginning.
Rating:
Summary: Gosford Park: Outstanding among modern film
Review: I was (and am) enthralled by Gosford Park! This film has such a fine cast and great dialogue, that I have watched it over and over and see something different everytime. The nuances of each actor makes you want to watch this film many times, so you don't miss anything! The production design and costumes are top notch, and Robert Altman once again lets his actors become the characters. And anyway, I love period films! Why can't there be more movies like this?
Rating:
Summary: Please recognize Patrick Doyle
Review: Patrick Doyle's score is simply stunning. His best work to date. The true gift of a film composer is to enhance the emotional arc of the picture while NOT interferring or calling too much attention to itself. This is really good film made excellent by a fantastic score.
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