Rating: 
Summary: The House of Mirth
Review: This is one of the best movies I saw this year. Gillian Anderson gives an incredible performance that you have to see to believe. Director Terrence Davies fills the film with beautiful shots and the story, while occasionally hard to follow, is well adapted from the original novel. If you are the kind of person who has been too long fed on the typical American movie, if you need action and blood to keep your attention, this movie is not for you. If you are willing to watch and listen carefully and open to the independent film style and phenomenal acting, you are in for a treat. This is undeniably Anderson's film, and she plays it for all she is worth. She is heartbreaking and beautiful as Lily Bart, and it's anyone's guess as to why she was ignored by the Academy Awards.
Rating:
Summary: A classic tragedy. Anderson soars.
Review: "House of Mirth" is an absorbing character study of a proud woman's social downfall at her own hands, leading ultimately to her complete demise. The story is intricately told, accurately portraying the subtleties and treacheries of polite society in more stilted times. Director Terence Davies does an outstanding job with a limited budget in rendering the look and feel of the period. His character development is probing and filled with nuance, although the pacing is a bit slow and perhaps too inclusive.The story of Lily Bart (Gillian Anderson) is a classic tale of a fall from grace resulting from excessive pride and self indulgence. Davies draws us in to her world, laying bare both her noble and arrogant sides and giving us conflicted feelings about her eventual fate. On one hand, her adherence to her principles is admirable, yet on the other it is difficult to pity her when her decadence and inability to compromise almost assure her doom. I cannot rave enough about Gillian Anderson's performance in this film. Prior to this film I had little regard for her acting ability, assessing her to be a one dimensional character actor propelled to cult status by a popular TV show. Taking this part was a monumental risk for her, shedding the familiar bonds of her emotionally contained Scully persona to take on a character swirling in a volitile hurricane of emotion. She handles it magnificently. Her performance has great volume, reaching far, wide and deep into her character's psyche and bleeding it effusively onto the screen. After seeing this tour de force performance, I am left wondering why she wastes her time on television (I guess her multi million dollar "X Files" contract might have some bearing on it). The rest of the cast is barely adequate to the task of supporting Anderson. Dan Aykroyd is miscast for this part. He simply doesn't have the sinister side that the role requires. Eric Stolz' character is supposed to be very stolid, but Stolz so understates the character that he comes across as lifeless and wooden. Laura Linney is the best of the supporting cast portraying Bertha Dorset as charmingly diabolical and affected. This film is a wonderful throwback to the days when the story mattered. Its classical underpinnings give it a tragic richness you don't see much anymore. I rated it a 9/10. It requires a patient and intelligent viewer, but for those who appreciate powerful character studies it will be a treat.
Rating: 
Summary: Good acting with terrible dialogue
Review: The acting in this beautifully shot movie was quite good, but unfortunately the script was terrible. Anderson, forced to roll out the majority of the ridiculously florid dialogue, occasionally struggled with it, but her emoting itself was good. Aykroyd and LaPaglia did a superb job acting and seemed to have no problems getting around the lines, but I must emphasize that the lines themselves were painful at times. Nobody speaks like that! And nobody ever did! The style fluctuated far too often between poetics and colloquialisms, many of the latter seeming entirely too modern for 1905. Personally, even though I am a huge LaPaglia fan, I don't know if I could stomach this movie again, wonderful though he is. I'm glad I merely rented it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Social Commentary
Review: This was an excellent movie from start to finish. The story and the dialogue were constantly engaging. Some of the language is not widely used today but was perfect for the time and the actors were good at conveying the meaning through their expressions and tone. At the beginning of the film the main character is not very likeable and seemed to be strickly worried about society and her place in it but as the film goes on we find that she is trusting because she is trustworthy to her friends and true love. When she can clear her name she sacrifices for her true love. Even though this is a period film I found myself sympathetic to Lily's situation. Wonderful performances by all. The costumes and makeup were so good I did not recognize several actors at first. I did not care for the ending but it fit the story and any other ending would have felt contrived. I came here to buy a copy because this was one of the best movies I have seen in years.
Rating: 
Summary: Good movie!
Review: As a person who really loves Edith Wharton's beautiful novel, I was deeply impressed by the film.
I didn't think Gillian Anderson did the opening scene in Seldon's apartment very well, ditto for some of the other scenes in the beginning, so at first I was kind of disappointed, but as the show went on I was more and more thrilled with her performance. The last few scenes were so beautifully tragic it was heartbreaking.
It is very faithful to the book, with some mild alterations that were probably for the best, for instance in the book Lily rarely cries, but the reader understands her inward agony so tears are not necessary. For a movie, I guess you need more visual stuff, so she's more teary. One change that surprised me was that the character of Gerty Farish had been left out, and oddly combined with that of Grace Stepney, to create a rather strange person who was almost creepy.
Still, if you loved the book, you'll love the movie. I would urge all Edith Wharton fans to see it. . . it is worth the viewing time and may even increase your appreciation for the book. Definitely one of my favorite movies, and extremely well acted, it'll rip your heart out.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Piece
Review: Beautiful. Stunning. Astonishing. Heartwrenching. All these describe The House of Mirth, the movie based on Edith Wharton's 1905 novel, a piece so utterly overwhelming in its visual and literary beauty that the viewer ends up feeling somewhat drained by the experience. Drained in a wonderful way. When was the last time you sat down and watched a movie and connected fully with the main characters? If it's been a while--and I know it had been for me--then this movie is for you. The film follows the beautiful Miss Lily Bart, a twenty-nine-year-old single socialite who cannot be accused of having good luck...at all. The film is based upon Wharton's novel, and the novel must be classified as a naturalist piece, even by the most optimistic of critics. Viewers find themselves drawn to Miss Bart, even as they want to cry out, "No, Lily! Think!" Lily becomes the most intriguing, endearing character due to Gillian Anderson's astonishing portrayal, the perfect combination of poise, restraint, and emotion, not to mention the feminine wiles that characterize the always beguiling Miss Lily Bart. Anderson, the long-time star of the cult television classic The X-Files, won the best actress award for the film at both The Village Voice Film Critics' Poll and The British Independent Film Awards in 2000. And trust me, she deserves it. Other than Ms. Anderson's lovely portrayal, the film also includes performances by Dan Aykroyd (and he is surprisingly wonderful), Terry Kinney, Anthony LaPaglia, Laura Linney (of You Can Count on Me), and the gorgeous Eric Stoltz, whom many have called a younger Colin Firth/Mr. Darcy of The House of Mirth. They all put in beautiful performances. Simply trust me when I tell you that this film will change your way of thinking, not to mention your way of feeling. It's worth the buy.
Rating: 
Summary: Uneven performance
Review: The biggest flaw to this movie is the uneven performance put up by Anderson. She is great in the first half an hour, but her performance degenerates into pity (much like the character she plays) and unconvincing for the rest of the film. Aykroyd just looks and acts ridiculous as the married seducer, probably the worst cast role in the film. For some reason I never developed a full sympathy for Lily Bart. It could have been a great film, but the rather theatrical direction leave the film cold.
Rating:
Summary: Why wasn't this film better promoted?
Review: If you have read the majority of the other wonderful reviews for Terence Davies The House of Mirth, you already know that this is an exceptional film. Based on a novel by Edith Wharton, who thanks to a few recent film adaptations has been experiencing a wonderful and much deserved revival, this film is as close to perfection as a literary adaptation can be. Gillian Anderson brings Lily Bart faithfully to life, flaws included. Eric Stoltz, a consistantly excellent and under-appreciated actor, handles the difficult task of making the introspective Lawrence Selden accessible for viewers with assurrance and finese. The lovable Dan Ackroyd is repugnant as the bullying Gus Trenor, demonstrating acting talents that his comedic career has overshadowed. Jodhi May's character combines two characters in the book, Grace Stepney and Gerty Farish, and with quiet power displays the hypocritical surface that belies underlying cruelty of New York society in the late 1800's. This film is beautiful for the eyes, heartbreaking to the soul and as perfect a literary adaptation as any I have ever seen (and I've seen them all!). My only complaint about this film is why in the world didn't Sony better promote this film? I learned about it because I am in the Edith Wharton Society. I wish the marketing execs, or whoever makes these decisions at Sony, would not underestimate the film viewing public. Though a movie like the House of Mirth may not make the same profit as a big budget film, plenty of serious film viewers would be thrilled to have the opportunity to view a true work of art.
Rating: 
Summary: House of... oh, wait, did I fall asleep again?
Review: I tried, I really, really tried to like this movie. But I just couldn't get through it. Three failed attempts to watch it later, I gave up. More like House of Good Costumes. The mirth was the acting, the story, everything aside from the really wonderful period sets and costumes. The whole thing just seemed rather affected, and totally ineffective at entertaining me, or any of my other guests.
Rating:
Summary: Worst movie I have ever seen
Review: This movie was pathetic and easily the worst movie I have ever seen since "Au Hazard Balthazar." Sound design was atrocious. Lighting was ridiculous. The script was stale, flat, stuffy, and forced. The acting -- easily the most wretched performances these actors have ever given. Almost every scene felt like a farse. Totally unnatural. just awful. made me have flashbacks of my junior high drama class. What a nightmare! I am willing to bet that every cast member is dismally ashamed of this movie and thinks it is their lowest work ever. The director? Should never work again. This movie was truly, truly horrible. Not a single true emotional moment. Nothing. A bunch of bad lines, bad acting, bad sound design, bad lighting. Oh, and did I mention the soundtrack? Well, you can guess....
Shame on whoever was responsible for this cinematicn bowel movement.
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