Rating: 
Summary: An enjoyable movie, but still a disappointment
Review: I think few people who, like me, had read the book by Pat Conroy would be satisfied with the movie version. On the positive side, it was well acted, well cast and the script did not stray too far from the novel. However, so much was left out that the power and drama of the novel were lost. Particularly disappointing was the fact that Luke and Savannah, two of the main characters in the book, barely featured in the movie. Focussing so much on the romance between Tom and Lowenstein, only a secondary storyline in the novel, may have made the story more straightforward but also more ordinary. Nick Nolte was great as Tom and I did enjoy the movie, but after reading the book and knowing what the film could have been I feel a bit disappointed. Probably this book would be better adapted for a mini-series, where more time could be allowed to develop all aspects of the story.
Rating: 
Summary: Viva La Streisand. Deserves more than 5 stars
Review: I was awe struck the first time I watched this movie. What a movie!Now after almost a dozen viewings I still think this is one of the greatest adaptations of a great novel. Streisand did a wonderful job directing this movie. Of course the acting was superb by the entire cast. The music and photography were more than great. A brilliant piece of art.
Rating: 
Summary: "You did, Mama. You did."
Review: I would give this film four-and-a-half stars. Streisand's semi-controversial adaptation of THE PRINCE OF TIDES may not have completely satisfied fans of the book, however, the general public fell instantly under the film's hypnotic spell - and turned it into a surprise box office smash! The decision to keep the film's focus in the present rather than the past results in the elimination of most of the novel's lengthy backstory. However, the well-condensed script (written by Conroy himself and Becky Johnson) manages to seamlessly fill in the missing information, and allows all central characters to reach a level of character development that is unusually high for a mainstream Hollywood film. As the film progresses, these characters seem especially real, and they are embodied by an absolutely flawless cast. As anyone who has read the book can attest, the characters of Tom and Lila Wingo would seem to be extremely challenging (if not almost unplayable) roles, both of which are brimming with contradictions and hidden emotions. However, Nick Nolte and Kate Neligan find the perfect balance in their portrayals, which earned them both well-dissevered Oscar nominations. Blythe Danner, Jason Gould, and Melinda Dillion all also turn in memorable performances, even though Dillion's Savannah (a lead character in the novel) has precious little screentime due to the film's structure. Barbra also gives an affecting portrayal, however, the director's chair is where she really shines this time. With it's moving storyline, compelling characters, and breathtakingly beautiful cinematography, THE PRINCE OF TIDES is film that will continue enchant audiences for years to come. About the DVD: The picture quality and sound are excellent, although it's disappointing that the many extras (which included a featurette, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and Streisand's full-length commentary track) that were included on Criterion's special edition laserdisc release are not found on this DVD. The film's original trailer and teaser are included, but I hope that all of the extras from the laserdisc will someday make their way to DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Good Movie, Excellent book!
Review: Many novels are difficult to project on the "silver screen" from the printed page. For those who have read the book, I think it is true of Conroy's, The Prince of Tides. The truth is that you just can not build the story lines because of time restraints, etc in a movie that you can throught the printed page. I agree with several other reviewers that if this work were a miniseries it may have been able to follow several very good story lines from the book that were left out or only made mention of in the movie.(I think it would have been a great series).
All that being said, I still think it is movie worth the time of watching. It is touching. It is funny, It will pull you into the lives and loves of the main characters. The story line is true to the novel, although it is not as full as I would have liked. I thought that Nick Nolte was wonderful as Tom Wingo the story teller of the book. He captures well the southern fire of the lead character. In my estimation, this is the best acting job that I have seen Barbara Streisand do. She was passionate and compelling. The supporting cast was also very good. The movie contrast well the power of love's ability to build up and to tear down. A good movie to watch by yourself or with your family.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful movie
Review: My whole family loves this movie. The acting and story are so powerful. I've read the book, and like nearly every adaptation, there are parts that are left out, but the movie is still excellent despite the omissions.
Anyone with a heart will love this movie. If you are not easily moved by sentiment and poignancy, then you probably won't appreciate it.
If you like movies such as 'Steel Magnolias', 'The Hours', or 'To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday', then I think you'll love this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Doesn't do the book justice, but a fine film
Review: Other reviewers are entirely correct when they state that Pat Conroy's truly amazing novel would have been a better miniseries than a two hour film. At the same time, it's probably as well done in movie format as one could hope for. For the uninitiated, the novel is a multi-generational saga of a horribly dysfunctional family from South Carolina. Tom Wingo, at present an unemployed teacher and football coach, learns that his twin sister, nationally renowned poet Savannah Wingo, is in intensive care after a suicide attempt in her adopted home of New York. Tom goes to New York to meet with Savannah's psychiatrist Dr. Susan Lowenstein, and he flashes back to his childhood and reveals the family secrets which have turned the two surviving Wingo children into tortured adults. Tom reveals and learns as much about himself as Dr. Lowenstein learns about Savannah, and he and Lowenstein fall in love. This provides additional heartache for Tom, who is in the midst of serious martial problems with his wife Sallie. Barbra Striseand directs, and in this role she's very strong. The film is well-paced. Nick Nolte is truly excellent as Tom Wingo, and his performance is well worth your time. I have mixed emotions about Striseand on screen, however. While she does a good but unspectacular job as Susan Lowenstein, the film has much more to do with her relationship with Tom than actually helping Savannah. And Striseand nearly becomes the focal point of the film, and Lowenstein was far from the focal point of the book. To her credit, she's quite convincing as a successful psychiatrist with a sad and troubled personal life, and the common ground she shares with Tom Wingo is very believable. And George Carlin's bit part as Savannah's homosexual neighbor provides effective comic relief. Again, cramming an epic of this sort into a two-hour feature film is challenging, and many crucial details of the Wingo childhood, while referred to, are in such limited detail that the entire scope of the film is changed. Luke Wingo, who played a huge role in the book, and whose death crushed both Tom and Savannah, is so limited a presence in the film that the viewer unfamiliar with the book might discount him nearly entirely. Certain scenes from the book were sanitized for the film, such as the horrific assaults committed by the escapees from prison--although the family's first jarring encounter with one of the men a decade before was left out altogether. And Luke Wingo is the actual prince of tides, not Tom. That bugged me, because it didn't increase the value of the moment between Savannah and Tom near the end of the film. What would have helped that particular scene would have been an acknowledgement between Savannah and Tom that Luke's death broke both of them, and none was made. After all, Tom told Lowenstein time and again in the film that secrecy was the family trademark, and in the book Tom finally took a deep breath and discussed Luke's death with Savannah after she had been released from the hospital. It was a groundbreaking moment for both Tom and Savannah. Overall, a good film, and an especially good date film. But it simply can't touch one of the finest novels of this generation. If you aren't familiar with either, watch the movie first, then read the book. You'll then understand how a truly breathtaking five-part miniseries could have been made from it.
Rating: 
Summary: Flotsam and Jetsam
Review: Pat Conroy's novel "The Prince of Tides" is one of the most powerfully and beautifully written novels in modern American literature. It is unfortunate, however, that Barbra Streisand ever got her hands on this thought-provoking book. She has turned a masterpiece into a piece of dreck. The amount of film wasted to make this poor excuse for a movie is enough to make me weep. Ms. Streisand has turned Conroy's book into a star vehicle for herself. In doing so, she has completely eliminated many of the novel's core elements. For example, where is Savannah? In the movie, she is absolutely nowhere! We are not given this beautiful, but disturbed, character. We are not allowed into her world through her short story. This is an abomination, as Savannah and her story were key to the novel's central themes. I can not imagine anyone who has read the book approving of this film adaptation. The book had depth, insight--the film has neither. Certain films should never have been made. This one goes at the very top of that list. I am sorry, Mr. Conroy, for how dreadfully your beautiful novel has been treated. Forget this film; read the novel.
Rating:
Summary: babs blew it
Review: Possibly the most disappointing adaptation I've ever seen. The character Susan was NOT the main focus of the story. The book mostly takes place in the past with flashes to the present, not the other way around. Leaving out the stories about the grandfather's cross and the white porpoise and the dead sea turtle . . . very disappointing. And messing up the story of Callanwold! I guess Babs would only do it if she were the star of the show. This book would be much better done in the style of a mini-series, allowing more time to cover more of the original story. One of the best books I've ever read, one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Pat Conroy should be insulted.
Rating:
Summary: A MASTERPIECE OF HUMAN FRAILTY AND FAMILY SECRETS
Review: Price of Tides is entertaining and also an excellent study of human frailty. Streisand has directed a masterpiece with Nick Nolte as its centerpiece. The performances, particularly by Nolte, Streisand, and Kate Nelligan are complex and convincing. At over two hours in length, plenty of time is allowed to explore the characters and their dilemmas. Nolte is Tom Wingo, a tortured Southern football coach, husband, and father whose burial of the past imperils his connection to the present. Nelligan is magnificent as Tom's distant mother with an uncanny ability to suspend some very dark secrets. Streisand is the psychiatrist who unlocks the past for both Tom and that of his suicidal sister Savannah. Jason Gould and Blythe Danner round out the cast with small but pivotal roles. The subject matter is intense but not maudlin as Streisand sprinkles joyous moments amid the sad. Many can relate to this film though our travails are mild compared to Tom Wingo's. Have a full box of tissues handy. You'll need them...
Rating:
Summary: A MASTERPIECE OF HUMAN FRAILTY AND FAMILY SECRETS
Review: Prince of Tides is entertaining and also an excellent study of human frailty. Streisand has directed a masterpiece with Nick Nolte as its centerpiece. The performances, particularly by Nolte, Streisand, and Kate Nelligan are complex and convincing. At over two hours in length, plenty of time is allowed to explore the characters and their dilemmas. Nolte is Tom Wingo, a tortured Southern football coach, husband, and father whose burial of the past imperils his connection to the present. Nelligan is magnificent as Tom's distant mother with an uncanny ability to suspend some very dark secrets. Streisand is the psychiatrist who unlocks the past for both Tom and that of his suicidal sister Savannah. Jason Gould and Blythe Danner round out the cast with small but pivotal roles. The subject matter is intense but not maudlin as Streisand sprinkles joyous moments amid the sad. Many can relate to this film though our travails are mild compared to Tom Wingo's.
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