Before and After

Rating:
Summary: Not So Great
Review: While some of the acting was good (Liam Neeson and Meryl Streep, in particular), this movie itself is not worth seeing. I found it to be unrealistic, unconvincing, stupidly dramatic, corny, and most of all, the screenplay was just awful. Everything felt contrived to the point that I couldn't really get into the movie or feel for the characters. And the ending was very incomplete and disappointing. If you love Streep or Neeson, then you may want to see this--otherwise, unfortunately, I don't think it's worth your time.

Rating:
Summary: Tepid attempt...
Review: With a great cast, a storyline that could have been developed into something of more interest (and which could have permitted its protagonists to show their true acting potential), and based on a book that was rather captivating, it is quite surprising that this movie was such a disappointment. The way in which it was edited (from the very beginning, when it takes nearly five minutes for any of the characters to speak one word or do anything of importance --while a piece of pseudo-mysterious classical music plays in the background) gives it a TV movie feel that lasts through the very end. The sudden and predictable denouement takes place after over an hour and a half of no character development and absolute movie boredom; even Meryl Streep's amazing acting qualities do nothing to rescue this tepid excuse for a film. Not worth buying, only worth watching on a boring Sunday afternoon when there's nothing else on the other 157 channels.