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Summary: The Cider House RULES!
Review: What attracted me to this film was the combination of Michael Caine and Tobey Maguire. Caine's subtle yet effective performance is the work of a master. You gotta give the old dog a ton of credit, and hell, throw in a "trophy" as well! He's got to be the hardest working actor in the business. Maguire's role as Homer Wells amused and impressed me. He's got a style all his own. Delroy Lindo is simply a force to be dealt wth, a major presence on the screen. The supporting is cast is incredible. This film's got it all: wide -eyed lonely kids, funny moments, intense situations and the harsh sting of reality. Director Lasse Hallstrom delivers a heart-wrenching slice of Americana, the likes of which haven't been seen in cinema in a very long time.
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Summary: Read the novel, too.
Review: There is much, much more to experience and mull over if you read Irving's novel, and although Irving wrote this screenplay, the novel as, I recall, was a more of a masterwork on the level of a fine Charles Dickens piece. This film is a fine depiction of the novel, but trust me--read the novel, too. I have been an unabashed Irving admirer and fan since "Setting Free Of The Bears" and "The World According to Garp" days and I feel that he IS America's best writer...
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Summary: An incredible movie!
Review: I found this movie to be extremely moving. My friends and I saw it in the theater, and after it was over, none of us said anything for about ten minutes. It was thought-provoking and sweet, yet so sad in some parts! It was about a boy who leaves the orphanage he grew up in to go experience the world, where he finds love and makes friends with a group of migrant workers. I recommend it to anyone.
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Summary: The Cider House Rules is a masterpiece
Review: The Cider House Rules is a great movie with good acting, including Michael Caine, great direction, and a perfect screenplay. It's up with the best of 1999 including American Beauty, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Dogma, The Hurricane, and the Sixth Sense. TheI suggest you see it.
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Summary: Outstandingly Beautiful
Review: The Cider House Rules was beautifully performed and delt with senstive issues very rationally. I loved the characters. One of the better films of the year
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Summary: Excellently Done, Beautifully Crafted
Review: This was an excellent movie that everyone should see, whether or not they are pro-choice. It follows the main character Homer's struggle against life, and the choices he must make to "be of use." The imagry is beautiful, and the symbolism is well crafted. You are drawn into the movie and you struggle with the same choices Homer is making. A well-done story about a conterversial issue.
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Summary: ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF ALL TIME!!
Review: Homer Wells has lived in St. Clouds orphanage/ abortion clinic/ hospital all his life. An everlasting orphan with no family except Dr. Larch - who expects Homer to become a doctor just like him - he's never questioned the outside world. Until Candy and Wolly come for an abortion, and end up taking him back to their town with them, changing his world forever. He comes across Mr. Rose and his daughter - Rose Rose and the rest of the apple picking crew. Within time, Homer can see that the innocent world he thought exsisted is anything but, filled with insest, abortions, and love. As Candy and Homer fall in love, Dr. Larch tries to reach Homer and make him come home, until he realizes that Homer has been "lost to the world". A beautiful movie, filled with lessons of what is right and wrong, love and hate, and an overall feeling of family at the end of the day. Maguire is excellent as young Homer, and Micheal Caine gives one of his best performances. Chalize Theron also shines as the insecure Candy, who must decide between Homer and Wolly. Definetly worth seeing over and over again, a true American Classic.
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Summary: Sentimental joy
Review: "The Cider House Rules" was a pleasant surprise. Instead of trying to be cutting edge or over the top, "The Cider House Rules" succeeds in making a beautiful film and that alone. This film has a good story (the movie was adapted from John Irving's novel), modestly good acting, and a good score. "The Cider House Rules" is a simple story with well-recognized themes. An orphan boy named Homer(played by Toby Maguire) helps a doctor(played by Michael Caine) to take care of orphan children and perform abortions. However-like all teenagers in movies and books-Homer has a desire to see life and decides to go away with a couple who have just visited to do just that, see life. Michael Caine's character insists that Homer stay but of course doesn't listen. Toby and Michael have an excellent chemistry on film. On his travels with the couple, Homer falls in love and discovers a mystery hidden by a group of African-American slaves on an orchard. The film is like learning French or listening to Handel; just beautiful all around. The Cinematography is brilliant and makes me want to go to Maine. The acting is well reserved and doesn't become mellow-dramatic or fake. The score(I bought it on CD after I saw the film) is also another great aspect of the film. From the dramatic theme to the simple piano numbers, the score adds to the greatness of the film. I recommend this film to everyone and know you'll enjoy it. It won't be on your favorite film list or your favorite of '99 but will keep you inspired for awhile.
Rating: 
Summary: Impersonal. Not what you'd expect.
Review: Roger Ebert said it best: "A larger question remains: Why is there such a muddle about the movie's subject? I left the theater wondering what the movie thought it was about and was unable to say. It's almost deliberately unfocused; it shows us many events without guiding them to add up to anything definite." I got up from my bed wondering the exact same thing. A movie should never leave you with that big of a question. If it does, it did not accomplish anything, because it is as if it felt it had nothing to accomplish. I was highly disappointed with this film. It just didn't work on so many levels. Lasse Hallstrome is probably my least favorite major director at the moment. It seems he exists solely for Miramax to hire him so they can produce another accessible --no matter how impersonal-- piece of crap such as this in order to garner Oscars and, in the end, more money. Many have said it is an important film because it approaches family and abortion. But the family aspect was so sparse it felt non-existent for about 75% of the running time. And the issue of abortion is left at an unfortunately impersonal level, exploring whether or not Tobey McGuire's character Homer finds it moral to use the medical skills his confident Dr. Larch (Michael Caine) has taught him in order to help women with abortion without bringing the issue past Homer himself. It does not ever leave the television screen. You aren't left thinking about whether it is right or wrong, or whether it should be legal or illegal, the woman or man's choice. I would further my point, but I would risk spoiling the film. I think the only thing I truly enjoyed about the film was Charlize Theron. Otherwise, 'The Cider House Rules' was bland and confused.
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Summary: Good flick but troubling
Review: The Cider House Rules is an adptation of a novel by John Irving. This movie takes place during the Second World War at an orphanage in Maine. The central characters are Homer played by Tobey Maguire, and the benevolent Dr. Larch, played by Michael Caine. Homer is a young man who was raised in the orphange and Dr. Larch is the full time house physician who takes Homer under his wing and makes him his assistant.
While liking the movie, I am troubled by it. This movie may be a great example of the "blue state/red state schism in this country. Dr. Larch performs abortions on demand for any woman who comes to him seeking one. There is no real treatment of this controversial subject until much later when an abortion is performed in a very different context (in what was once called a theraputic abortion). It is pretty much a given that he performs abortions on demand and, he comes across benevolently. There is no agonizing as to whether a woman who comes to an orphanage seeking an abortion should be counseled as to the possibility of her delivering her baby and keeping the baby at the orphanage. It seems, that to Hollywood, this is not even an issue. No wonder so many people distrust the so called "Hollywood elite" and its values.
There are, however, other dimensions to this movie. A soldier and his girlfriend come to the orpanage for an abortion and Homer leaves with them to work as an apple picker at an orchard. Homer discovers love, life in the real world and, basically his horizons are expanded. Meanwhile, Dr. Larch wants Homer to come back since he has hopes that Homer will be his successor. There are so many relationships that are explored in this movie that it is a pity that the abortion issue was treated so poorly. This could have been 5 stars but, nontheless, I'll give it 4.
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