Onegin

Rating:
Summary: In a Word. . . Beautiful!
Review: Let's get this out in the air before anything more is said: This movie isn't exactly a cheery comedy. It's not even a cheery drama. It's not even a sad drama! It's a downright depressing, miserable movie. Nothing goes the way you think it will, nothing works out right, everything turns out horrible.

But the movie is still one of my favorites. And no, I'm not mixing medications.

Performances are exellent, especially by Liv Tyler, almost surprisingly as she is such a fresh, modern actress. But of course, that's not all it takes to make a good movie. The script has to be good, and it is, very. Not at all bombastic, boring (well, only sometimes), or corny. And then the visual aspect has to be good, as well, and that's taken care of in the first five minutes. The scenery sets the stage for such a frosty, rainy, gloomy, barren tale such as this.

You don't walk away with a sense of despair and longing, however - and maybe you should - but rather with a sense of hope and endurance. Good feelings to have, especially after so much dreariness.

Depressing in a good, make-you-think, touch-your-soul kind of way.

Rating:
Summary: Pathetic
Review: My perception of the film was greatly influenced by the close familiarity with Pushkin's novel-in-verse I've acquired through numerous readings of the text both in Russian (my native tongue) and in several English translations. Thus, (nitpicking?)comparsion of the cinematographic version to the literary original was pretty inevitable as I watched the film. I'm surprised by all the positive reviews I see here for I think that this movie is simply pathetic and laughable. Its portrayal of the characters, the times, the themes is grossly inadequate. Most importantly, it completely misses the mood (or, rather, the many moods) of the novel. Too many of the interpretations on the part of the director and actors are preposterous, and - worst of all - one-sided. The vapid Liv Tyler is entirely unfit for the role of passionate Tatyana, and, as a result, her performance is a miserable failure. For one, Tatyana wouldn't be caught dead singing cheesy Russian romance songs. Fiennes as Onegin doesn't deliver either. The duel scene, while visually impressive, is painfully out-of-place and overdramatized. The very atmosphere of the film is ridiculously misrepresented...

Although I couldn't keep a sardonic grin away practically for the entire duration of the movie, I realize that I may be misjudging the value of the film and the achievements of the filmmakers because of my preconcevied ideas of what "Onegin" should be on screen or on stage. Undoubtedly, attempting to render an authentic portrayal of the work that serves (almost unarguably) as the foundation of modern Russian literature and trying to depict with accuracy the most renowned (anti)hero of Russian literature - Onegin - is a great (unsurmountable?) challenge. Does that mean that any attempt should be met with admiration nevertheless? I'm still trying to decide.

The film suffered from the incredible hype that preceded its premiere because it did not live up to the expectations of most who impatiently awaited its release.

Rating:
Summary: No Epic But Solid Drama Piece
Review: Onegin is a lovely and haunting piece. Ralph Fiennes has never been better; Liv Tyler can't quite match him in the crucial scene at the end Anyone who doesn't know the story should be warned that this isn't David Lean's Doctor Zhivago. It was a quite small-budget film and the story isn't an epic through there is lush scenery. The story is ambiguous, where the motives of the central figure are certainly open to debate. But I think it works, the cinematography is excellent, and the music sets the mood nicely.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful treatment of Pushkin
Review: Onegin is a timeless tale that is celebrated worldwide. It "hails" a young philander, blinded by the disillution of Petersburg, Onegin, who inherits his deceased uncle's provincial estate. The opulence of the captial has crippled his morality and he finds himself a drifter in the contagious insular warmth; a courageous, free-thinking, idealistic young girl catches his eyes. Onegin mercilessly rejects the girl (Liv Tyler"'s bold declaration only to save himself the trouble of actually falling in love; instead, he flirts with the girl's engaged sister. He sees the gleaming spark of love, but the hard shell that has protected him from humaness leads to the tragic route he eventually takes--even years after he departs from the shattered frame he leaves behind. And when Onegin does see Tantyana (Liv Tyler's character) again, in the same opulence he fled from, he is torn by the compunction of an undisplined heart.

Debuting diretor Martha Fiennes does a fabulous job in staying true to Pushkin's sweeping tone. The camera work also gives it a look of grandeur. But what really made this an unforgetable piece of art is its subtle treatment of relationships and of passions. Pushkin is the Byron of the Russian language, and of course Onegin is Don Juan's assumed counterpart; but verses contain much and retain much, keen eyes need to dig into the lines to find the hard wisdom lurking behind Pushkin's melliflorous lyrics. This is where Martha Fiennes excelled; she has a great eye for hidden truth, and with the surperb casting of Liv Tyler, the helpless yearning is carefully shrouded within innocence. As a huge Russian literature fan, I was slightly offended by the use of British accent in this film; but truly, I don't see another actor more suitable than Ralph Fiennes to creep under the flamboyant skin of the title character. His icy eyes make him a perfect heartless man, and Tyler's drooping warmth makes her a perfect temptation and hindrance to the philander who is daunted by the prospect of true love. The scenes shot in St. Petersburg are just breataking; the wintry ambiance makes everything in Pushkin's timeless tale come alive. It gave my imagination an outlet, and the costume job almost led me to overlook the British actors. True, this is a film of little action, but the one sequence of duel between Onegin and his best friend, is beautifully filmed and the bullet grazes more than skin--it grazes Onegin's superficiality. The pace is slow at times, but over all, the tale is in one motion, galloping like a troika across the virgin lands towards the deepest realization of the soul.

Rating:
Summary: Well photographed
Review: Ralph Fiennes did such a superb acting job in The English Patient that I was prepared to like him in this saga. Rather than finding him portray a desirable and irresistable male who would make the object of his desires leave her Prince for him, his take on Msr. Onegin is one of a self absorbed, mewling cry baby whose sexuality is ambiguous at best. The scenes with his neighbor who hunted his forest and evolves into a "friendship" imply more and one can understand his reluctance to duel him over a provincial female whom his friend desires. There is a lot of covert, sexual conflict suggested. Fiennes chief expression is that of a pained and droopy sourfaced snob. It is only during the first quarter of this film where he is at all believable as an insufferable bore and self styled man bon vivant. After that, he just wilts.

Liv Tyler is so self conscious she never engages the role and she is ill-served by a hairdo that emphasizes her exceptionally large face which becomes repugnantly distorted during her grand crying scene. It is a puzzle why the director has her walking so slowly throughout the film such that it sends the message to the viewer of a vapid, stupid girl rather than the educated, vital and desirable character intended in the story. I found myself doing a repeat fast forward on my remote in hopes of surcease from the boredom engendered by this film.

Personal taste aside, the photography was very beautifully done and the scenes breathtaking, especially the pier where Onegin duels an erstwhile opponent. The mood of the times portrayed was captured albeit a military presence in Russia is mostly absent apart from the few references of the Hussars in dressage at various parties in St. Petersburg. Imagry is the message of this film, but you have to want to stay awake to see it.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful tale of love
Review: Somebody needs to give Ralph Fiennes' sister more projects, if they turn out like this one. An adaptation of Pushkin's romantic poem, this is a romance with feeling and a fantastic costume drama to boot. "Onegin" is a truly beautiful movie with excellent direction, and great performances by Fiennes and Liv Tyler.

Dissipated playboy Evgeny Onegin (Ralph Fiennes) inherits the country estate of his late uncle and travels there to decide what to do with it. There he befriends a rather excitable young man, Vladimir Lensky (Toby Stephens), who introduces him to the family of his fiancee. The fiancee's sister, the beautiful Tatyana Larina (Liv Tyler), catches Onegin's eye and his fancy. She falls in love with him, but he kindly rejects her.

A crisis separates Onegin from the Larina family, when Vladimir takes a warning the wrong way, challenges Onegin to a duel, and is killed. He leaves on travels, and a cousin tries to marry Tatyana off, even though she doesn't want to marry without love. Six years later, he returns to St. Petersburg and finds Tatyana is living there -- but is married to another man.

It's a simple plot, and definitely one where you wonder what will happen in the end. You wonder if Tatyana and Onegin will be together, you wonder if the end will be happy or sad, and you even wonder if both of them will live to the end. With a minimum of effort, Martha Fiennes makes us care deeply about Tatyana (a sympathetic character) and Onegin (a not-so-sympathetic character). The surroundings reflect what is going on -- the windy cold of St. Petersburg, the murky gray morning of the duel, and the sunny afternoon where Tatyana watches Onegin from her hidden boat. Another good effect that Fiennes uses is sound, especially after Vladimir is killed: Tatyana rushes into her house, crying and telling her mother and sister what happened. There is no sound, no music. All we see are the family's anguished faces, and it is all the more effective that way. The sweeping sets and costumes are outstandingly lush and beautiful.

Liv Tyler does an excellent job as Tatyana (my only quibble is that the hairstyles and clothes are definitely not what she should wear). She embodies the right combination of passion and quiet, like a statue that stays cool, distant and untouchable, until the statue cracks and all her emotions spill out. We gradually see that for all Tatyana's dreaminess and seeming spaciness, she's as solid and upright as a pillar. Ralph Fiennes is equally good at making us like Onegin, an idle playboy with a dislike of responsibility, who starts the movie daydreaming about a courtesan. And even though it was his own fault that he missed happiness with Tatyana, we feel sorry for him and wish that somehow their problems could be ironed out. His gradual awakening to real human feeling at Vladimir's death is one of the most powerful moments in the entire movie. There are also good supporting performances from Harriet Walter and Lena Headey as Tatyana's distant mother and flighty sister.

The romantics among you will love "Onegin," and probably will be shedding tears at the finale. Amazing actors and direction that will knock your socks off, and one you should definitely see.

Rating:
Summary: So Cupid Cries!
Review: Sometimes the force of circumstances is just too powerful.

When Onegin befriended Vladimir, he wasn't condescending at all; and when the latter was down, his heart was so broken as when he was rejected by Tatyana. But being so sophisticated and well read, to be honest, how could he admire Vladimir's poems when he didn't even admire Schubert? He was intellectually an avant-garde much influenced by Rousseau: he disapproved of serfdom and he was sick of the decadent life in St Petersburg. He was full of ideas and he even questioned the institution of marriage when adulteries were so widespread. And Tatyana for all her attraction she stood for, was so young...

Onegin did spot the difference between Tatyana and her easy sister and remarked that a poet should seek for Tatyana instead. Yet, young she might be, she was faithful and remained faithful despite the dreadful force of love. So in life there is, as in Dr Zhivago, nobility after all inspite of age and inspite of background: inspite of everything. But the notion of love in Russia in those days was too much a luxury, and through the influence of her family, her mother, grandmother etc she had to marry after standing against them for three whole years for Onegin's reply was still not forthcoming-- and it was not until another three years that Onegin had self-realization, knowing more about love and he was more than adequately punished for his lateness. But who can boast he knows love until he himself is ensnared by love itself? But the timing proves tragic to both of them...

Definitely one of the best films these years, even better than Tess of Durberville. Strongly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: O Negative
Review: Sorry folks. Honesty is the best policy. I lust after Ralph Fiennes and though he usually wins - when he's losing - in all his films, I wonder what he was thinking when he played this role. Man, he loses big time and quite honestly, I can't stand my lovers to play a victim role. When Ralph finally figures out what he wants, he can't get it. I love Ralph Fiennes and I'll continue to see him over and again to The End of the Affair. Ralph can lose when he plays a man who knows himself and what he wants even if he is mad; one could respect his resolve. In Onegin, he gained no respect. Rafe, I'll keep waiting for the herion.

Rating:
Summary: Enough!
Review: Such masterpieces as Onegin, Anna Karenina should NOT be made into movies!!! They should be read. No movie will ever do justice to either of those novels.

Rating:
Summary: It's alright!
Review: The roles have been so poorly miscast that this movie is simply unbearable to watch. Liv Tyler is insufferable as Tatyana, completely out of her realm in capturing the nuances of this character. Fiennes is a good actor but is too old to play Onegin, who was barely past 20 and had an affected sense of disattachment with society as a prvileged young son of Russian society would.

The movie trudges along trying to fill in the scenes with an insipid dialog that hardly does the poetic novel justice. The verse novel was written mostly in the third person with very little dialog, which would force any film maker into constructing much of it, but here we see a lovely novel reduced to the level of soap opera. Do yourself a favor and read the novel rather than waste an insufferable two hours watching this movie.