The Cider House Rules

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful and touching movie
Review: Michael Caine portrays Dr. Larch who runs an orphanage. He performs deliveries or abortions, depending on the wishes of his patients. He arranges for adoptions and cares for those orphans who are not adopted. One of the children, Homer Wells, becomes like a son to him and he trains him to succeed him at the orphanage. Homer disapproves of the abortion end of Larch's business and decides to go out into the world to see new things. He admits to his companions that he has never seen the ocean, nor has he seen a lobster, although he has spent his entire life in Maine. Homer falls in love and learns about the good and evil side of the people with whom he comes in contact. This is a wonderful movie with brilliant acting and a very moving story--the best I've seen in quite sometime.

Rating:
Summary: Deserving of All its Praise
Review: The Cider House Rules was a wonderful film, full of happy and terrifying moments. I have to admit my favorite character was Fuzzy (the little blond boy who plays Dewy on Malcolm in the Middle). Beside his physical image of innocence, his life is so full of wonder and awe that you just want to hold him in your lap everytime he's on screen.

This is definantly and adult movie, and I was especially engaged by the openness with which the film dealt with abortion and incest. It was truly heart-wrenching and beautiful, all at once. It was a wonderful movie to watch.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie!!
Review: I really enjoyed this movie. I was pleased how the director gave some vision to such a sensitive topic. I also was introduced to Charlize Theron in this movie. She's going places. The performance by Toby Maguire was a little subdued yet he made the points needed to make the movie a success. I was surprised by the performance of Erica Badu and wasn't that Heavy D??

Rating:
Summary: How could he do it?
Review: After seeing his work mauled by Simon Birch, Irving made a vow to do his own adaptations. And what a novel to start with: The Cider House Rules is a beautifully written ode to love. But read the book, then watch the film. You'll be amazingly disappointed at what was important and beautiful in the novel has become cheap and Hollywood-ized in the film (especially the ending). I missed this film during Oscar-hype and kept vowing to see it, then bought the DVD since I enjoyed the book so much. I was keenly disappointed. Don't get me wrong, though. On its own, the Cider House Rules film is a nice work of motion picture, with well-written dialogue, beautiful cinematography, and good performances. But to see what Irving did to his novel (in what I'm assuming is the interest of time and to give the film a more traditional happy ending) is to see utter disappointment in this film. ATTENTION: Don't watch this movie and read the book because it intrigues you...and if you've read the book but haven't seen the film, don't. Let the characters live and breathe inside you.

Rating:
Summary: Gooey, overrated and ultimately a little tedious
Review: I liked "Cider House" OK when I first saw it, but it certainly wasn't the instant classic the movie ads were screeching about. It also didn't age well with me. Within minutes of leaving the theatre, I was bothered by awkward moments that didn't fit, or by the over-cuteness of those gosh-darn-adorable little orphans. Problem is, the movie's not about those adorable orphans, or the equally adorable and interesting Doctor played by Michael Caine, but about a far less interesting story and place, complete with a glamour shot of Charlize Theron's all-over tanned backside.

This was just not a great movie. It's a completely adequate one, and an enjoyable couple of hours. But there's nothing all that deep or interesting about it, save for a quietly wonderful performance by Caine that I actually think seems better than it is, simply because the rest of the movie is so curiously bland.

Sure it offers cute orphans, sexy Charlize Theron, and some sticky ethical issues deep in all the candy coating. But for the first time director Lasse Hallstrom fell flat for me. The movie looks like a gooey Hallmark car with a not-so-sweet center.

And while Tobey Maguire is simply terrific with a part that would have seemed bland in any other hands, the fact is that he's hopelessly mismatched with Theron, who looks at least ten years older -- and hopelessly glamorous -- when set next to this sweet cracker kid. Theron is beautiful but she is utterly unconvincing as a "simple lobsterman's daughter" and seems to belong in a completely different movie. Even her wardrobe is the kind of overglamorous stuff Marilyn Monroe would have loved. (How many lobsters does Dad catch, anyway?)

I love John Irving's books, and loved the novel this is based on, but I think this whole "Summer of 42" angle for the film hurt it. And because I couldn't seriously see this gorgeous movie-idol woman choosing too-young-to-shave Maguire (and the romance itself is clunky and sparkless in its depiction), the whole movie didn't stand up well, and went downhill fast after.

I was also really unhappy that a film this mediocre would be chosen as a nominee for Best Picture (but again, Miramax knows how to spend those "for your consideration" ad dollars). When measured against wonderful films of last year which should have been nominated for the Best Picture spot instead, such as "Magnolia," or "The Talented Mr. Ripley," or even "Being John Malkovich" -- "Cider House" is already being recognized as overpraised and hopelessly outclassed. (I actually couldn't help but wonder if some of these other ecstatic customer reviews actually came from the PR machine at Miramax.)

Unless you loved the book, don't spend the bucks, but wait to catch it for free on cable. You'll probably be more forgiving.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent film about the complexities of life
Review: This movie is beautiful to look at, well-acted, and artfully written. Its examination of how the "rules" we're asked to live by don't always make sense in our everyday lives is subtle and beautifully handled. The story, too, is very touching and believable, particularly the relationship between Caine and McGuire. And the scene where the little boy with lung problems watches "King Kong", smiling with happiness, is one of the simplest, yet incredibly moving scenes in any movie I've ever watched.

Rating:
Summary: Tobey maquire rules
Review: In the time it took me to pick up a DVD of "Cider House Rules" off of the shelf and walk down the aisle to the cash register four different people noticed it in my hands and stopped to tell me how great of a movie it was. It eased my mind about my indecision to purchase it and I proudly whipped out my check book! All four people were of different ages from 17 to 60. I think that amazed me the most.

The main issue encompassing the movie is "abortion". Both sides of the issue are shown; and, no matter where you stood originally it made you realize that maybe there isn't a right or wrong in all situations. The abortion issue is there...but, it is not jammed down your throat. Actually, it is a movie where all of the characters have their own story. All of the storys gently fit together to make one of the best movies I've seen in a long time.

All of the characters in this movie are strong and unforgettable! I can see why Michael Cain (who plays the doctor of an orphanage) won an oscar. However, it was Tobey Maquire (who plays young, coming of age "Homer") who deserved an Oscar for his performance. I'm not sured how his performance was overlooked because his performance shined like a big, bright star!

I won't go into a long synopsis of the movie since you can read it in the Amazon.com synopsis above. However, I will say that this is definately a movie worth seeing more than once!

Rating:
Summary: Rules of Life
Review: I know that I represent only a handful of dissenting voices in not embracing Cider House Rules as a great film. The story may have been set 60 years ago, but it rather to obviously exploits one of the noisily controversial topic of today, abortion. I know that this movie is also about growing up and realizing that living by the rules is not always what is right. But I kind of knew that already and the movie did not offer a new angle that would make this realization interesing for me. I have lived with it for a while.

Rating:
Summary: Didn't read the book, but the film
Review: I thought the film was lacking in what motivated the main character to chose path at the end of the film. I really didn't sense that he had learned enough of the world beyond the orphanage to smooth his rough edges (like glass by the ocean sand) and to settle into his chosen profession.

The performances were good, but the motivation of the characters' was lacking.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good Film
Review: this Film Worked in that it discussed Issues&Taboo Topics.but compared to the Book it's not as strong.the acting is a little all over the place.Michael Caine handles the first part&Delroy Lindro handles the Mid-second part.it's like two films in one in many instances.it's a film that needed to be told but it gets a bit scattered.still for it's time period&different Subject Matters worth a Viewing but not for the easily Offended.