The Piano

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant, moving and elusive film.
Review: Campion's subtle drama about a young mute woman (Hunter) who is given a arranged marriage to New Zealand farmer (Neill) translates into an extraordinary personal story about love, communication from a woman's point of view. Hunter's beloved piano is the centre point of the film and symbolises the relationships between the characters. Like nearly all art house productions, its the acid test of how deep a person you really are, how you understand and are moved by the subtle undertones and friction between the characters like those seen in Visconti's equally brilliant "Death in Venice" and Hugh Hudson's "Chariots of Fire". The music fits the film perfectly and heightens the emotion, but the real stars are the actors, Kietel, Hunter and of course the young Paquin giving the performances of their carreers. Beautiful photography and locations add to the mystic.

Rating:
Summary: Wow...
Review: Made this 24-year-old woman want to take piano lessons...from Harvey Keitel!

Rating:
Summary: The best film ever
Review: It left me speechless and with a lot of yearning. There is nothing like this film; I would have to invent new words to express what it means to me.

Rating:
Summary: What a story!
Review: All I can say is, those that gave this movie a negative criticism just didn't get it. It is a profound film with rich characters and meaning. Anna Paquin deserved the Oscar she received and Holly Hunter delivered her best acting performance to date. On a scale of 5 stars, I'll give it a 6!

Rating:
Summary: Visually stunning
Review: Seeing the piano being left on the beach made me want to cry, as if it were a child being left behind.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent film.
Review: A stunning masterpiece. I was utterly enthralled by this movie. My husband even loved it, and he usually only watches action movies!

Rating:
Summary: A gorgeous film that should never have been made--avoid!
Review: Jane Campion's film, although lushly beautiful and with stellar performances from all the main characters, particularly Neill and Hunter, left me sickened and angry. Hunter's character begins as a fiercely independent and unconventional woman; throughout the movie she is degraded and brutalized in attempts to make her 'normal', and exploited shamelessly by her aspiring lover Keitel. Also, be warned, there are scenes of graphic violence.

Rating:
Summary: Artsy softcore
Review: Having a contrived scripted, some lovely footage of coastal New Zealand, and impressive performance or two, does not negate the fact that this movie is little more than glorified "artsy" softcore. Having Harvey Kietel walk around naked (uggh!) may seem like an argument against such a theory, but the film's intellectual superior attitude proves it in the long haul.

Rating:
Summary: Music the only good thing here!
Review: The movie was unbearably pretensious and put me to sleep after half an hour. Why any woman could choose sleazy Harvey Keitel over Sam Neill makes this movie wholly unbelievable, as well as Keitel's portrayal of a Maori! Very silly movie and would probably be featured on a new future edition of MST2K in 50 years. This movie's only saving grace is the wonderful soundtrack which is a good buy, but this video is a total waste of time, unless you need a bedtime lullaby.

Rating:
Summary: .I.
Review: from the subtle confirmation of relationship to sam neill's tragic downfall, this movie is amazing. acting so critical; a breath could change the mood.