Jude
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Movie Reviews of Jude
Movie Review: 2.35:1 Widescreen
Summary: 4 Stars
If you even know about this movie in the first place and are at this page on Amazon, it's probably because you know it's amazing so let's skip the praise. Doing some research, I was under the impression this region 1 DVD would be pan and scan, which normally would deter me from even the greatest films, but the movie had such a personal meaning for me I bought it anyway. Much to my amazement, the film is in glorious 2.35:1 widescreen, and the emotional devastation of the film really kills you now...The sound, BTW, is in dolby stereo. There is also a 3 second long featurette (which is pointless) and a trailer (the beautiful music in the trailer, BTW, is from Restoration by James Newton Howard). I wish Amazon would have given me this information before, so for those 2 people out there that know how amazing this movie is, the DVD is well worth the price (and since it will never be printed again, because it will never make any money, buy it now if you're going to buy it).Movie Review: A tangled web of breaking social codes
Summary: 4 Stars
This was Winslet's pre-Titanic post-Heavenly Creatures film baed on the Thomas Hardy novel. It's a story with very shocking social themes for the period setting: cousins in love, one being married to a woman who has committed bigamy, illigetimate children, fratricide, social exclusion, poverty, adultery, and all sorts of class struggles made harder by very unpopular social choices. The film is long, detailed, complicated, and there is an unusual chemistry between Winslet and her co-star. It's hard to day what the theme or "moral" of the story is but does lend itself to social commentary. The characters are victims of many social demands of the time and prove that doing everything in the name of love can be a very bad thing. They just can't get ahead in life because of their choices. In the end the love destroys both of them with Winslet turning to religion in repentance and her cousin/lover forced to live alone and in yearning for her.Movie Review: Possibly the most depressing film I've ever seen.
Summary: 4 Stars
Don't get me wrong. The acting is great and very believable. But the situations these poor people go through. I called my doctor halfway through it to order some Prozac. I would definitely suggest renting before buying this film. Chris Eccleston and Kate Winslet are great and their performances could definitely teach a thing or two about acting,(They're also great in Shallow Grave and Holy Smoke, respectively) but there's no way I could watch this again. It's just too painful.Movie Review: Very powerful film.
Summary: 4 Stars
Jude is a very powerful film. It is also very disturbing, but it is absolutely a must see. This is an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's last novel, the film isn't exactly like the novel, but if you can ignore that then you'll find that this is quite a terrific film. Just don't expect exactly what you got from the novel. Over all I give it four stars.
Movie Review: An obscure depiction of a tragic tale...
Summary: 3 Stars
The level of acting talent in `Jude' certainly helps elevate it from the messy construction and merely serviceable structure of the film.
The story tells of young Jude Fawley, a stone mason who dreams of a big education and a richly fulfilling life. At a young age he winds up married to a woman named Arabella, but his marriage does not work out (lack of love and a supposed curse on the Fowley men). Venturing off to discover his dreams, Jude becomes acquainted with his cousin, Sue. Sue is free spirited and intelligent and controversial and simply everything that a man could hope to adore and so, quickly, Jude becomes smitten. Despite her marriage to a man whom Jude respects (a former teacher of his), Jude and Sue engage in a illicit affair and soon begin their life together. They are in love, but they are also stubborn (refusing to condition themselves to society's standards of marriage) and this costs them dearly in the end.
The story itself is a strong one, but the way that it is woven is a little sub par. The films first half jumps around far too much, presenting Jude as a bit of an unstable individual (one thing goes wrong and it's back home, then he rashly moves out, then back home) who doesn't know himself enough to understand what is good for him. He is rather unlikable in my opinion, a tad whiney and uncharismatic. In fact, Sue's husband Phillotson is far more likable and endearing. I also found the structure of the film to feel a tad like a made for television movie, like one of those BBC films. If didn't have that grit to it (the film has a little more polish) but it just felt a tad cheap to me in areas.
Where it never fell short though, was the acting. Even at his whiniest, Christopher Eccleston seemed to understand Jude more than the script did, and his portrayal of him was rather good. Liam Cunningham was also very well used, as was a ravishing Rachel Griffiths.
But this film BELONGS to Kate Winslet. As Sue Bridehead, Kate sinks down deep into her soul. What I love about this performance is that it is very meticulously layered, yet it never feels rehearsed or planned out. You gradually watch her adapt and grow. When we meet her she is social and captivating, showing off in bars and debating on Christianity and using her impish sexuality as a tool to be heard. As she matures and her relationship with Jude grows we see her calm her sensual displays and add the texture of hesitance to her interactions. The seduction scene in Jude's room is a key moment, where she baits him to make love to her without lifting the air of ambiguity that shields her from a bad decision. When she marries Phillotson we see the doubt creep in, the nervous understanding that she is making a mistake, and as she toys with her own understanding of her feelings for Jude we see her begin to crumble under the pressure she has heaped upon herself. We finally get a glimpse of her free spirited nature unleashed once again when she attains Jude as her own, but as desperation and circumstance get a hold of her we see her become frail in her own bitterness. We almost begin to see a resentment in her eyes, but as she opens the door and takes in the films final moment of horror we see that the resentment building was a realization that her errors were being marked and her sins were catching up with her.
She was bound to be punished.
Hands down, one of the finest performances of the 90's. Kate Winslet is easily my favorite working actress today (yes, even above the almighty Meryl, and I LOVE ME SOME MERYL STREEP) and this is a prime example as to why.
While this film does not truly deliver on all accounts (it can be stiff, confusing, tedious, redundant and emotionally cold) the performances are more than enough for me to HIGHLY recommend you at least see this once.