The Age of Innocence
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Movie Reviews of The Age of Innocence
Movie Review: Scorsese & Day Lewis together for the first time
Summary: 5 Stars
This is based on the Edith Wharton's Pulitzer Prize winning novel. It was originally filmed in the 30's with Irene Dunne as Ellen. This was adaptation made shortly after the book was published. Scorsese let the novel age 50 years. And like a fine wine it has improved.
Scorsese collected a great cast from both sides of the ocean.
Newland Archer (Daniel Day Lewis) is a successful business man who is constrained by the ethics of the time. He is engaged to socially proper lady, May (Winona Ryder). But Newland wants some excitement in his life.
Enter May's cousin, the Countess Olenska (Michele Pfeiffer). Ellen has run away from an abusive marriage. Ellen is everything May is not. The only problem is because of this, she is a social outcast.
Newland goes ahead with his marriage but keeps close ties with Ellen. Ellen loves Newland but knows that she can never have him for two reasons. The first is she could never hurt May. And second, her husband will never give her a divorce.
Newland and Ellen do have an affair but in the end the social pressures force Newland back to his wife and family. And Ellen is forced to return to her husband. Many people will not be happy with the ending but for the time that the book takes place and when the book is written, this is the only true option.
This was a definite departure for Scorsese, other than taking place in New York City, but it is a complete success. Daniel Day Lewis once again proves that he can handle any role and time period. Michele Pfeiffer shows her ability to be alluring yet very stays in the period. Winona Ryder has perfected her role as a repressed woman. The supporting cast is filled with many exceptional actors but the best is Miriam Marogoyles as Mrs. Mingott, the society matron who is just excessive in every way.
If you enjoy period pieces or would like a probably excellent depiction of NY society at the turn of the century (19th), you will enjoy this film.
DVD EXTRAS: None
Movie Review: The Age of Innocence
Summary: 5 Stars
Even though a lot of people consider Goodfellas as the last true masterpiece of Martin Scorsese, in my opinion this movie deserves to be regarded in the same breath of his best movies. This is very different from what Scorsese is known for doing, makes me wonder if the movie would've been better received if it was not directed by him. This is truly an underrated movie.
The movie centers around three characters who are either trapped by the hypocrisy and conventionalism of the period of time they unfortunately lived in (Ellen Olenska and Newland Archer) or chose to adapt to that kind of society and blend with the conventions (May Welland). The relationships of the three characters provide the backbone for the story while laying out some insights to a society where being different is considered a major sin.
Daniel Day Lewis in one of his least showy roles (at least compared to My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, and The Crucible) was as always superb. He seemed a little detached from the character in the beginning of the movie but as the movie progresses towards the middle, he was quietly passionate and commanding. Michelle Pfeiffer, even though not exactly the first actress that comes to mind to play Ellen Olenska, was also superb. The tragic love affair between Newland and Ellen was powerful because of Day Lewis and Pfeiffer's passionate performances. Winona Ryder shows again why she is one the most exciting actresses of her generation (well at least at her popularity's peak) as she beautifully play the seemingly innocent May that was very instrumental to the effectiveness of the ending.
The ending was perfect. I consider this to be one of the best movie endings together with Casablanca, Seven, Chinatown, Bonnie and Clyde, Thelma and Louise, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to name a few. The "big revelation" about" May Welland, the potential reunion of Newland and Ellen, the quick flashback, and Newland walking away. Everything about it was perfect.
Grade: A
Movie Review: Means a lot to me
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the few movies that really changed my life. I have read the book, and I do understand that this movie is not neccasarily the best representation of that, but I have to remind people that there are a lot of very faithful movies that fail as movies. I know a lot of people who will never love Kubrick's the Shining because it is so different from the book that they can't love the film for being a great, but different film. This movie is not as subtle as the book, and the directiion to the actors is not to indicate so. However, I still read a lot of reviews that the movie was still too slow. The movie is georgious and slow and romantic. The film is about a lawyer who is engaged to May, but falls in love with Michelle Pfiefer's character. DDL is tired of social norms, and so is she, though they can not be together, because she can't get divorced from her husband. The beginning of the film is about his longing for her, and trying to get around social graces to be with her, and it rings true of first love or puppy love, before she goes back to her husband, and he gets married to May. She comes back and he is after her again with burning loins, until finally she refuses him. May confronts him with her pregnancy, and DDL makes the responsible solution to settle down. What is most striking is that he is happy, and in his old age, after May dies, he is too content to go after his old flame. He has led a content life. Ultimately what is striking to me, is that under the pompousness of the society, they are looking out for his best interest, trying to save him from himself. The current culture to follow your heart or what's in your pants doesn't work. The Upper class got that way and remain that way because of rules, and you shouldn't throw your life away at rebelious youth. He makes a smart decision. It's not hollywood, or sexy, but is happy with his children and the life they have together at the end of his life that he can look back and have no regrets.Movie Review: An Extraordinary Film
Summary: 5 Stars
Martin Scorsese is a genius. Even his worst films are far superior than almost everyone else's and The Age of Innocence is definitely one of his best. He brilliantly captures the spirit of Edith Wharton's novel without ever falling into melodrama and creates a claustrophobic society preordained by an endless set of rules, a world of seething passions beneath a calm and decorous surface where rebellion of any sort is inconceivable, social and familial considerations are paramount and a veneer of respectability must be maintained at all costs. This is a story about human passions clashing with the artificial rules imposed by society and the characters move in an environment so fragile that "it could be shattered by a whisper".Martin Scorsese's direction recreates the affluent and extremely oppressive atmosphere of 19th century New York society in remarkable detail. A subtle and perceptive script, brilliant performances by Michelle Pfeiffer, Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder and the rest of the cast (Richard E. Grant, Mary Beth Hurt, Alec McCowen and the excellent Miriam Margolyes are especially good), and fabulous costumes and production design contribute to make this extraordinary film one of the best of its genre. Joanne Woodward's narration is excellent (she gets most of the best lines without ever appearing on screen) and Michael Ballhaus's cinematography is simply stunning - innovative, atmospheric and richly textured. Crisp yet seamless editing, amazing camerawork and beautiful music round off this absolutely brilliant, almost perfect film.
Movie Review: Beautiful cruelty is still just as cutting
Summary: 5 Stars
No wiseguys, no casinos, no boxers, no taxi drivers...but yet it is still New York, this is still a film of man's cruelty to another, and this is still a film by Martin Scorsese.Villians come in the most beguiling of forms, and in this beautiful film filled with beautiful sets and Oscar-winning costumes, the sinfully innocent face of Winona Ryder is the face of doom for would-be lovers Daniel Day-Lewis and Michelle Pffeifer. What, no Joe Pesci? No Harvey Keitel? Where's Robert De Niro, and more importantly, where are the guns?
Winona Ryder doesn't need any of those usual Scorsese suspects or an automatic to inflict pain, which perhaps makes her the most sinister of all the director's goodfellas. If you have rebuffed Ryder as just a grown up teen actor, you have obviously never seen this film. In her Oscar nominated turn, Ryder walks the razor's edge of duality, and you're never quite aware of it until the end. Clever girl, eh? My favorite moment? When she informs husband Day-Lewis about her thoughts on him going on a trip: "I'm afraid you can't do that, dear," comes the reply with the most lovely smile.
Don't dismiss this film as a love triangle story. This is just as gritty as any of Martin's films, just with plenty of froufrou (and very well done froufrou at that) to cover it up...isn't that what Victorianism was all about--the Guilded Age?
See it and be astonished!