Tweet

Cold Mountain is a captivating and deeply moving epic that harks back to classic war melodramas such as Gone with the Wind. Beginning with what appears to be a classic romantic plot of two lovers separated by the horrors of war, Anthony Minghella’s latest work unexpectedly merges a wide collection of genres with remarkable skill. The hero’s story transforms into an unconventional road movie, as Jude Law’s deserting soldier meets a variety of interesting characters on the way home to his beloved. These include an immoral priest (a typically engaging turn from Phillip Seymour Hoffman), a witch (Eileen Atkins) and a lonely war widow (Natalie Portman, in her finest performance to date).

Meanwhile, Nicole Kidman’s storyline mirrors that of the classic women’s picture, as she and Renee Zellweger’s drifter struggle to cope with the family estate whilst the men are away at battle. Although used to a pampered life, Kidman’s Ada is forced to adapt to the harsh conditions, as Zellweger’s Ruby encourages her with an amusingly straightforward, brash attitude.

There are also many brutal war scenes, and some moments of beautifully-played comedy (often involving Zellweger, in a tour-de-force, Oscar-winning performance). This eclectic blend of genres makes for a fascinating film, and it is a testament to the Minghella’s skills as a director and screenwriter that the mix of styles enriches, rather than offsets, the film’s dynamic. As in The English Patient, Minghella again proves his uncanny aptitude for evoking period, and the performances are uniformly superb.

The film was infamously snubbed at this year’s Oscar ceremony (although it was nominated for thirteen BAFTAs, winning two for Zellweger and for its score), yet it was more deserving of a Best Picture nod than many of the eventual nominees (quite how anyone could overlook Cold Mountain in favour of Seabiscuit is a mystery indeed) - this unconventional historical drama is the most interesting epic in years.

 

Alex Davidson on 27th May 2004
View all 216 of Alex Davidson's reviews