Having read and not particularly enjoyed Charles Frazier's book
Cold Mountain, I wasn't sure what to expect from Anthony Minghella's film adaptation. The novel was affecting at times and well written, but too detached and at times uninvolving. However, in transferring the book to film Minghella gives the story much more energy and emotional power than I thought possible. Credit must go to his screenplay for structuring the film in a much more accesible style, allowing the audience to connect with the two leads (Nicole Kidman and Jude Law) very quickly. For the first part of the film we are shown the slow kindling of a romance between Ada (Kidman) and Inman (Law) in the town of Cold Mountain. But as their relationship begins to develop, the Civil War breaks out and the fledgling couple are separated as Inman travels to the front lines. Although there is only one moment of passion between the two, a kiss as Inman prepares to leave Cold Mountain, their relationship is very convincing and we fully believe in Inman's attachement to Ada (and vice versa) as he goes off to fight.
This relationship is intercut with the current situation of the film--Ada, her father (Donald Sutherland in a brief but effective role) now dead and her farm in disrepair, is sinking further and further into poverty and despair, with food fast disappearing and no word of Inman. The arrival of Ruby Thewes (Renée Zellweger) invigorates the film just as it is beginning to slow. Zellweger's overpoweringly charismatic performance as a young woman who comes to help Ada dominates every scene she's in, not only funny but by the end truly powerful as well. Minghella drifts between lighter scenes of bonding between the two unlikely friends and harrowing scenes of torture and loss as the war spirals out of control. Kidman, in a role much more understated than those in
The Hours and
Moulin Rouge!, is quiet but solid, holding her own well against Zellweger's force of nature performance.
I felt that some of the best scenes in
Cold Mountain came from Inman's side of the story, as he deserts from the army and tries to trek home to Ada. Beginning with an awesome battle scene, Minghella loads the film with several uncompromising and brutal sequences, depicting the horror of war at its worst. The best of these is Inman's encounter with Sara (Natalie Portman), a young mother trying to sustain her baby daughter. Portman is excellent, conveying the ruin and devastation the war has caused as well as her own personal grief tremendously. Law is captivating as Inman, never resorting to histrionics but always commanding the audience's attention while he's onscreen. He perfectly displays Inman's inner torture and the personal anguish the fighting has exerted on him.
The one major flaw of the film is the character of Teague (Ray Winstone), a fairly one-dimensional marshal hunting down Law and other deserters from the army. The role is an underwritten one in what is a very deep movie, and thus is very jarring whenever he's onscreeen. The film works nonetheless, but it occasionally compromises the power of some scenes. The ending also slips into slight sentimentality, especially the final few scenes, but thanks to the performances it remains believeable.
Overall,
Cold Mountain is a very worthy film that suceeds on an emotional level and a visual level and is filled with strong performances. It's probably Minghella's finest film so far--it's certainly his most powerful.
**** 1/2
