Barnes & Noble

Eyebrows were raised when the acclaimed Charles Frazier novel -- set in North Carolina during the Civil War -- wound up in the hands of British director Anthony Minghella, with Australian actress Nicole Kidman and British actor Jude Law cast as the film’s romantic leads, two American Southerners. But as with Minghella’s deft adaptation of The English Patient, his take on Cold Mountain is a deeply satisfying cinematic experience. The film opens in the closing days of the bloody conflict, where the wounded Confederate soldier Inman (Law) begins a dogged odyssey home to North Carolina’s Cold Mountain, where he hopes to resume his romance with preacher’s daughter Ada Monroe (Kidman). Since the death of her father, Ada’s been struggling to farm her land and is relying on the help of Ruby Thewes (Renée Zellweger), a resourceful drifter with whom she forms a pragmatic but increasingly fond relationship. Employing lengthy flashbacks, extraordinary settings (the film was shot in Romania), and evocative roots music, Minghella does a remarkable job of retaining the book’s multifarious characters and situations -- so much so that, even at 150 minutes, the film seems packed with incident enough for three movies. At times the pace flags, but the rich production and superb characterizations trump the occasional ponderousness. Law and Kidman are equally convincing, and Zellweger richly deserved the Oscar she won for her supporting role. The rest of the large cast is also distinguished, with plum roles going to Philip Seymour Hoffman, Eileen Atkins, Natalie Portman, Donald Sutherland, Kathy Baker, Brendan Gleeson, and Ray Winstone, among others. What’s more, the period is re-created with scrupulous attention to detail, making it easy for viewers to lose themselves in this epic drama. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Based on the novel by Charles Frazier, Anthony Minghella's star-studded Cold Mountain is a sweeping tale set in the final days of the American Civil War. Jude Law stars as Inman, a young soldier who, despite an injury, is struggling to make his way home to Cold Mountain, NC, where his beloved Ada (Nicole Kidman) awaits. In Inman's absence, Ada befriends Ruby (Renée Zellweger), who helps her keep up her late father's farm. Meanwhile, in his travels, Inman encounters a menagerie of interesting folks. Also starring Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Donald Sutherland, and Philip Seymore Hoffman, Cold Mountain features original music by Jack White of the White Stripes. Matthew Tobey

Time Magazine

A grand and poignant movie epic about what is lost in war and what's worth saving in life. It is also a rare blend of purity and maturity -- the year's most rapturous love story. Richard Corliss

Product Details

• UPC: 786936242164
• Source: MIRAMAX
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital
• Time: 2:34:00
• Sales Rank: 7,085

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