ChikPapa
Very disappointed :(
Portia Hilton
Blistering performances.
Billy Ollie
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
phd_travel
This is a moving and powerful adaptation of Anne Bronte's novel. Unlike her sister's much more famous novels which are Gothic romances this is a contemporary (for it's time) novel about marriage and domestic abuse and the rights of women at the time. It is way ahead of its time and quite relevant today. The little observances of the mean spirited gossip mongers in the village are quite acutely observed. An abused wife flees her husband with their son and tries to live incognito in another village. The "old fashioned" part is when she returns to fulfill her duty to care for him when he is dying. But it's quite touching.Production is good - the 2 houses featured suit the story. The actors are good as can be expected. Rupert Graves is effective as the abusive unfaithful husband. Tara Fitzgerald isn't quite pretty enough for the role - so many men shouldn't fall so hopelessly in love with her.There are some departures from the novel but they are improvements for dramatic effect.Overall worth watching.
runamokprods
This 3 part BBC adaptation of the Anne Bronte novel runs 160 minutes total. Nicely shot, with a lot of surprisingly modern camera techniques for a Bronte novel. Usually this works well, although occasionally it gets self conscious (a couple too many 360 shots). The acting is solid, with Tara Fitzgerald an edgy but still empathetic heroine. But Rupert Graves' switch from flawless seducer to "worst man in the world" type villain is a bit over the top, although that may be the material, or approach more than performance. Indeed, at times I could feel Graves (a very good actor) trying to maintain some humanity under the almost Gothic heartlessness. The music is interesting and effectively anachronistic as well, often sounding something the Cocteau Twins, but as with the cinematography after a while it starts to get both repetitive and too self consciously avant-garde for a story mostly told in a straightforward Masterpiece Theater fashion. Lastly, the tidy ending bothered me a bit. The film did a good enough job capturing the complex difficulties of life, that I found myself wish for something that felt more honestly open ended. All that said, I still enjoyed the story, the scenery, and being transported into another time and place as only good storytelling can do. A quite good adaptation, I just wished it was great, and for 30 minutes or so, thought it might be.
Lori S
This is the final novel from the lesser-known of the 3 Bronte sisters. Based partially upon the experiences of their brother Branwell, who abused liquor and opium in his adult life. It brought great shame and stress upon the family until Branwell's death at 31. This movie should be seen for anyone interested in the Brontes, but it's excellent viewing just for the acting & story - just how horrible alcoholism can be...
andialu
The way the story is developed, keeps the audience wondering what is the tenant's dark past. We get some clues during the series, but enough to keep us interested in the mini-series. The characters are all believable and I personally felt immersed and surrounded by the story.
