Customer Reviews

Empire Falls

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This review refers to "Empire Falls" DVD edition (HBO Films)..

Well, let me just repeat my title of this review...WOW! What a superb mini-series this was. I don't have cable,and never had the opportunity to view this one. So when I found this at my local video store and saw the cast, I figured it had to be worth a try. Other times, I have bought a film solely on the promise of a great ensemble, but have on occasion been disappointed(anyone remember "Dr T. and the Women?, yeah I thought not!). This one though, has the stars shining brightly, and a story that will hypnotize you from first frame to last. It stars Ed Harris, and here's the rest...Paul Newman,who will make you smile in every frame he is in, Joanne Woodward(I only wish those two would have had some screen time together), Philip Seymour Hoffman, Helen Hunt, Robin Wright Penn, Aidan Quinn,Theresa Russell,Dennis Farina, William Fitchtner and Estelle Parsons...WOW! I would also make mention of the younger stars Lou Taylor Pucci and Danielle Panabaker as the ones to watch for in the future. And oh yeah, all these greats were wonderfully directed by Fred Schepisi(Mr.Baseball/The Russia House).

The story, based on the novel by Richard Russo, grabbed me right from the start. A small town in Maine is the setting, but this could be anywhere in America. On one side of town, the rich, powerful owners of what seem to be everything and everybody in Empire Falls. The Whitings. Woodward is the matriarch, and has control over the everyday workers in the town. Ed Harris is Miles Roby, your everyday middle aged man. Mrs Whiting seems to have a particulary tight hold on him. When Mrs. Whiting says jump, he says how high? He's an easy going guy, and seems to just flow with the program, while everyone around him, his father, his ex-wife, his brother, his daughter,the town sheriff, and even the regular customers at the restaurant he's been running for 25 years for Mrs. W., all have some drama going on in their lives.We wonder why he puts up with things as they are? What kind of hold does everyone have over him? His life is a puzzlement, and as he flashes back to his childhood, the pieces come together. What will it take for Miles to become his own man?

The answers to the questions, come beautifully in this film. It seemed to say it's never to late for anyone to bloom. The huge cast worked incredibly well together. Just like real life, it had some of everything. Some humor, some family drama, a tragedy, and of course love. Exquisite photography of the location surroundings, and charming music also added greatly to the series.

I purchased this series as two separate DVDs(at the store). Volume 1 and 2. It doesnt say here that there are 2 DVDs, but it appears that both parts are included here, as it lists "The Making of Empire Falls" as one of the features, and that is included with the 2nd DVD that I have. The picture is gorgeous and presented in a letterboxed format(16:9). There is Audio Commentary(on both parts). The sound is excellent in 5.1 (with the choice of 2.0 in English and Spanish), and there are subtitles for the film only(not the features) in English, French and Spanish. It is rated TV-14.

To compare prices and availabilty by buying the 2 volumes separately:
Empire Falls (Every Small Town Has a Big Story) Vol. 1and Empire Falls, Volume Two

There are 8 chapters and an epilogue, and I tried, but couldn't stop after just one!
Enjoy....Laurie

4/12/10 update: it looks like this is only available from outside merchants at this time and not from Amazon direct - Please check with the sellers to make sure you are getting both volumes. And BTW I can tell you now for sure this series will stand up to many repeat viewings.

I've always been pretty pleased with most of what HBO's movies and Empire Falls is no exception. Though it starts off slow the superb acting just draws you in and I enjoyed every minute of it. If you enjoy any HBO movies than you will love Empire Falls.

Empire Falls is a small town set in New England where life is simple and everyone knows everybody. But for Miles Roby, a man who has been working in the same grill for most of his life, there's something missing. He feels that Mrs. Whiting who owns the grill has it in for him and he doesn't seen anything extraordinary happening in his life. He's been through a divorce and his ex-wife Janine is about to get remarried something his daughter Tick doesn't want to happen at all. Miles also has to put up with his senile father Max who thinks everyone has it in for him.

Miles frequently has flashback of his childhood when his mother was still alive and he tries to remember Charlie Mayne who he hates but he can't really figure out what happened to him. His daughter Tick is also trying to connect with a tortured boy who she tries to help but realizes he's beyond her saving. Miles also struggles with the feelings that Mrs. Whiting's handicapped daughter Cindy has for him. Miles is just a guy who doesn't think that he should be spending the rest of his life flipping burgers at the same old grill and he wants more with his life.

Empire Falls is driven by an all star cast of Ed Harris, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Newman, Aidan Quinn, Dennis Farina, Joanne Woodward, and so many more. It is a heartwarming adventure and it is a must see.

This HBO adaptation had four things going for it that almost guaranteed its success before a single camera began rolling.

The first was the fact that it was based upon Richard Russo's award-winning book of the same name. The second was that Russo himself wrote the adapted screenplay. The third was the incredible, all-star cast; and the fourth was that it was an HBO production. Each of these elements contributes to a mini-series now available on DVD and one that is not to be missed.

Let's start with the story. No one, absolutely no one, captures small town America the way Richard Russo does. Unlike some writers whose only real acquaintance with this setting seems to be either a brief glimpse from the Interstate or, worse, some other Hollywood writer's impression, Russo writes as though he actually spent years in the former mill towns, sitting at the diner, the tavern, or the doughnut shop soaking in the lost dreams and dead-end futures that haunt many of the residents of these communities. But unlike writers who see only despair in such a setting, Russo captures -but never makes light of- the small victories that the locals do grab onto to make life worth living. Odd as it may seem to the Sacks Fifth Avenue set, it IS possible to have a fulfilling life without ever owning a Gucci...and Russo is the master of introducing audiences to such lives. It is the audience's further fortune to have Russo acting here as his own screenwriter. The tweaks, cuts and short cuts necessary to make a novel into a workable screen presentation were thereby handled lovingly by their creator. He did not leave in too much, he did cut too much. True, the mini-series format gave him extra room to work, but he did the most with it and the audience is the clear beneficiary.

The casting is spot-on. Ed Harris plays the central character, Miles, with an easy grace that belies the fact that this is acting, while Paul Newman has a ball playing Miles' irascible and irredeemable father, Max. Two other casting bull's eyes were scored with Philip Seymour Hoffman as the enigmatic Charlie Mayne, and William Fichtner as Deputy Jimmy Minty, a role that clearly anticipates his current starring slot in TV's "Invasion." The rest of the cast is similarly perfect and there is not a bad performance in the lot.

HBO has shown time and again that when its name is on a production, the result is going to truly be something worth watching, even if the usual Hollywood glitz is not attached to it. Instead of making a splash, HBO seems to be intent upon producing quiet gems, and that is what this film is. Read the book, and then see the movie. Or do it the other way around. But whatever you do, do not miss this film.

This mini left me wanting more. When it aired on HBO, I had just taken a wonderful trip to Maine and it reminded me so much of the towns and townspeople I saw and met while I was there. The series was simply a great story and I couldn't get enough. I hated that it had to end. It stared an all star cast with all star performances. If you get the oportunity, treat yourself to this one; You will be glad you did.

I haven't seen a good movie in the theaters for a while, but this HBO movie - incredible.

The cast doesn't disappoint, the screenwriters did a fantastic job converting the details of the book into a movie.

This should be released on DVD for people to buy or rent. Good storytelling in film isn't plentiful, but here you get a rich, moving experience.

Paul Newman plays a great jackass. I laughed, I cried, it was better than CATS.

I haven't read this novel, but having just finished watching this film on HBO, I wish I had. The all-star cast did a superb job of telling this really compelling story. I was pleased to see that Richard Russo actually wrote the screenplay, which makes me hope that it is pretty true to the novel. Regardless, this one is defintely one not to miss. HBO just doesn't make bad films. Excellent work!

So, I finally caved and bought the DVD version of Empire Falls based off Richard Ruso's novel. And the first thing I have to say is that it was good. Not as good as the novel, but still good. I actually didn't know that Russo himself had written the screenplay. If I had known that earlier, I would've watched it a while back.

Fred Schepisi does a wonderful job putting the pieces together in the small New England town of Empire Falls. Almost every actor was dead-on portraying the characters from the book. Although, Francince Whiting didn't seem quite as evil in the film adaptation. I was especially in awe of Paul Newman's performance of Max Roby. He was by far the funniest (and the saddest when he needed to be) character in the film.

There seems to be something missing from the adaptation though. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's there. I guess that's what you get from any film in which you've already read the book. It's lacking some of the little details that one can only explain in words.

Nevertheless, the film was wonderful. A young movie and book buff like myself can only hope for more film adaptations like this one in the future. By far, one of the best adaptations you can get your hands on.

The subtitle to this film is more pertinent than most: "Every small town has a big story." That reveals a lot more about this two-part HBO film than does the title, although that also works hard by doing double duty as both the town name and the hint of a parable in play. Having grown up in a small town whose factories and industry went through considerable down years, as most of America's have, I can say that Russo has captured much of the interaction between lifelong residents of a once prosperous, now stagnant town very well.

If you love Richard Russo's storytelling, as I do, you'll feel that in this film from the very beginning. If you're not familiar with him, though, it may at first come off as slow. Russo, who wrote the screenplay based on his book, takes his time to paint the picture of what Empire Falls was before and is now, so enjoy the light humor and the local in-fighting, but also pay attention. The details Russo sprinkles into this mosaic upfront will show up again later, as things tend to do between people and families in small towns.

The cast is incredible for such a small film. Ed Harris is perfect as Miles Roby, the local guy who is so smart that everyone in town always wonders why he still lives there. As Roby's cantankerous father, Max, Paul Newman is the perfect blend of hilariously cantankerous and forever beaten down by life. I also really liked Helen Hunt in this, specifically because her character is so unlikeable - an unusual role for her. Dennis Farina is also good, as always, this time as the town phony who always acts surprised that anyone would think he's a phony. And Mrs. Newman, Joanne Woodward, is just terrific in the only "bitch from hell" role I've ever see her play.

I also think that how much you enjoy "Empire Falls" will be influenced by what you expect going into it. It IS long - a two-parter on two DVDs - so make time, perhaps over two nights. The humor is subtle, but funny, and does depend on listening to the dialogue, of which there is a lot. The story seems straightforward, but then takes some unexpected turns, as it should. But, overall, this film is about people and how they interact and struggle with others they've known their entire lives -- and will still be surrounded by tomorrow -- whether they like it or not.

Finally, the DVDs themselves also have a lot of extras that are worth a look. Interviews with cast members, the director, and, best of all, with Richard Russo himself. If you have the time, this is a very enjoyable way to spend it.

I have nothing to say but that this is another masterpiece from HBO! This is for anyone who has been concerned with their own upbringing, lost loves, safety of their own children, and running a business under the authority of who has the most money, and especially living in a small town in America. Enjoy!

Doodle
Madison, Wi , U.S.A.

EMPIRE FALLS is the HBO-produced version of the Pulitzer-Prize winning novel by Richard Russo. It boasts a star-studded cast for a TV production (Ed Harris, Paul Newman, Helen Hunt and Joanne Woodward) but then some of HBO's products exhibit better acting than many big-screen releases. I like EMPIRE FALLS. The first chapter or two dragged a little and I was debating whether to turn it off. But I hung in there, wanting, I guess, to see what happens to the characters, espectially Miles Roby (Ed Harris) who apparently has been stalled in life by some traumatic events experienced as a boy. As a result, he seems unable to get unstuck from managing the Empire Grill for the towns's richest citizen (Joannne Woodward). There is a bit of class struggle here (why is the "evil" character always the rich one?), but all-in-all it dealt with life in a small New England town fairly even-handedly. You may want to impatiently nudge Miles out of his funk as his friends do but his character is also symbolic of how many of us find ourselves stuck in life without an impetus for change. We all just don't have a powerful rich woman holding us in psychological thrall as an excuse. There is a fistfight between Miles and another character that is one of the most realistic fights I've seen on film: they actually hold their hands in pain after hitting each other on the head, which is almost never done in other film fights. That kind of attention to detail is exhibited throughout the film and can be credited to director Fred Schepisi. Mr. Russo wrote the screenplay. Paul Newman is a delight as Mile's undependable father(see him in NOBODY'S FOOL, another Russo book-to-film) and Helen Hunt is fine as Mile's soon-to-be-ex-wife. Recommended.