Customer Reviews

For the Moment [VHS]

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you are a Russell Crowe fan or a fan of the movie you can finally purchase the entire film on dvd from Amazon. I would not recommend purchasing the used dvds without contacting seller as previously this dvd was missing several whole scenes...this re-release is complete. A wonderfully done movie ... it is sad and sweet. A snapshot of one of the lesser known sides of WWII. The characters are endearing and funny, the plot moves along well and there is some wonderful photography. For Crowe fans his recital of "High Flight" is worth the purchase, not to mention a young Mr. Crowe at his most charming. NOt for those looking for an action war movie it is most definitely for the romantics out there.

This is a lovely little film. I liked this movie since my first viewing. But there is a new version on dvd that has ruined it. They've cut out 25 minutes, including the recitation of High Flight and the singing of Waltzing Matilda, high points in the movie.
So don't be fooled. Buy it on VHS.

Before seeing this film, I was unaware of the training experiences of the Allied forces in Canada. I enjoyed the historical aspects of the film, as well as the beautiful scenery of Manitoba. The story was bittersweet; for in war time, some people are torn apart while others are thrown together. This movie also illustrated that very well. Russell Crowe manages to convey such subtle nuance in his work, and this film is no exception. This is a keeper; one I enjoy viewing when I want to smile through my tears.

Oh, my! I just really liked this one. Romance, beautiful scenery, my favorite period in history, the music . . . temptation under exceptional circumstances. This is a satisfying romance to get swept up and lost in.

The characters are pretty much ordinary folks, who are likeable and well played. The story centers around an Australian pilot (Lachlan) taking his final training before going off to war, and a hometown Canadian girl (Lil) who tends the farm while her husband is overseas. Each is lonely and feeling the strain of being away from loved ones, when they meet through Lil's sister's boyfriend.

It doesn't take long before free spirit Lachlan begins wooing Lil. Against her better judgement, she starts to look forward to seeing him. A week of married life and two years of separation have left her vulnerable and wracked with guilt over having human feelings beyond "waiting for his return". Of course, choices must be made, and the conclusion left me panting and with an ache in my heart.

It's easy to say the movie bogs down in mushy melodrama, but the way such opulent love is pitted against the tragedy of a war, the result is quite befitting. "For the Moment" plays out like the younger sister of "The English Patient", starting with a sublimely beautiful opening shot, and proceeding on to delicately break our hearts, even if the story seems too romantic to be plausible (which is not entirely true). There's a great performance from Crowe, and a notable one from Hirt. Great music and scenery. The movie can be described as nothing truly orginal, but hats off for the great effort and the way they expand on the theme. Even if it seems too goody-goody for it's own good, "For the Moment" does have its moments: Crowe's recital of "High Flight", the lovers singing "Waltzing Matilda", and several notably memorable lines of dialogue ("Best to just feel my way around.") It's worth a rental, but it's not terribly heavy stuff. Overall, not a bad movie.

Unless you're living on Mars any Russell Crowe fan knows this isn't HIS favorite movie, but his "mother liked it." I can see why. The opening flight scene is worth the price of this movie. I suppose it could be said that some of the other cast members were "weak" (as previously complained), but I found it nice not to be manipulated by big star emoting in this sweet story and very endearing that Christianne Hirt had a couple very bad hair days throughout the film. (Is that why she kept referring to her hair during the "sea shore" scene?) The children in this film were hilarious...especially the little boy as he hardly said a word, but kept me giggling. What else can be said about Russell Crowe that hasn't already been expressed? He was born for the silver screen and aren't we movie addicts lucky! I'm sure we'll never read that a director wants "a Russell Crowe type." There is no such thing. The man can play anything.

Opinions, here's mine. This is a foreign film, foreign as in they consider film an art form not an industry (thanks Sam Mendes)

This is a story of another time, where the pace people lived at was different than now. That fact needs to be apparent from the beginning of the film. The Pachelbel Canon is a beautiful choice for flying music when you don't have a big budget.

I liked these characters. I felt for their situations and understood how you could get there. Top of my list of scenes: Russell Crowe reciting "High Flight" it was done beautifully. I'd like to see and hear him do Shakespeare.

One of the other reviewers said they felt the character of Lill was "wooden". Was she? Or was it her character trying to resist Lachlan? I felt like she knew, from the beginning, she could never give in totally to him . In just a few weeks he'd be gone, like her husband, who she had loved too. So, was she "wooden" or was she just saving a part of herself so she could survive sending these people she loved off to war?

I did enjoy "Waltzing Matilda".

On the whole it was a sweet movie more of what you would have expected from the 1940's... and wasn't that the idea. They threw in more current concerns as homosexuality and racism which makes it more 1990's. Nice film.

I didn't havea clue what this movie was about or what it had to offer when I picked it up. All I knew was it starred Russell Crowe and that was all I needed to know. It's set during war times, Crowe plays a pilot in training and while staying with a friend and his fiance he falls for the fiance's married sister. Risky waters there Mr Crowe, but a romance ensues and it leads to an uproar of sorts. Who can blame the young lady. Crowe's charm is undeniable (heck, I'm a heterosexual married man and I'd fall for him...sorry sweetheart) just listen to his redition of "High Flight". Beware all you 'Pearl Harbor' 'Saving Private Ryan' watchers, this is not a war movie even though it's labeled as one. This is a romance film with VERY little action at all. Still, all in all, it's a great film and a must see for any die-hard Russell fan like myself.

The story is quite good, depicting a real look at the way WWII affected people's emotions. Russell Crowe is excellent as the Aussie heartbreaker. The film may suffer slightly from the secondary romance, but it fits well within the overall plot of the movie. It made me want to be right in the middle of it. The filming is beautiful and the characters are engaging. I wish more movies like it were made.

I loved this movie and it broke my heart at the same time. I fell in love with the Russell Crowe caracter at the same time that the Christianne Hirt caracter did. From the beginning I was afraid that the end would have to be just the way it was and should have been prepared but when it actually happened, when she said goodbye, knowing that he may die and she would never see him again I found myself crying with her. There were many unpredictable and interesting twists in this movie and I give it my highest rating: I'll watch it again many more times, and probably fall in love and cry each time.