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30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You did mama, January 9, 2005
Streisand's semi-controversial adaptation of THE PRINCE OF TIDES may not have completely satisfied fans of the book, however, the general public fell instantly under the film's hypnotic spell - and turned it into a surprise box office smash! The decision to keep the film's focus in the present rather than the past results in the elimination of most of the novel's lengthy backstory. However, the well-condensed script (written by Conroy himself and Becky Johnson) manages to seamlessly fill in the missing information, and allows all central characters to reach a level of character development that is unusually high for a mainstream Hollywood film. As the film progresses, these characters seem especially real, and they are embodied by an absolutely flawless cast.
As anyone who has read the book can attest, the characters of Tom and Lila Wingo would seem to be extremely challenging (if not almost unplayable) roles, both of which are brimming with contradictions and hidden emotions. However, Nick Nolte and Kate Neligan find the perfect balance in their portrayals, which earned them both well-dissevered Oscar nominations. Blythe Danner, Jason Gould, and Melinda Dillion all also turn in memorable performances, even though Dillion's Savannah (a lead character in the novel) has precious little screentime due to the film's structure. Barbra also gives an affecting portrayal, however, the director's chair is where she really shines this time. With it's moving storyline, compelling characters, and breathtakingly beautiful cinematography, THE PRINCE OF TIDES is film that will continue enchant audiences for years to come.
About the DVD: The picture quality and sound are excellent, although it's disappointing that the many extras (which included a featurette, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and Streisand's full-length commentary track) that were included on Criterion's special edition laserdisc release are not found on this DVD. The film's original trailer and teaser are included, but I hope that all of the extras from the laserdisc will someday make their way to DVD.
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Perfect Drama!, July 14, 2002
This is the perfect date movie, a drama so engrossing, so well acted and so lavishly produced that it doesn't lose your attention throughout its long 132 minute run. Adapted from a best-selling novel of the same title by Pat Conroy (also author of "The Great Santini"), director and star Barbara Streisand has the support of the best ensemble cast one can imagine in delivering a superior movie. everyone included does a stllar job, from Nick Nolte as the protagonist and figure lovingly referred to in the title, Barbara as the psychiatrist who unravels the horrible mystery behind the protagonist's family history, and a supporting cast that includes Bliythe Damnner as Nolte's estranged wife, and George Carlin as the complex and interesting gay neighbor to Nolte's kid sister in New York. This is a wonderful film, one that dances back and forth in time, that does an unusually good job at translating a complex and convoluted story to the screen quite magically, and one that is not only plausible but also breath-taking in its import and seriousness. One comes away recognizing the growth in Nolte's character and applauding the way the whole story fits together and is so believable. I save this one for rainy Friday nights, when I want to escape from the humdrum of a workweek gone bad. I can highly recommend it, and know you will come to love it, too. Enjoy!
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Barbra Streisand -- Queen of Tides, January 25, 2003
Actually, the sentence in the title is not mine; the author of the book Pat Conroy was so grateful for the film that he gave the director such a name... Conroy must have realised limitations of a film in comparison with the book. "The Prince of Tides" book is rather thick and to make a two-hour movie out of it is difficult. The film "Cider House Rules" was also criticised of being too thin in comparison with the book -- and, in fact, the author John Irving himself wrote the script. Romantic side is highlighted over a complex, dark family story, with Streisand enjoying the starring female role to the full. She does so alongside the great performance by Nick Nolte, who plays Tom Wingo, a teacher from American South hiding much of his painful past until he gets familiar with New York psychiatrist Susan Lowenstein (Streisand). The film love story between Wingo and Lowenstein is one of the most memorable of the past decades, yet the picture also encompasses deep social undertones -- suicide, hypocrisy, lack of family understanding. There is a couple of memorable scenes; the most special one comes when Wingo finally lets the demons of the past out -- this is acting at its best on both Nolte's and Streisand's part. Although some other films also attempted something similar (e.g. "Good Will Hunting", with Matt Damon and Robin Williams), it never was so powerful as here. The ending is bittersweet, not typically romantic but ultimately inevitable and logical for the story. Beautiful cinematography and great musical score to a large extent made this film to achieve five stars in my book. I know I will keep on returning to "The Prince of Tides" video.
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