Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

classicsoncall What I liked most about this film was the dialog, perhaps a bit too sugary much of the time, but entertaining as it reaches one's ear. It has almost a Shakespearean touch, and as such, I can't imagine that within any set group of characters, that everyone would be as accomplished in their speech as the person they were talking to. I have the same reaction to any of the plays turned into movies like "Much Ado About Nothing" or "Hamlet", because it weren't for the talent of the writer, there would be a wider variance in speech pattern. That's not meant to be a put down, but an observation I thought worth mentioning. Anyway, this picture turned out to be somewhat better than I was expecting, not being part of a target audience that the film makers would have been trying to reach. In any other movie, Emma (Gwyneth Paltrow) would have struck me as the town busybody, and in fact she was here too, but the flow of the story masked a lot of her negative qualities, like gossiping incessantly and attempting to be the local matchmaker. I felt a bit sorry for her friend Harriet (Toni Collette), not because she couldn't find an adequate suitor, but because she felt compelled to follow Emma's advice in matters of romance rather than her own true feelings. Fortunately that was resolved by the time the picture was over, and most satisfactorily on her own behalf. LIke many other reviewers on this board, I had a unique fascination for the character of the young Miss Bates (Sophie Thompson), who's attitude often fell just short of annoying, but with a goodhearted quality if you know what I mean. I did feel out of sorts when Emma insulted her most unkindly, and felt even better when Emma got her comeuppance from the opinionated Mr. Knightley (Jeremy Northam). It was just the right touch at just the right moment to put Miss Woodhouse in her place.

wlisa8583 Emma is one of my least favorite Jane Austen novels, so it took a while for me to get round to watching this version. However, I was pleasantly surprised and found it much more enjoyable than the Kate Beckinsale version.Gwyneth did a decent job, although I must state that the script portrayed Emma as a terribly spoilt snob, and I rather disliked her in the film and couldn't understand why Mr Knightley would admire her so when really, she was just dreadful. I certainly don't remember finding her so unbearable in the novel.What I love about Jane Austin's work is that her characters are so witty and endearing, despite their faults, but that was not the case in this film. I certainly didn't care for Emma one bit and would have preferred it had the totally bland but sweet Harriet ended up with him instead.Mr Knightley was a far better character in the film; far less critical, more gentle and appealing, and not the stiff, critical bore I found him to be in the novel. And the casting of Jeremy Northam was pure genius, for every girl knows that having a hunky romantic lead is essential in an Austen movie.This film was well made and did justice to the novel. The acting was rather good, but I didn't love this film the way I do other Jane Austen film's, and wouldn't be compelled to watch it again.

phd_travel This is a beautifully filmed movie with a well cast group of actors. The countryside and interiors lovely English houses are picture perfect from a storybook painting. Gwyneth Paltrow looks lovely in the period costumes and acts charmingly. Her English accent is fine. Her supporting cast is well chosen. Toni Collette especially is cute and plump as Harriett. Ewan McGregor, Alan Cumming and Greta Scacchi are all quite suited to their roles too.It's still very funny and the complicated story is well told here. Nice to watch Clueless with Alicia Silverstone to see how a modern version of this story still works nearly 200 years later.After watching this version, the later television versions are redundant.Along with Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley and Sense and Sensibility starring Kate Winslet this is the best movie version of Austen.

Catharina_Sweden This is a pure "bagatelle", but very charming, entertaining and heart-warming. I loved the beautiful photo of the typical English dream-idyll: the thatched cottages in their tiny gardens, the great mansions, the ball-room dancing, all the beautiful clothes and hairdos... from a time when men were allowed to be men, and women were allowed to be women. There was even a nice vicar and a geese shepherdess in a bonnet to make it complete..! :-) Of course one could argue that these people were a small, fortunate minority, who could devote so much of their time and energy to social life, entertaining, match-making and affairs of the heart. In a time when the majority were poor, sometimes very poor, and only seldom could take any time off from their hard labour. One could also argue, that attractive unmarried gentlemen in their most virile age, and with the financial means to keep mistresses or visit prostitutes, probably were not this wholesome and innocent in reality... and probably not all ladies either.But today, on Twelfth Night, I preferred to try to forget about all that, and just enjoy the charming story and the beautiful pictures in the company of my 10-year old daughter! I recommend the movie to girls and women of all ages, and especially those who nourish a dream about Old English Romance..! :-) P.S. It was a long time since I read the novel, so I cannot say anything about if the movie was faithful to it or not. I have reviewed the movie as a separate work of art altogether.