After going thru all the comments, the least I can do is to agree with all of them. The movie, due to its subject matter, could have easily turned into a cheesy movie of the week, but it avoids this marvelously thanks to some great performances, great character direction and a beautiful photography. This is indeed a standard "coming-of-age" story. Not having read the book, I still felt the story condensed, and some of its other threads not fully realized, like the subject of abortion which starts very strongly, but then fades for a while only to come back later at the end. Much better and subtle is the depiction of race in the early part of the 20th century, although some African-Americans might find it a little offensive to them. Delroy Lindo gives an astounding performance with so very little. Erykah Badu is a revelation. Michael Caine is at his best, and shows the younger cast what acting is all about. Tobey Maguire is likeable as usual, but gives a performance similar to his role in Pleasantville -with little or no emotion and seeming to have more insight into other character's lives than John Irving, the author, himself. This worked great in Pleasantville, but it was wrong for this movie. While sometimes melodramatic and predictable, the story does deliver its punches well and you shouldn't be ashamed to let a tear wash your cheeks. Come Oscar time, you won't see The Cider House Rules in any big category, but still it is a movie that will play well and be enjoyed by many.
Review of The Cider House Rules
