I'm really not sure why this has such bad reviews. The film is gentle, thoughtful, evenly paced and contains a rather beautiful performance from Lukas Haas. For such a gawky, gangly man, he gives a performance full of stillness and calm which anchors the whole piece perfectly.
There were so many opportunities for James Caan to be the clichéd villain of the piece, but they are resisted with a will ensuring his performance is also understated but compelling.
The story is strong - perhaps unsurprising when you consider the book was written by Ursula Le Guin - and gives the viewer plenty to think about as it dodges from change to change seamlessly. On a side note, credit has to be given to the costume department for the bewildering array of outfits necessary for said changes. There is plenty to think about, both during and after the movie.
Give it a chance and make up your own mind rather than simply disregarding this small oasis of calm and intelligence
There were so many opportunities for James Caan to be the clichéd villain of the piece, but they are resisted with a will ensuring his performance is also understated but compelling.
The story is strong - perhaps unsurprising when you consider the book was written by Ursula Le Guin - and gives the viewer plenty to think about as it dodges from change to change seamlessly. On a side note, credit has to be given to the costume department for the bewildering array of outfits necessary for said changes. There is plenty to think about, both during and after the movie.
Give it a chance and make up your own mind rather than simply disregarding this small oasis of calm and intelligence