At the close of WWII, a young nurse (Juliette Binoche) tends to a badly-burned plane crash victim (Ralph Fiennes). His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair with the exquisite Kristin Scott Thomas.
At first I was excited to watch this film. It blitzed the 1996 Academy Awards; nominated for 12 awards, eventually winning 9! But about half an hour in all I was doing was staring at a mutilated Ralph Fiennes and thinking...so that’s why Lord Voldemort looked like that...
The performances by Fiennes, Binoche, Scott Thomas, Willem Dafoe and Colin Firth are exceptional however and made the film just that tad bit tolerant to watch. I’m a sucker for love stories but this one left me high and dry. There are moments...Dafoe’s thumb removal scene and Fiennes’s drunken, fiery rant at the dinner party are ones that are particularly enjoyable...but then it nose dives again into boringness.
I’m sure the older generations would love this movie. I and other members of Gen Y probably would pass on this film every time though.
The film has a slight David Lean feel; an epic love story set against an arid desert landscape. The cinematography, remarkably and sophistically accomplished by John Seale is worth a mention. The desert never looked better...or harsher.
Critics would say that the slow action “simmers” throughout the film...I say it “slithers”! Be patient with The English Patient. If you make it to the last enjoyable 20 minutes...you’ve done well.
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