An Ideal Husband 1999 starring Rupert Everett

An Ideal Husband 1999

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." 

Rupert Everett was made for Oscar Wilde. And of course, he plays the Wilde type character of Lord Goring in An Ideal Husband with such relish that you almost think you are seeing Oscar Wilde himself on the screen. Bravo!!!

Cate Blanchett struts her stuff in An Ideal Husband

I won't give the plot away in case you haven't seen this film or the play on which it is based. Suffice it to say that Jeremy Northam and Cate Blanchett play the "ideal couple" Sir Robert and Lady Gertrude Chiltern in this story who of course find things a bit rocky for a while. Everett plays the confirmed bachelor Lord Goring and Minnie Driver plays the naughty but nice Miss Mabel who is interested in him. Julianne Moore plays the just plain nasty Mrs. Cheveley who stirs things up quite handily for all.

Rupert Everett and Cate Blanchett having a serious conversation

 
"All I know, Gertrude, is that it takes great courage to see the world in all its tainted glory, and still to love it. And even more courage to see it in the one you love. Gertrude, you have more courage than any woman I have ever known. Do not be afraid now to use it." 

You'll hate Julianne Moore and love Jeremy Northam as you should!

 "A rather charming little idea has come into my head, and now that I consider it, I find it to be a rather charming big idea."

Minnie Driver has a riot with this role as usual

"My dear father, if we men married the women we deserved... we should have a very bad time of it."


Well, I will leave you with Oscar Wilde's wise words and my hearty recommendation of this film. Oh, and the play is pretty darn good too if you are lucky enough to see it live!

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P.S. If any of you have seen the lower budget but perhaps "closer to the play" version from 2000 with Jonathan Firth, James Wilbey and Sadie Frost, please let me know what you think. I love the above version very much, but I am always open, especially to a brother of Colin Firth!

Circle of Friends 1995

Circle of Friends 1995 with Minnie Driver and Chris O'Donnell

I went through a Maeve Binchy phase a few years ago where I read as many of this Irish writer's novels as I could get my hands on. She gives a wonderful idea of what it is like to be a woman in Ireland in modern times as well as in the recent past.

Circle of Friends is one of her better books about three girls growing up and going to University in Ireland in the 1950s. This great coming of age story was adapted for the screen by one of my favourite screen writers, Andrew Davies. The main character Bernadette Hogan, or Benny (played by Minnie Driver) is a big girl who lives in Knockglen Ireland and enrolls in University of Dublin, Trinity College with her best friend Eve Malone (an orphan raised by nuns and played by Geraldine O'Rawe) and their childhood friend Nan Mahon (Saffron Burrows) the gorgeous girl who moved to Dublin. Of course there is a guy- Jack Foley, played by Chris O'Donnell who provides the main love interest and fodder for some conflict between the girls.

Benny and Eve on the first day of University in Dublin from Circle of Friends

Bernadette 'Benny' Hogan: I don't know why you let me go to University. It's like taking me to the top of the mountain and showing me the world, and then marching me back down, and saying, "That's what you can't have Benny, you silly great fat article. Here's what you can have: Knockglen for the rest of your life and married to Sean bloody Walsh!" I'd rather be married to a bloody lizard!

Minnie Driver apparently gained 30 pounds to play Benny, however she still seems to be more tall than "large", but she does a fantastic job playing the girl who gets the golden boy, ever feeling that she can't quite hold on to him.

Jack and Benny from Circle of Friends

Bernadette 'Benny' Hogan: He could have anyone at all. Why would he look at me?

Post war university class in Circle of Friends

The professor that these eager young students are attending to is a nice surprise, played by Ciaran Hinds as Professor Flynn.

Ciaran Hinds as Professor Flynn in Circle of Friends

Colin Firth also has a role as the rich protestant neighbour of the families in Knockglen. He does not turn out to be a really nice guy, in the end.

Colin Firth and Saffron Burrows in Circle of Friends

Benny has some interesting views on sex, being a good Catholic girl from Knockglen...

[about sex]
Bernadette 'Benny' Hogan: I don't know. Sometimes it seems like such a strange sort of thing to want to do. You know, ridiculous. Like someone putting their finger up your nose or something.

Alan Cumming as the creepy Sean Walsh in Circle of Friends

I have to say that the breakout performance of this film is definitely Alan Cumming as the creepy, lizard-like Sean Walsh who works in Benny's father's mens store.  He is truly a great actor and this is one of his best roles. You will be disgusted and yet impressed with his acting at the same time!

Minnie Driver as Benny Hogan in Circle of Friends

Bernadette 'Benny' Hogan: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I look like the prow of a ship!

I won't give away the ending in case you haven't yet seen this little gem. It isn't one of the great films of the century, but it is a lovely diversion to travel back in time to County Kilkenny where this was filmed and spend some time with Benny and her circle of friends.

Bernadette 'Benny' Hogan: I don't care what the priests say. I think we should do as we feel.

Barney's Version -A really great flick

Barney's Version Poster

Barney's Version is a truly wonderful film. I'll go light on details so as not to spoil it, but basically, Barney is a Jewish guy living in Montreal and a book has been written about part of his life which Barney disputes, so he wants to tell "his version" of his life story. This film is based on the Giller Prize winning book of the same name by Mordecai Richler.

Barney marrying heavily pregnant wife #1 (Rachelle Lefevre) with best friend Boogie (Scott Speedman)

The main plot is about how 3 gorgeous women fall for this hard drinking, cigar chomping, schlub of a guy, played to a tee by Paul Giamatti. This film is funny, it's heartbreaking and most of all very entertaining. Minnie Driver gives an absolutely hilarious performance as his second wife (with a MASTERS degree) and Rosamund Pike is luminous as Barney's long suffering third wife.

Barney (Paul Giamatti) and his dad (Dustin Hoffman)

An interesting piece of casting has Barney's father played by Dustin Hoffman, thankfully back from the land of the Fockers for this wonderful performance and Hoffman's real life son, actor Jake Hoffman, playing Barney's son.

Barney wooing wife #3 (Rosamund Pike)

I always find that the best films are the ones which mix humour with tragedy and give you a script where you cannot predict where the film is going. This one gives all of that and more. Toss in some gorgeous Canadian scenery both of Montreal and of cottage country (or the "Bush" as Shania Twain likes to call it) and you have a thoroughly satisfying flick.

Barney's second wife (Minnie Driver at her all time best)

Kick back and have a good laugh and a good cry over this one my friends.

P.S. If you don't understand the twist at the end, post a comment and I'll help you out.