Review of Charlotte Gray (2001) by Andrew L — 01 Jan 2008

Although Cate Blanchett is excellent, and the film has some really emotional moments, this never quite comes together. Perhaps the lack of pace (it's really slow!!) doesn't help, and the script is a bit clunky, however the photography is wonderful, and makes the film worth seeing. The ending is a bit disappointing, leaving you wondering what happened to other key characters. After moving slowly for most of its two hours, the ending seems rushed and thrown together.

One grouch I have with a lot of movies is the fake accents they use to show that they are not English. This worked 30 years ago with the war films of the day, but I think modern audiences are more sophisticated. I would rather see the dialogue in the correct language and subtitled - either that, or just don't bother - I'll never be convinced someone who is supposedly French spends all their time speaking English (even with a heavy French accent!).

Good for a night in on the couch.