Review of The Age of Innocence (1993) by Liam P — 19 Aug 2007

Scorsese drops out of his gangsta roots to go for Oscar gold in the period drama involving a love traingle with Daniel Day Lewis at the centre of it.

Lewis stars as Newland Archer a man seemingly destined to marry May played by Winona Ryder until he meets the rebellious Ellen (Michelle Pfeiffer) then his whole life becomes a little bit more complicated.

Archer becomes obsessed with the reluctant Ellen - going were ever she goes and buying her whatever she wants while becoming ever so distant from his wife. However as we know in most love triangles it will only end in tears and this story is no different with Archer becoming more and more frustrated at his attempts to get his girl.

You know when its a Scorsese picture you aint gonna get dull and this movie is no exception - but exciting it is not. Daniel Day Lewis embodies a lifeless and quite boring character while the performance of love interest Pfeiffer left something to be desired but Ryder is on nothing but solid from. But its Scorsese's direction and telling of the story that makes Age of innocence still a worthwhile viewing for the audience. Its never been questioned whether the master of cinema could go out of his range but was this more about finally winning that Oscar he should have received so long ago?