Review of The Age of Innocence (1993) by Tom S — 19 Sep 2009

The Age of Innocence is a beautiful movie, in terms of its visual presence. Marty and his production team, from painstakingly detailed art direction, to beautifully rendered period costumes, to colorful and bright cinematography, to a rich and evocative score by Elmer Bernstein that very much recalls the time period being recreated, the filmâ??s presentation as something to purely observe was as pretty as a painting. It was hard not to be drawn into such a vividly recalled world from a past long gone with the kind of layering that occurred between all technical aspects of the filmmaking, and the skill used in piecing together these layers is undeniable.

Martyâ??s signature styles are also evident, from strategically placed camera wipes to frames that morph from one scene to another in a seamless fashion. He was able to match the subtlety of the themes being explored in the story with his own level of subdued bravado. This film is certainly artistic and a wonderful addition to Scorsese's overall body of work.

The performances were also very good. The best performance belonged to Winona Ryder, who was nominated for an Oscar for it. She infused a sweetness in May which made her character ultimately sympathetic, sad, and strong, even as she was painted to be weak, frail, and ignorant of the larger forces at work around her. Though Ryder has often overstated certain performances or been completely miscast or seemed to be Winona Ryder playing Winona Ryder all over again, none of those characteristics were noticeable here. Her performance was as subtle as the story being told.

Day-Lewis and Pfeiffer also did well, even though they have long-established track records. Day-Lewis has played many characters of widely different temperaments and motivations, so such a straight character with his smoldering, barely erupting passion did not seem like much of a stretch for him, and Pfeiffer has turned in performances of varied emotional range in the past as well.

The film also seems to be a wonderful adaptation of the source material, because there was never wanting in terms of the progression and resolution of the tale. The problem is â?? the film was boring, in its own way, because this type of story is better suited for being read from the actual novel than for watching on screen. The visual presence was lavish, the performances were great, the direction was great â?? but this may not be the type of story that sits well for two hours of viewing. Does this quality detract from the film? Well, in a way, because it may not be the type of film that can stand the test of time, even as itâ??s understandable that this film would be an Oscar darling, considering that Oscar loves a good period film. Of course, this really is a good period film â?? if you go in for this sort of thing, i.e. a study of subtlety, repression, and the other topics previously mentioned. In any event, the Age of Innocence is a thing of beauty in its way, though it may best be appreciated in small doses.