Review of The Hours (2002) by Filipeneto — 14 Feb 2021

There are few writers in the 20'th century who have had lives as troubled and tragic as Virginia Woolf. Born in a golden cradle, she was sexually abused by her older siblings to the point of becoming depressed and having developed schizophrenia and a repressed bisexuality. A short life, which she decided to end by drowning in a river in 1941.

This film is not about this writer, but it does use her life and one of her most notable books, "Mrs. Dalloway", to tells a day in the life of three women from three different times: a day in the life of Virginia Woolf in 1923, a day in the life of a married woman in 1951 and a day in the life of a woman preparing a party in honor of a friend, about to die of AIDS, in 2001. One is the writer of the novel, another is a reader who will read it, and the other is a woman who, due to her attitudes, will embody the main character of the book.

It is a very profound, psychological, often dark film, that addresses fear and trauma, weaknesses, depressions and repressed homosexuality. The protagonists, for different reasons and in their own way, are depressed women, who suffer in silence while the world goes around them and try to play their social role and correspond to what everyone expects of them. However, there is always a moment of break, where the urge to throw the towel on the floor is irresistible. In spite of everything, the film is a little lukewarm, slow and almost half-enveloping. Another problem is the inability, on the part of the audience, to like the characters. I, at least, did not feel emotionally involved in the film.

The cast is headed by three grand actresses: Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore. The three fulfil their audience perfectly, with well-succeeded interpretations. However, as I said, they are distant performances, which put a wall between the audience and the film. It is nothing that takes merit from the actresses, but it does not help the film to become pleasant, and it is a film that I would hardly see again, if I had a choice.

Technically, it is a very well-made film, but it has discrete production values. It has a clear and well-built cinematography, good sets and costumes, which help us to see and distinguish the different times and contexts. I especially liked the period automobiles that were used, and the set of Virginia Woolf's house, full of decorative details and lovingly elaborated. And I cannot fail to highlight the wonderful soundtrack, particularly the suite "The Hours", composed by Philip Glass.