Review of The Painted Veil (2006) by Spangle — 17 Jun 2014

This film certainly has a lot going for it. First off, the cinematography is gorgeous. Every shot is more beautiful than the next, thanks in large to the beautiful and picturesque scenery. The acting from leads Edward Norton and Naomi Watts is top-notch and their chemistry is very good with one another.

Toby Jones also has a good supporting role here. For all of them, they got to play very well developed and multi-faceted characters, a bonus for them and a key element to what makes this one a success, as the script is very well done.

In addition, the love story is well done. I am not typically overly into romantic films, but this one is definitely different as the romance feels real and not cheesy at all. All of these elements also feel realistic for the time period depicted and really makes it feel like an authentic portrayal of a man and a wife who are going through troubled times with one another.

Finally, the film is very interesting, it never really failed to have my interest. Yes, it is slow and methodic, but it is a gorgeous film to watch and take in and never really heads towards "boring" for me.

Overall, "The Painted Veil" is a very well done period piece that is almost melodic in its portrayal of this love story.