gogoschka-1
Outstanding war drama. Grim, realistic - and what a fantastic cast. I have no idea why this film isn't more widely known - it certainly deserves to be - or actually, I do have an idea why it tanked. The cheesy title plus the fact that Andie MacDowell - the (then) "rom-com queen" - is in it, and that the film received next to no marketing are very likely reasons why nobody went to see this. But YOU should. It's worth it. 8 stars out of 10.In case you're interested in more underrated masterpieces, here's some of my favorites:imdb.com/list/ls070242495
EJ Verh
There are very, very few films that had dared to tackle the controversial subject of wars in the former Yugoslavia and get it right. This is one of them, and done extremely well. Now, if your knowledge on the subject is limited, you may have a hard time following the politics of it. However, you shouldn't let that prevent you from viewing it; because in its core, it's actually a very basic and touching human story. It is surprisingly accurate, moving, harrowing, suspenseful and (dare I say) very entertaining. It's a work of fiction but actually based on some real and well documented incidents (the infamous, bloody invasion of Vukovar, Croatia, and the crimes committed by the Serbs against Croatian people during this time). The acting is excellent all around (Brody, Gleeson and Strathairn especially), but the real star of this film is the lovely Andie MacDowell. The actress (Four Weddings and a Funeral) who has, by some, on occasion been heavily criticized for her 'limited' acting abilities, in this film more than proves her worth. In a very difficult, dramatic role, Ms. MacDowell gives an Oscar-caliber performance that is both heartbreaking and very brave. You should check it out, even if you know nothing about this period of tragic Croatian history. See it for its remarkable story, tight editing, sweeping cinematography and superb performances by Andie MacDowell and Adrien Brody
Laurence
Hum... The story is good... But I think the movie is too long and there's scenes that could be cut... Action is difficult to fallow and the little girl who does the submarine seams really stupid... I didn't like when there is people who talk alone like after the story... But I liked to see Adrien Brody (that's why I watched this movie)! Special effects are great and there is a lot of blood, fire and explosion. Some things are surrealist and I think that is not good...If you like long movies with war and people scared, this is for you! But I don't think you should spend your time on this because it's really long and it seams longer that it is because it's always the same things: people kill other people, there is blood and explosion.
Lucile Dudevante
If you are watching this movie to watch one or another of the cast members, or because you want to watch a war movie, or because you want to see the story of a woman tragically trying to rescue her husband, you'll have to change your expectations when watching this film: I know I had to. Andie MacDowell, David Strathairn, Brendan Gleeson, Adrien Brody, Elias Koteas, and all the rest of the cast, are marvelous, of course, and ultimately the way they threw themselves into their characters made the movie what it was--stunning."Harrison's Flowers" is not just a love story, a war movie, or a point-blank tragedy: neither is it simply an explanation of why photographers aren't as insane as we think. Certainly it contains elements of all those ideas. The incandescent relationship between Harrison and Sarah Lloyd is beautiful in its simplicity, though it is certainly not the main thrust behind the movie, as the title might suggest; war is obviously portrayed as bloody, destructive, and painful; the photographers/photojournalists focused on in the film are gorgeous characters, all with intense motivations and ideas. But "Harrison's Flowers" goes beyond any of that, becoming--I think--one of the best films ever made about a civilian's perspective towards war. Because it primarily concerns civilians, it doesn't follow along the lines of "Behind Enemy Lines" or "Saving Private Ryan" or even "The Thin Red Line", which all concern the soldier's perspectives: watching your comrades die, following orders or doing the right thing, living as a coward or dying heroically.... No. "Harrison's Flowers" has nothing to do with fighting for a cause, or with warrior-bonds between men, or even a statement against war. It is a beautiful, graphic, tragic explanation of why photographers and photojournalists do and should continue to do what they do: capture the world of war in Kodak, to remind us of it when it is gone, to remind us of destruction in times of peace, to remind us why war between men happens, to remind us of who really suffers during war--not just the soldiers, but the civilians, as well. The film's dedication (to the photographers and journalists who died in the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995) reveals this further. If you're anything like me, after seeing this film you'll feel motivated to better the world and reveal evil, not matter if it means starving, freezing with fear, being wounded, and perhaps even dying--like the very, very human photographers and journalists in this film do.