arunchedathara it is Mind blowing because My mind was keep on working the whole time while watching the film. it is a different experience. It is not what you see on screen. There is no blood or violence on screen like other Scorsese movies. But There is pain and blood shell INSIDE.The story is about Love - A forbidden Love. It's the representation of a particular time in the History of America and it's all about human emotionsDon't watch it for some steamy scenes or passionate and romantic dialogues. You will be disappointed. Every character has class and gentleness in behavior and talk. What we see on the screen is the tip of the iceberg. What is happening is really inside their heart.Everyone who once had a forbidden love affair or lost love can immediately connect to this film and feel the pain. It's about what our mind says when we see each scene. After the film, The minds will be still working. Outstanding performances by the lead actors. Narrative story telling, like Good fells and Casino. The costumes and sets will bring us into that era. It's a story about unseen chains in the society, and passion and love get stuck with it.

Antonius Block You may have to shrug off your disdain for films about the upper crust of society to watch this one. If you can do that, and if you can patiently allow the story to unfold, you will be rewarded. Director Martin Scorsese is true to Wharton's brilliant novel, and was painstaking in his attention to all of the little details of the time period. The narration by Joanne Woodward is excellent. The forbidden love Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) has for Countess Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer) while being engaged to May Welland (Winona Ryder) grows ever so gradually, until it becomes a raging fire. At the same time, there is great restraint here, accurate to the morals of the day, but leaving one with a much deeper feeling of the angst involved as a result. The little signals each person in this love triangle send to one another often have great subtlety, yet it feels just as powerful as if they were yelling or screaming.I confess I didn't think any of the three principal actors delivered a great performance – Day-Lewis is a little too morose, Pfeiffer lacks that teeny touch of wickedness, and Ryder's acting is the most suspect, despite her Oscar nomination. The chemistry between Day-Lewis and Pfeiffer does not seem authentic, but with all of that said, each of them is reasonably good. I think Scorsese was dead on with the tone and this is clearly a labor of love, but I don't think the story needed 139 minutes, and there are some issues with pace (which compound the understated action). On the other hand, he gives us some truly wonderful moments, all leading to an ending that is absolutely brilliant, which, just as with the novel, left me with goosebumps.

Irishchatter I was shocked that this movie was absolutely boring and dull because well known actors such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder were involved in this. I honestly thought this was gonna be a unique movie from the very start but it just didn't give me that vibe to let me know that the movie would be enjoyable to watch!I just don't think this movie should've been awarded an Oscar and other nominations. It would be probably better to have added in more main characters since three really didn't seem to be enough for the movie..I definitely consider this not a good movie to watch, it would most likely waste your time!

Melissa Stillwell (melissacasting-org) Exquisite and yet dark, pungent, unforgiving. The best, the most cinematic kind of period drama since Visconti's "Senso'. Martin Scorsese is, without question, the master of his generation. After his dark paintings of New York, the New York of "Taxi Driver" or "The King Of Comedy" this look back at a time when not just New York, but America was defining its identity. Daniel Day Lewis is sublime and Michelle Pfeiffer gives the performance of her life. I was also profoundly moved for that glimpse of Alexis Smith in her last film appearance and the wonderful voice of Joanne Woodward narrating Edith Wharton's words. Thank you!