I will keep it as far and away as possible (Far And Away (DVD))

Member Name: NikkiH

Product:	Far And Away (DVD)
Date:	30/07/01 (136 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: mmmm, Cruise maybe

Disadvantages: All of the film to be brutal

After meeting on “Days Of Thunder”, this was the movie that ignited the sparks to the flame that became one of Hollywood’s most famous marriages. Set in the late 19th century, Tom Cruise stars as an Irish working class man called Joseph Donnelly, who has watched his family home burn to the ground, killing his father, after they could not afford to pay their rent to the landlord Daniel Christie (Robert Prosky). Thomas vows to seek revenge, and leaves his village to hunt down the arsonists.

He is full of good intentions, however he is soon discovered by the landlord when he tries to hide in the stables at the large home of his enemy, who orders his henchmen to give Joseph the beating of his life. Then to ensure he cannot report anyone to the authorities, Joseph is kept at the home of the landlord and given medical treatment, and this is where he meets Shannon played by Nicole Kidman.

Shannon feels trapped by her life, and wants to rebel against the constraints placed on her by her upper class family. She is desperate to leave and travel to America. She is attracted to Joseph, but mainly because he is nothing like the men she normally encounters.

Joseph recovers and heads for Dublin, where he has a chance meeting with Shannon, as is shocked when she asks him to come to America with her, but he agrees nonetheless, and they start a charade of being brother and sister when they arrive in Boston. They find a room at a brothel and Joseph decides to earn some money as a boxer, and eventually becomes a famous prize fighter under the guidance of Mike Kelly (Colm Meaney).

This is where the film starts to become tiresome. The couple are clearly attracted to each other, yet despise each other due to the class difference, and when they do decide the attraction is mutual you have passed caring. They hear about a land rush in Oklahoma, where people stake their claim on some land and build on it, so they head for this. The film t
hen tries to convince us that the mansion type dwelling that Shannon left in Ireland is now not enough for her family, and they too have upped sticks and come to America….and guess where they are headed? Oklahoma! Something just does not lie right.

I was amazed to see that the talented Ron Howard was the director of this film, as it seems to lose it’s way after 50 minutes, and never finds out where it wanted to be, and he allows it to become too over the top and melodramatic, which Howard must also take some of the blame for as he co-wrote the script with Bob Dolman. The only redeeming feature is the cinematography as there are some beautiful shots throughout the film.

This is meant to be a “feel good” movie, about striving to reach your dreams, but it was a shambles, and I felt no empathy with the characters at all. Cruise seems comfortable in his role, and carries off the Irish accent quite well, however Kidman goes over the top at every opportunity in order to prove just how fiery and feisty Shannon is. The humour is thin on the ground, and Cruise and Kidman hardly have impeccable comic timing, so a lot of the wit goes by unnoticed.

Not my cup of tea, and I would not recommend it. It was such a disappointing effort from the impressive cast and crew.

Summary: