 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Cold Mountain
- Review Date: June 28, 2004
- R
- Genre: Drama
- 2003
Common Sense Media says
Excellent but upsetting, only for older teens.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the movie has very graphic battle violence, with many characters wounded and killed. There are explicit sexual references and situations, including nudity, prostitution, and attempted rape. Characters engage in a swindle involving seduction and betrayal, with nudity and graphic references. One character shows strong values by turning down sexual offers so that he can remain faithful to the woman he loves. Characters use strong language.
What's the story?
Inman (Jude Law), a wounded Confederate soldier, walks away from the hospital to return to his home and to his love, Ada (Nicole Kidman). Ada was raised by her minister father (Donald Sutherland) for a life of refinement and noblesse oblige, is struggling to maintain her father's farm after his death, with the help of Ruby (Renee Zellweger). But the war is getting closer to them. Soldiers from both sides cover the countryside, the Confederates looking for deserters, the Union looking for provisions, both taking whatever they can. Inman walks back to Cold Mountain, encountering an Odyssey-like assortment of characters and adventures, including a minister who is attempting to murder the slave he got pregnant (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a lonely young mother (Natalie Portman), and a man who is less friendly than he seems. Ada is faced with challenges at home as she and Ruby try to work the farm and stay out of the way of the trouble that seems to be coming toward them from every direction. Ruby's estranged father (Brendan Gleeson), now a musician, shows up, and she must decide whether she can trust him.
Is it any good?
COLD MOUNTAIN benefits from outstanding performances by the lead actors and a stunning range of first-rate performers in supporting roles, including Portman, Kathy Baker, and Giovanni Ribisi. The terrain of Romania, standing in for the 19th century South, is beautifully evocative, as is the splendid soundtrack, assembled by O Brother Where Art Thou's T-Bone Burnett and featuring traditional works performed by White Stripes' Jack White. But, as often happens in the adaptation of literary works, without the balance of the book's poetic language, the images tend to overwhelm the subtle issues it raises about great and small conflicts.
Kidman's radiant loveliness persuades viewers that a man could develop a lifetime of devotion after one kiss, but it would be easier to believe her experience of hardship and growth if that radiance dimmed just a little now and then. Zellweger brings some spunk to a role that is reduced to a colorful sidekick that is more Andy Devine than Eve Arden. This is a thoughtful, intelligent film with lovely performances and heartbreaking themes, but like its main characters, it has great difficulty reaching the conclusion it aspires to.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how the perspective of this movie, sympathetic to the point of view of the deserter and putting a lot of emphasis on the challenges of the people who were not fighting the battles, differs from many stories set in wartime. What does that say about that era and ours? How does that relate to the description of what happens when the bird eats a seed? Ruby and Ada were both raised by their fathers. Which father prepared his daughter best for what she would have to do? What do each of the people Inman meets on his way home add to the story? If the sky were to fall down tomorrow, what would you want to make sure you said today?
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AGE
Don't waste your time
I totally enjoyed this movie up to the point of the love scene between Jude Law and Nicole Kidman. It was totally shocking and unexpected. It was almost pornographic. They wouldn't have to show much more for it to get an X rating. I believe Nicole Kidman wants to push the envelope in this area. I will not be seeing any more movies with her starring in them. This one scene ruined the entire experience for me.
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AGE
Excellent. Can be very depressing at times
My MPAA Rating, R: Strong war violence and peril, torture, nudity, sexual references/situations, some language
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AGE
Starts of very promising but it boils down to a poor love story
I will get it right out in the open. I am not a fan of romance movies. I went into Cold Mountain expecting a Civil War/Drama. It turned out that it was really a romance film. It has one repulsive battle scene in the begining. From this standpoint it is more successful than a film like Saving Private Ryan. In that film, we are desensatized to the violence. But in Cold Mountain, the director succeeds in conveying a genuine disgust for war. Realistic or not, the cruelity inflicted on the charactors causing horrible screams and moans, working effectivly as being disturbing. The music was excellant. But overall, it seemed like the movie was bogged down in it's pretentions and dull. Not a bad movie, but women and older men are more likely to enjoy than teenagers. It is a romance movie, so go in expecting that.
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AGE
e.g. You should think twice before going with a tween!
I saw this movie a few months ago and I am 13 years old. My father onlylet me see it because I read the book, let me tell you if you thought the movie was violent the book was worse but well written.
Anyway, the deal with this movie is mature teens could see it, teens who understood the circumstances at the era. The violence gets intense in some scenes like the torcher scene the war scenes are like any other war movie. Sexuality was a bit high especially in the scene in the cabin if you saw it you most likely know waht I am referring to. The scene between Ada and Inman (Jude and Nicole) is very sweet and tender.
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AGE
i cried
It is a good movie but it was made for older people like grown ups to watch and not kids my age there bad language and it has sex and some smothers don't want here kids seeing that but it depends if there mom will let them watch it or not... but i don't think we younger kids should see this movie till they get older...=]
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AGE
Great Movie!
The main reason why I like this movie is because of its strong female characters. It just gave justice to the film. I
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AGE
lOVEEEE
its really good but u need to no what your getting into befor watchin its R and should be
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| Studio: | Miramax |
| Director: | Anthony Minghella |
| Cast: | Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 160 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 25, 2003 |
| DVD release date: | June 28, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | violence and sexuality |
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