Some novels, such as "Love in the Time of Cholera", by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, should be allowed to stay in the written page. As has been the case with other attempts to capture the author's work for the screen, most, alas, have ended in failure. One can question the people behind this project about what they had in mind. A work of this magnitude certainly deserved better than this bland account by Ronald Harwood, a man that has done better, and by the director, Mike Newell. Missing is the poetry, and magic, of the book and most of what is not being shown on the screen.
Evidently, as usually is the case with these ambitious projects, there are a lot of things that get in the way. First, and foremost, trying to bring together such a large, mostly Spanish speaking cast to play the various characters, needs a surer hand and clear vision of how to translate this novel to cinematic terms and still bring out the essence of the story. This work, supposedly has been read by more than sixty million readers, so to make a mediocre adaptation of it, should have been enough to have left it alone.
The basic problem lies with the way Florentino Ariza has been conceived. As played by Mr. Bardem, in one of his less effective performances in a while, it robs the character his voice and the way one conceived it in one's mind. We are constantly reminded this Florentino is Javier Bardem, at all times, and not the man who longingly aches for Fermina most of his life. We are watching the actor going through some dialog, period. On the other hand, Mr. Bardem is only an actor, and the reading he gives should have been guided better. Just watch him under the Coen brothers' clear vision in "No Country for Old Men".
The Fermina of Giovanna Mezzogiorno is also a problem in our all overall enjoyment of the picture. An excellent actress, she is bogged down by a script that doesn't add much to her talent. John Leguizamo is totally miscast as Fermina's father, as is Fernanda Montenegro, a great actress who doesn't fare well at all here.
The cinematography by Alfonso Beato is about one of the the best things in the film. Alfonso Beato's music doesn't add much drama to the whole picture either.
For pure enjoyment pick up the original novel and have a great time with the magic world Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote, in one of his most memorable works.
Evidently, as usually is the case with these ambitious projects, there are a lot of things that get in the way. First, and foremost, trying to bring together such a large, mostly Spanish speaking cast to play the various characters, needs a surer hand and clear vision of how to translate this novel to cinematic terms and still bring out the essence of the story. This work, supposedly has been read by more than sixty million readers, so to make a mediocre adaptation of it, should have been enough to have left it alone.
The basic problem lies with the way Florentino Ariza has been conceived. As played by Mr. Bardem, in one of his less effective performances in a while, it robs the character his voice and the way one conceived it in one's mind. We are constantly reminded this Florentino is Javier Bardem, at all times, and not the man who longingly aches for Fermina most of his life. We are watching the actor going through some dialog, period. On the other hand, Mr. Bardem is only an actor, and the reading he gives should have been guided better. Just watch him under the Coen brothers' clear vision in "No Country for Old Men".
The Fermina of Giovanna Mezzogiorno is also a problem in our all overall enjoyment of the picture. An excellent actress, she is bogged down by a script that doesn't add much to her talent. John Leguizamo is totally miscast as Fermina's father, as is Fernanda Montenegro, a great actress who doesn't fare well at all here.
The cinematography by Alfonso Beato is about one of the the best things in the film. Alfonso Beato's music doesn't add much drama to the whole picture either.
For pure enjoyment pick up the original novel and have a great time with the magic world Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote, in one of his most memorable works.