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Now, with The Cider House Rules out on DVD you can pen that
title in with the others and then add the note: "Must
watch."
Cider House Rules is the pick of the bunch and offers viewers
a chance to see life through the eyes of a young man, fresh
out of a surprisingly loving and supportive St Clouds orphanage.
Tobey Maguire plays Homer Wells, an abandoned baby (with
a perfect New England name), who grows up under the watchful
gaze of Dr Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine) and his two nursing
staff.
Overlooked by would-be parents, Homer becomes an integral
part of life of all at St Clouds and, as he matures, helps
the younger children while learning the medical trade from
his mentor. The only knowledge he doesn't want to pick up
is the illegal practice Larch has of performing abortions
for women.
One day, a World War Two pilot and his girlfriend need the
service and Homer becomes taken with Charlize Theron, leaving
his unofficial family behind him to join them at a cider-making,
apple orchard.
There, he becomes friends with black fruit pickers and, while
working with them, begins to see life from yet another angle.
Maguire is terrific as Homer. He handles the role sensitively
and with charm and the introspective nature of the wise young
man never allows the audience to make the mistake of thinking
of him as being slow.
Theron is very good as the troubled love interest, Candy,
but of the secondary characters, the ether-indulging Michael
Caine takes the prize. He deservedly got an Oscar for his
marvellous performance.
The imagery in Cider House Rules is excellent and under Lasse
Hallstrom's brilliant direction, the storyline deals with
the sensitive and gut-wrenching subjects of abortion and incest
with a too-little-seen maturity.
An excellent adaption of John Irving's book.
Conclusion: Movie: 85% DVD Extras: 70%
Continued:
DVD details at a glance >
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