Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen play Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway in this smart and sexy biographical drama about their tumultuous relationship (both romantic and professional). Philip Kaufman—a filmmaker fascinated by the collision of creative passion and sexual desire (The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Henry & June)—made this for HBO, a place where directors can still get movies for grownups green-lighted. Hemingway is the flamboyant "star" so to speak but the film is really about Gellhorn's journey from respected journalist to uncompromising war correspondent. We see Hemingway through her eyes, a man of talent, ego, and restlessness, and we see her learn from the point of view of Hemingway (and photographer Robert Capa, author John Dos Passos, and others in his circle), as she forges her own voice and career as one of the finest war correspondents of her generation. It's also a portrait of a hot-blooded affair juiced by danger and success, or at least Hemingway's success. His competitive streak brings out the worst in him, ultimately sabotaging their relationship. Intelligent, mature, and ambitious, Hemingway & Gellhorn—made on a relatively small budget—was nominated for 15 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Movie, Director, Actor, and Actress. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Philip Kaufman and editor Walter Murch, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are a “making-of” featurette (7 min.), a visual effects featurette (6 min.), and a bonus DVD copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a fine biographical drama.] (S. Axmaker)
Hemingway & Gellhorn
HBO, 154 min., not rated, DVD: $19.98, Blu-ray: $24.99 Volume 28, Issue 4
Hemingway & Gellhorn
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As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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