The Cider House Rules

The story of a grown orphan (Tobey Maguire) trying to find his place in the world, The Cider House Rules seems noble and interesting enough, in theory. Maguire and the supporting cast of Michael Caine, Delroy Lindo and love interest Charlize Theron are fine and their characters fully realized as the story follows Homer Wells (Maguire) from St. Cloud's orphanage (which also doubles as Oscar winner Caine's merciful abortion clinic) to life on an apple farm and back again. The Oscar winning screenplay by John Irving, adapted from his own book, is peppered with internal and external conflict and emotion, the snowy mountains of Maine look pretty, and the quiet, uncomplicated tone director Lasse Hallström strikes gives the film an air of simpler times gone by (it takes place in the early 1940s). But put it all together and it just doesn't add up to much--and it's beset by nagging timeline oversights. When the movie was over, the most enthusiastic reaction I could muster was just a shrug. Still, given the Best Picture nomination, the two statues, and the literary pedigree, consider this a strong, optional purchase. (R. Blackwelder)[Blu-ray Review—Sept. 27, 2011—Lionsgate, 125 min., PG-13, $14.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1999's The Cider House Rules features a fine transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Blu-ray extras are identical to the previous DVD release, including audio commentary (by director Lasse Hallström, author John Irving, and producer Richard N. Gladstein), a “making-of” featurette (22 min.), deleted scenes (9 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid Blu-ray debut for this Oscar-winning favorite.]