Hours, The
Quick Take: The story of how the novel "Mrs. Dalloway" affects three generations of women, all of whom, in one way or another, have had to deal with suicide in their lives.
Director
114 minutes
running time
2002
year released
Drama
genre
PG-13
rating
Torifan’s Rating... 
Torifan’s review: I had been looking forward to seeing this film since it came out, but I never made it to the theater to see it. After all of the Oscar attention, I was even more intrigued. I finally picked this one up on DVD yesterday (a gift from CC as they gave me a free gift card for working overtime). I was not disappointed. Even Bean, who never gives a movie a high rating, said this was a ten. A ten, it was!
The film intertwines three stories: Virginia Woolf, who is writing Mrs. Dalloway, (One of my favorite writers, portrayed brilliantly by Nicole Kidman, who deserved her Oscar) and her unhappy 'imprisonment' by her husband due to her 'mental illness,' A suburban housewife who is reading Mrs. Dalloway' (Julianne Moore, in another stunning performance) in the 1950's, and a modern-day woman (Meryl Streep) who is dealing with the terminal illness of a man she loves, who calls her Mrs. Dalloway. All three stories live out the plot of Woolf's novel, in different and intersting ways. Each ends differently, details of which I won't blow here. The performances are wonderful, the direction is smooth, and the writing is excellent.
This film deserves the praise it has received, and is a delight for literary types (I was an English major, after all) like myself. If you appreciate all of the best elements of storytelling and filmmaking, you will enjoy this film. This is a thinking-person's film, refreshing in a climate where Hollywood can only think of sequels and remakes.
Cast:
Kidman, Nicole
Moore, Julianne
Streep, Meryl
Dillane, Stephen
Richardson, Miranda
Loftus, George
Ramm, Charley
Wyburd, Sophie
Marshal, Lyndsey
Bassett, Linda
