Reviews

Sumptious photography, cracking story, beautiful lead actress and a superb courtroom denouement still can't shake the feeling that this is as fake as a plastic Christmas tree.

It was very enjoyable if viewed as fluff, 16th century "Dynasty" occured to me at several points, but the most amazing thing about this story is that most of the key events actually happened.

Everyone speaking in English accents and high-school poetry portrayed as great wit and art killed the credibility. I can't believe this story took 500 years to reach the screen ( well 100 technically). Where is the Italian language version without the wish fulfillment? (Perfect teeth and grooming, no sexual diseases, those mawkish riding horse-back montage sequences) Admittedly this is a romance and they aren't known for their realism but this could have been a great work of art, not just a pretty picture.

Still, worth viewing. It certainly does get better as it goes along.

More enjoyable and slicker than the advertising campaign would suggest this is a memorable if at times derivative film that overcomes some second-rate support actors and a weak finale by imbuing the leads with such likability and making us care for Pamela's (the beautiful Griffiths) predicament.

Similar in theme to If Only..(released internationally as Twice upon a Yesterday) but populated by real people as opposed to sexy mannequins, this is at times crass but sometimes strangely moving. And against all odds even if it is at its most basic a " kitchen sink" romance, it is never boring.

Griffiths, Roberts and all three kids are superb. And there are some great musical memories on the soundtrack.

I didn't find it as funny as some reviewers (the audience I saw it with were pretty quiet) but it is a film with ideas and intelligence and heart, and they don't get made very often these days.