"The End of the Affair" (1999)

I saw this last night kowing that it was not incredibly critically acclaimed. it was not awful, but nothing good either. there were some good points such as the gorgeous cinematography, powerful performances (espicially Julianne Moore's), a moving score and costume design. the story was weak to begin with. i have not read the book so the book might be good, but the film made it seem very soap opera like. i did enjoy the intricate way in which the filmwas presented. it felt somewhat like "Atonement": out of order. that was an interesting touch. the film did feel like something out of the Hallmark chanel; especially the ending. the passion felt forced becuse it was thrust in our face too quickley. love at first sight is hard to buy.

So we have a harried writer who is full of hate and jealousy; somewhat like "Moulin Rouge". he is starting his new novel about his previous affair with a married woman named Sarah played by Moore. she is bored with her current blase husband and highly seductive. Ralph Fiennes plays the writer who becomes infatuated with Moore. they have countless breakups and makeups that seem very out of place. it was almost silly. oh i love you, now i hate you. one loves the other while the other doesn't and vis versa over and over again. it was almost as if Neil Jordan, the director, was trying to buy time or make the film seem longer and more of a romantic epic (failed at that). the husband is slow and finally catches the drift when Fiennes insists on having a private investigtor put on Moore's watch. this is done for Fiennes himself not the husband. remember he is incredibly jealous one. he becomes obsessed with finding out if she is cheating on him. the husband finally comes to and gets that his wife is cheating on him with Fiennes. oh but he forgives him for the climactic reason. this is quite a silly film. the religious aspect was interesting. how Moore seeks God for help out of this mess she's put herself in. she begins performing small, but noticable miracles.

The film was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actress- Julianne Moore and Best Cinematography. both deserved nominations. Moore's performance was the usual spectacular. but her greatest performance was in "Far from Heaven". also her performance in "Magnolia" was incredibly powerful. Fiennes was good too. the score was beatiful and the main theme was played over and over again until it got stuck in your head. the cinematography was very old fasioned. it had that glow effect. the way the camera moved was spectacular especially in the opening sequence. but cinematograhy does not save the film. it felt like it was trying to be "The English Patient". lengthy, dramatic, steamy, passionate, and a tearjerker. well, it succeeded in few of those catagories. the climax was incredibly predictable with the first cough. it was the end of "Love Story" from 1970.  and the way it was presented was quite weak. this is not a stirring, passionate drama. The ending was too forced in this soapy melodrama of a picture.

Academy Awards, USA
Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2000	Nominated	Oscar	Best Actress in a Leading Role Julianne Moore
			Best Cinematography Roger Pratt