Directed by: Alfonso Cuaron
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Bancroft, Chris Cooper, Robert DeNiro, Hank Azaria
Alfonso Cuaron's haunting version of the Charles Dickens' classic makes run-down mansions and tiny New York studio apartments appear romantic in their Gothic way. The story is a romantic drama with struggling artist Finn (Hawke) forever in love with the distant blonde Estella (Paltrow), who in another life might actually love Finn back if she weren't taught from childhood to wound men and break hearts. Estella's teacher is her eccentric and rich aunt (Bancroft), who once was so wounded by a breakup that she decided to use her niece as a weapon against all men. Poor Finn is the one caught in this emotional crossfire.
With financial aid from a mysterious benefactor who Finn believes is the aunt, Finn travels to New York to strike out on his own as an artist. Estella appears and then disappears from Finn's life in order to torment him while cruelly keeping his flame for her alive. Finn believes he is so close to winning Estella's heart, without understanding there isn't a heart to win. Estella then marries a wealthy man (Azaria) and winds up hurting both he and Finn in one fell swoop. However, Finn makes up excuses as to why Estella won't be with him. He can't believe she won't.
Hawke is a steady hero blinded by love and thus winning our sympathy in the process. Who among us hasn't once been infatuated with the unattainable person? The quest keeps us going until one day you come terms with its impossibilities. Paltrow is a compelling figure because she is part perpetrator and part victim herself because she is under the aunt's spell. DeNiro shows up as a prisoner whom Finn aids in his escape as a child and then plays a larger part in Finn's life later on. I also admired Chris Cooper as Finn's Uncle Joe who raises him once Finn's mother leaves and understands he can only guide Finn for so long. The characters here are unique, yet universal in a strange world which provides an unlikely, painful, soul-crushing romance as its plot and in the end, everything turns out better than expected. Most such loves don't end up that way.
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