As there is most certainly no shortage of films emerging over the last many years based on novels, I have already come to the conclusion that the film may or will never match the overall quality and detail the book itself offers the reader. To do so would give us movies that were most likely 8-10 hours in length, obviously not feasible for the average or even die-hard film watcher to take in at one time. Last year I experienced a film version of a book I’d actually read FIRST, and honestly, I still loved the film. The basic plot points remained and while I WAS keenly aware of the myriad of detail left out of the picture, it did NOT ruin the experience for me at all. While not having read the novelization of this film, I DO have it in my tablet via Kindle app now and will look MORE forward to seeing an expansion of the story. In the meantime, this is the FILM review of “Winter’s Tale”.
Based on the Mark Helprin novel of the same title and now brought to life by acclaimed Producer, and now first time Director, Akiva Goldsman (“Mr. & Mrs. Smith“, “I Am Legend“, “Lone Survivor“), this is a sweeping, epic romantic fantasy filled with a surprisingly deep message and potent tone that truly surprised me. Despite some initial voiceover narration providing general thoughts about life, its mysteries, and the magical journey it entails, the story does initially jump around a LOT, and was a slight bit confusing to follow until you grasped the events occurring, as it starts in 2014, then jumps all the way back to 1865, then ultimately to 1916, all sequences taking place in New York City. It begins with the film’s central focus, Peter Lake (Collin Farrell) who is in 2014 New York City going to Grand Central Station, seemingly overwhelmed by its modern look, and searching for something we come to see is a box hidden within the structure. In opening it, the items he looks at don’t make sense to us as the viewer yet. The story suddenly leaps back to 1865, when we see a young man (Matt Bomer) and woman (Lucy Griffiths) getting medical exams and being refused entry into the U.S., being immigrants from overseas, but sadly with him carrying a disease. As they cannot stay and are forced to board a ship back to their homeland, they make their own arrangements to ensure their little baby stays in country, albeit via one strange and potentially dangerous method.
Jump now to 1916 New York City, where we find an adult Peter Lake on the run from a rather insistent and determined group of men in black hats and overcoats lead by an even nastier looking leader, Pearly Soames (Russell Crowe). It appears Lake is a master thief who has some back history with Soames, but turned away and now it seems that past is about to end his journey if not for the sudden appearance of a white horse, which Lake mounts and is very magically taken away from Soames and his men, followed by a not so nice glare from his nemesis. We move to a house on the Upper West Side, where in we see a young woman playing classical piano with all the gusto she can. Downstairs, her father Isaac Penn (William Hurt), the Editor-In Chief of the New York Times, meets with a doctor as they discuss the sickness, consumption, that his daughter has contracted. When she comes downstairs, we are officially introduced to Beverly Penn (an amazing Jessica Brown Findlay), who, thanks to her affliction, seems to have a unique view about light in her surroundings, giving us a hint of the magical theme in the film. Days later, Beverly’s family is heading up to their lake estate, with her staying behind until they can prepare her living space, as she needs to stay cold to avoid the fever taking her life due to literally overheating. At the time of the family leaving, enter Peter Lake who is winding up an evening of thievery in the neighborhood and at some odd prompting (see the film!), he ends up going into the Penn house to rob it and runs into Beverly. The encounter they have leads into the initial focus of the story as Lake cannot help but fall in love with the beautiful, effervescent yet dying woman in front of him. After this meeting, they part ways, one wondering if they will cross paths again.
Now, amidst all of this happening, we have also been following Pearly Soames, who is COMPLETELY obsessed with making sure Lake does NOT get away from him, as we learn Soames had taken Peter in at one time and tried to raise him as a son and heir to the business Soames is in charge of, which needless to say, we discover is most assuredly NOT of this world. There is a particularly brutal revelation as to WHAT Soames is in a New York restaurant as he relentlessly plans on how to locate and take care of his former protégé. After a meeting with HIS even more diabolical boss, only known as The Judge (A GREAT actor cameo, I have to say, but won’t tell you who…see the film!), Soames tracks down what he only knows is a girl with red hair that Lake is somehow destined to be with or to save, something Soames and his lot do NOT want. We go back to Lake who is consulting an old friend Humpstone John (Graham Greene) about his situation (and the white horse that has become Peter’s shadow) and their conversation reveals Beverly is in danger. Soames arrives at the Penn residence as Beverly is leaving for the lake estate and only an intervention by Lake prevents disaster. Pursued by Soames, the pair elude him via the white horse and make for the Penn’s lake estate. At this point, they embark on a romance that defies her condition and his original tendencies, leading to a what we believe is a revelation about what he is destined to do with his , and her, life. Their connection is so deep and all-encompassing, it endears Peter especially to Beverly’s little sister Willa (played beautifully by Mckayla Twiggs), who tells Peter about a special place “built for miracles” at the lake estate. We also get a glimpse into Peter’s abilities as a master mechanic as well, just adding to the layers of who he really is. Sharing many moments together over the course of their time at the estate, a night out at a New Years Eve Ball to allow Beverly the chance to experience dancing falls prey to a pre-conceived plot that culminates in the beauty of the pair’s love for one another ending with a sudden and devastating loss.
Through this event, a heartsick Peter is cornered by Soames, who is gloating at his victory is preventing Lake from fulfilling the destiny he was meant for, and does what he can as a final act to get rid of Lake once and for all. Yet…..we end up in 2014 New York City now and see Lake emerge from the darkness that had him, trying to make sense of the new world around him and having no idea who he is. Now we reach the point from the very beginning of the story, as he finds the box that now contains items we DO recognize from his past….which is now almost 100 years ago. While walking through a park, a not-so-chance run-in (literally!) with a little girl, Abby (Ripley Sobo) and her mother, a reporter working for the New York Times, Virginia Gamely (Jennifer Connelly) leads to the reminders of who he is and the true revealing of what he was meant to do with his life. And to top it all off….someone ELSE is now aware of Peter’s return…Soames, who continues to do the business he always has throughout the centuries, and now being even MORE incensed that Lake is STILL alive, make a final deal himself with The Judge to really take care of Peter for good). Connecting with an unexpected friend (played by Eva Marie Saint…hey, that’s ALL I am saying….SEE the film!) in this modern age, Peter fulfills his destiny, confronts Soames, and through what I thought was a very moving closing narration, is able to consider his life’s work complete.
I know that was a lot to take in, and as always, I simply HAD to leave out certain details as I personally refuse to give away MAJOR plot points or events IF I can help it because for me, that CAN ruin a film I haven’t seen yet. It IS a story you have to pay attention to, which is nice for a change. Farrell plays these roles very well, as he can exude that boyish charm in his characters yet still prove he can be a tough rogue as well. Crowe (despite a rather odd, if not a little overdone, Irish lilt) plays Soames with a dark glare and menacing grin that really lets you know only the truth about his character…pure evil. And while the supporting turns by Hurt, Connelly, Twiggs, Greene, and Saint are all fine for the parts they play, the real magic for me rested on Findlay, who just gave Beverly the EXACT innocence and vulnerability she needed without making her totally helpless either. Rather, despite Beverly’s illness, her beauty and glowing way to look at life radiates off the screen in a tangible way, which really plays well off of Farrell’s Lake. And I have mentioned before I am a sucker for a good romance and fantasy story, and this delivers it all. And admittedly, it DID make me think in my own way about many aspects of this life we lead as humans and how we desire to be fulfilled, even at the cost of our own well being, and the ongoing battle between good and evil.
As always, this is for YOUR consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading.
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