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The Age of Innocence Customer Reviews (10 - 12 of 33 Reviews)

Horror classic
True enough, this absolutely beautiful, masterfully directed and elegant film is more brutal than Casino, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas and the Gangs of New York combined. Violence between men is nothing compared to pondering love denied, delayed and lost to eternity while the strains of 'Marble Halls' wash over you. Quietly devastating, this film has a way of seeping deep into your soul and ripping your heart straight out of your ass. So look out.

Scorsese & Day Lewis together for the first time
This is based on the Edith Wharton's Pulitzer Prize winning novel. It was originally filmed in the 30's with Irene Dunne as Ellen. This was adaptation made shortly after the book was published. Scorsese let the novel age 50 years. And like a fine wine it has improved.

Scorsese collected a great cast from both sides of the ocean.

Newland Archer (Daniel Day Lewis) is a successful business man who is constrained by the ethics of the time. He is engaged to socially proper lady, May (Winona Ryder). But Newland wants some excitement in his life.

Enter May's cousin, the Countess Olenska (Michele Pfeiffer). Ellen has run away from an abusive marriage. Ellen is everything May is not. The only problem is because of this, she is a social outcast.

Newland goes ahead with his marriage but keeps close ties with Ellen. Ellen loves Newland but knows that she can never have him for two reasons. The first is she could never hurt May. And second, her husband will never give her a divorce.

Newland and Ellen do have an affair but in the end the social pressures force Newland back to his wife and family. And Ellen is forced to return to her husband. Many people will not be happy with the ending but for the time that the book takes place and when the book is written, this is the only true option.

This was a definite departure for Scorsese, other than taking place in New York City, but it is a complete success. Daniel Day Lewis once again proves that he can handle any role and time period. Michele Pfeiffer shows her ability to be alluring yet very stays in the period. Winona Ryder has perfected her role as a repressed woman. The supporting cast is filled with many exceptional actors but the best is Miriam Marogoyles as Mrs. Mingott, the society matron who is just excessive in every way.

If you enjoy period pieces or would like a probably excellent depiction of NY society at the turn of the century (19th), you will enjoy this film.

DVD EXTRAS: None


Wake Me Up When It's Over
While Ms. Wharton is probably spinning from anger in her coffin, the rest of the graveyard will burst at the seams as thousands of viewers die of boredom during this ho-hum adaptation.

Michelle Pfeiffer can't act her way out of a wet paper gag, and Daniel Day-Lewis...well, he's been on a downhill coaster since "Laundrette" and "Room with a View."

This is a period piece with tremendous attention to the furnishings. But how fancy-shmancy was Martin Scorsese's casting couch?

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