The Cider House Rules could be described as an incredibly pleasant feel good movie and that is despite dealing with a range of very intense issues from abortion to incest. The many difficulties that the characters are experiencing are however crafted into a journey of self-discovery with a high degree of finesse. Very enjoyable if perhaps a little forgettable.
Michael Caine is great. Charlize Theron is beautiful. Tobey Maguire is Spiderman.
The rules of society are like the rules of the cider house. It is best to make up your own, and lead your own enlightened life.
Standard pre-Woke Oscar bait, which means it's got quality acting & direction, it's based on a novel & views blacks as actual imperfect humans rather than as tokens meant to fulfill some DEI mandate. It also forwards a liberal agenda, which is one reason one political part of Maguire's coming-of-age tale can be seen coming the minute it's raised. It also perpetuates the idea that rules shouldn't be followed. Still, it is well made & moving, as any well-done story about orphans can't help be.
Hard to believe that Irving wrote the screenplay. It's so weak. It's due to time constraints, this change of the original plot. I know. A sad thing although, 'cause this resembles a soap opera.
A feel-good "Set-in-the-40's" feeling, The Cider House Rules is an outstanding novel-based film with loyal performances from the cast.
Difficult to find much to complain about in this inoffensive, classical telling. This feels like something a tenth grade English teacher would make a classroom watch and then ask needling questions about the significance of the cider house rules. But there's little wiggle room for interpretation: this is a well-told pro-choice film that should probably be revisited by a larger audience today.
I like this movie even though it's slow pacing & shiny perfect characters & happy orphanage schtick make me edgy. I'm a bit confused as to the message particularly regarding the title. "Homer" here isn't quite so good as he is in other pictures.
Don't remember much, but I remember having a good experiance.
A well-crafted film, with very good performances and solid direction.
Some of my favorite performances from everyone involved...
Read the book. Skip the movie.
It reminded me of Forrest Gump in its particular kind of lame 90s brand of pollyanna
Man, this was right in the middle of Tobey Maguire's huge run of great films. Great film.
They managed to loose all the "Irving" this movie had to offer and ruin the story while doing so.
A great adaptation of the book, but I didn't really like the book that much either.
ger; das weisenkind "homer" wird erwachsen und lernt dabei das leben kennen
Read the book and forget about this one.
points for michael caine, but this is a dumb film.
Tobey Maguire is the worst.
