I think I enjoyed reading this old thread more than the movie! I just watched it on DVD last night. But I have to say, I am shocked no one mentioned how very, very bad the actors' North Carolina accents were in this film! I have family from the area and vacation in the Outer Banks area often. I didn't read the book, but listened to it driving through the area on my way there for a vacation.

Those accents were so pitiful, I couldn't suspend disbelief about much in this film--I could barely understand Jude Law, who seemed to be talking with marbles in his mouth! To me the actors were badly miscast, and the director didn't get the essence of the book, the country, or the people. Of course, he was British. As is Jude Law. And Nicole Kidman, Aussie. Brendan Gleeson, Irish. Shot in Romania. Much lost in translation in this one!

However, the film looked mahvelous! Just like a completely implausible Hollywood period love story should look! Beautiful sets, costumes, cinematography, and the soundtrack was first rate. The screenplay, very pedestrian--definitely second rate.

I had imagined Inman as a Sam Shepard in his prime sort of character, and thought someone like Robert Downey Jr would have been good in the part. I imagineda Winona Ryder or Reese Witherspoon in the Ada role, and a Mary Louise Parker or Lauren Graham type in the Ruby role. Rene   Zellweger is always over the top IMO, so nothing new here. I actually thought the best acting in the film came from Natalie Portman.

The screenplay was truly awful though. What a mess the film was! I watched it with two friends who hadn't read the book, and they had a hard time figuring it all out. Random characters appearing and disappearing that didn't move the plot along, that sort of thing. And it isn't like the director/writer isn't up to the challenge--he wrote the screenplays for The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley.

But hey--based upon peoples' recommendations in these Cold Mountain threads (what I stopped in for today), I'll definitely track down the soundtrack. I truly enjoyed the music & second what was said about the Elvis Costello song.

Let's hope the Prairie Home Companion movie turns out better than this!