The Hours

If it weren't for Philip Glass's music, The Hours would have been at least half as good. But despite that, we are left with an incredible tour de force of acting from three actresses and one actor. It is a quite depressing experience to see all the heroines sail through a very sad day: sometimes incomparably so, sometimes completely the same. Above all, absolute concentration is a must, otherwise many might find the motivations of the heroines ridiculous and their reactions hysterical. On top of that, there should be a warning to cynics on the cover. At first, I had my reservations, big or small, but the gradual crescendo is breathtaking and leaves no room for doubt. With the twist, or the devastating final monologue, a very unique and oppressive impression remains in your heart. With distance, however, I sobered up a bit and made my rating slightly lower. The crescendo, despite its first-class ending, stutters slightly in some places, and as a whole, the film is perhaps a little elusive. Nevertheless, significantly positive impressions, not to mention my favorite of the fateful trio: Nicole Kidman. (04/02/2006)

The way the three stories are intertwined here is truly unique, not only in terms of content but also in the actual integration of the individual plotlines. Formally and in terms of acting, I found the film very appealing. However, I can't help but feel that, in the end, the film didn't really tell me that much. (20/12/2014)

For me, unfortunately, it's a clear case of a film that pretends to be great art and yet is boring and uninteresting to the point of shame. Really, the only thing that impressed me in that dreary flood of boredom was the beautiful music and the excellent performances of everyone present; except perhaps Nicole Kidman, who played her difficult role perfectly, but after the hard work of the make-up artists she looked so ugly that I didn't have the strength to watch her consistently. In the end, however, all the shining ladies were overshadowed by the absolutely stunning Ed Harris, whose performance only added to the list of "The Oscar should have gone to...". Maybe it would take one more viewing to absorb it all, but to be honest I'll probably never find the courage to do that. (13/06/2013)

An existential examination of the female mind in a state of uncertainty, doubt and dissatisfaction. A haunting subject filmed by a man better than a woman ever could. I couldn’t identify with the suffering characters in every moment, but I could see myself in ninety percent of the runtime. Stephen Daldry pulled off a miracle. With another viewing, I will probably raise my rating to five stars. It’s impossible to take it all in the first time. (02/08/2003)

An unquestionably effective film with great direction and superb performances (Julianne Moore!), but I was unable to relate to the characters. The women’s worldviews are portrayed so perfectly that I could not understand them. In short, my ideas simply don’t agree with this film. It took about two years and then she told him: Hey, I’m lesbian. Wow. (12/02/2011)