Winter’s Tale

Its Valentine’s Day (or it was yesterday :-p) and one had to expect a slew of either RomComs or Romance movies.  Surprisingly, Akiva Goldsman’s adaptation of the 1983 Mark Helprin novel, A Winter’s Tale is the only Valentine’s release that is truly targeted at all those couples who are very much in love (read louv).

Set in The Big Apple, Winter’s Tale (A New York Winter’s Tale in the UK for reasons unexplained), begins in 1895 (if I remember correctly) with couple who fails to immigrate into the US thanks to being medically unfit.  They are the adventurous type and so decide to use a model ship called “City of Justice” to lower down their son into the icy waters of the Harbour. Surely they knew that he would be saved.

Peter Lake (Colin Farrel), as this boy grows up into, 21 years later has all but sold his soul to the devil.  His master Pearly Soames (Russell Crowe) is a demon incarnate and is after Peter’s blood.  It is not most easy to run away from a gang of thieves you see; especially if you are the boss’s most talented thief.

Luckily for Pete, his guardian angel or should I say Gaurdian Horse or the Dog of the East (I wonder how a horse can be confused with a Dog), shows up just in time.  Horse as Peter calls it so innovatively, is a magical creature that can run like the wind and soar like an eagle.  Horse saves Peter and they start off on their new career.  The first night out ends at the house of a successful publisher called Isaac Penn (William Hurt).

Penn’s daughter Beverly (Jessica Brown Findlay) suffers from consumption (tuberculosis for the unaware).  Peter walks in when no one but Beverly is at home.  It is louv at first sight!!! Pearly gets wind of it and despite being cautioned by the Devil – Judge (Will Smith) – he plans and successfully eliminates Beverly.  Peter disappears into the Hudson only to reappear 98 years later with no recollection of who he is.

The first thing that you will ask after watching the movie is, “Was that Akiva Goldsman’s screenplay”? For an Oscar winning screenplay writer, Goldsman has left too many loose ends for my comfort.  There is no definition of NY being a mythical town till one discovers that Pearly is a demon.  There is no clarity on how Pearly and Judge got there.  There is no explanation of Peter’s relationship with Pearly over the 21 years.

What you get is a very patchy story line that makes sense at times but more often leaves you wondering why or who or what? If that doesn’t get to your nerves, Colin Farrell’s hairstyle will definitely do the damage.  The only person who stands out is 9 year old McKayla Twiggs as the Young Willa.

While the movie as soppy as one can expect for a V Day release, it leaves a lot to be desired.  The overall story is definitely romantic and will leave some of you shedding a tear of joy towards the end.  But as a movie it was disappointing.  5 on 10 at best.  Watch it on TV or download if you are really keen.

Watch the trailer on http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1637526297/?ref_=tt_ov_vi