Like Impressionistic art, "Cold Mountain" is a much better piece of work when viewed from afar rather than at its individual components.
The acting, directing, cinematography and musical score all blend seamlessly together to form a cohesive and compelling whole, but the actual story and plot development is not entirely to be desired.
Nicole Kidman plays Ada Monroe, a southern belle from South Carolina who ventures up to Cold Mountain, N.C. with her father, the local reverend (Donald Sutherland). Upon her arrival, she meets Inman (Jude Law), a local handyman, and they immediately begin an awkward courtship. The Civil War, however, curtails the development of their relationship, and the couple only shares one impassioned kiss before Inman must travel with his countrymen to war. Even though they never have any serious or in depth discussions, Ada promises to wait for him and to remain faithful until the conclusion of the war.
This blossoming relationship contrasts nicely with the ferocity of the battles during the war. There is one scene near the beginning of the film that is truly gruesome in its depiction of mass chaos and carnage. During battle, Inman suffers a deadly gunshot wound, and he must spend a considerable amount of time recovering in the hospital. Thoughts of Ada and his return to Cold Mountain keep him alive and drive his motivations to return to his home.
Back in North Carolina, Ada also suffers when her father dies, leaving her basically helpless. She cannot cook, clean, work or tend to the house because she was never taught anything practical or useful. She can, however, play the piano, be a proper hostess and wear beautiful clothing. The house quickly turns to shambles, and the town folk pity her dire circumstances.
The rest of the film juxtaposes the two storylines between Ada's suffering in Cold Mountain and Inman's Homeric odyssey back home on foot. Inman, like Odysseus, must return to his true love after battle. Also, other characters in the film resonate with Homer's epic. For instance, a group of women cause trouble for Inman when they offer sexual distractions, representing the Sirens who cause Odysseus and his crew to travel straight into peril.
Over the course of his journey, he meets numerous colorful characters that serve to define and reveal Inman's demeanor. Through different situations, the audience discovers that Inman is a loyal, conscionable man who really does not support the reasons the South went to war in the first place.
The supporting cast includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jena Malone, Eileen Atkins, and Giovanni Ribisi. Portman, in particular, offers a truly heart-wrenching portrayal of a mother waiting hopelessly for her husband to return from war.
The melodramatic moments of "Cold Mountain" are punctuated nicely with Renee Zellweger's comedic performances as Ruby Thewes. Ruby is the utter definition of a tomboy who is unquestionably in her element on the farm. She assists Ada with maintaining the house and helping to restore the aging manor. Ruby forces Ada to follow a structured and strict regime, but underneath this strong façade, the audience later discovers a softer and more sensitive side to Ruby.
The supporting cast is impressively strong -- almost too strong, in fact. They often outshine Kidman and Law in their leading roles. Zellweger steals every scene she is featured in, often taking the emphasis away from Kidman's emotional circumstances. She is a raw and powerful force, and Kidman's "southern" accent appears weaker and less important. Hoffman's portrayal as a questionable religious figure also often casts Law in the shadows.
Anthony Minghella, the Academy Award- winning director of "The English Patient," again returns to the narrative structure of the epic. He films "Cold Mountain" mostly in Romania, which helps add to the ethereal texture of the film. When Inman travels over the hilly countryside, the landscape must appear foreign and troubling, and Minghella's direction and choice of location achieves that necessity.
One of the main faults of the film is the unbelievable nature of the love story at hand. Ada and Inman never truly initiate a relationship of substance. They even joke about this when Ada mentions they can count the number of words spoken to each other on one hand. Also, the episodic nature of the film crawls along in several places resulting in bouts of dragging and disinterest.
On the whole, though, "Cold Mountain" is a solid film. The overall package delivers an empathetic story, breathtaking scenery, and sound directing. What prevents the film, however, from achieving true greatness is the often dull portions of the plot, the unrealistic storyline involving Ada and Inman, and the almost "too perfect" and detracting supporting cast.
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