Kirjava huntu

In the first half of The Painted Veil, the director unfortunately doesn’t let us get closer to the characters and succumb to the emotions of the story, which makes him as immature as the heroine. This handicap, however, disappears over time and when Naomi Watts’ character grows more mature, the picture turns into a powerful intimate drama about two very different people growing close at the end of the world. It’s a pity that the ending is cut short, once again not allowing for deeper emotions on the audience’s part. However, it’s a nice film postcard from faraway lands, and though it is kind of forgettable and doesn’t attain the epic qualities of the biggest Hollywood period films, it has a kind heart and a unique creative touch. Similar uniqueness can be found in the recent film by the Australian Phillip Noyce dealing with his homeland (Rabbit-Proof Fence). Naomi turns in a fine performance, but the driving force behind the film is (once again) Edward Norton, even though he gets much less screen time than his female counterpart. P.S. Another beautiful score by Hollywood newcomer Alexandre Desplat. (17.05.2007)

The Painted Veil immediately has several unarguable pluses. Primarily the chemistry between Edward Norton and Naomi Watts. Even the atmosphere of the setting, the camerawork and the music are exceptionally well-done. It has just two downsides that go hand in hand and drag the entire picture into average land. It’s sentimental and predictable. It is really annoying when the storytelling drags on too long, plus you know exactly what, when and how things are going to happen, before it happens. Add to that the knowledge that you have to survive another hour and a half until the end. It is even more disappointing due to the fact that the acting is very high standard and there are a few scenes that work excellently. A shame that there are so few of them. (04.11.2007)

Do we love a person for their virtues or vices? Sometimes we realize that only on the way back, where we should have always been. I would like to take this journey together with the main characters. With a pounding heart and accelerated breath. I was prevented by a slightly tired script and also Curran's lacking bravery in directing. Beautiful images with perfect actors only bring temporary joy without a lasting impact. (16.09.2007)

In many comments, I read how predictable this film is... Well, isn't Titanic predictable? Or the story of Romeo and Juliet? Everyone knows them by heart. However, for some reason, the play "Romeo and Juliet" is considered an exceptionally powerful love story, even though it has nothing to do with love in reality. Infatuation and love are completely different concepts. Love is longing, compassion, and a whole range of other feelings that infatuation lacks. The Painted Veil is a beautiful story about how real love emerges. Tragic, unfulfilled, and highly romantic, brilliantly cast and acted. It is the typical case of perfectly working chemistry between the actors in the lead roles. I have no objections to the supporting characters and their performers either. A very likable experience. Overall impression: 90%. (22.04.2012)

There is no point in going into this remake unless you are familiar with the original. Yes, this is a great melodrama from the 1920s that beautifully combines acting opportunities (which Watts and Norton take advantage of to no end) with a charming landscape. There’s a great sense of period realism, costumes, and sets. There is also no shortage of real-life drama set against the backdrop of the main dramatic arc within the internal strife of a young marriage. But why is it so great today and why does such a film have red colors? It's simple - this is the return of a quality genre that had disappeared and it is welcome. In the days of Garbo's reign on the silver screen, melodramas were plentiful to choose from, but today they are a scarce commodity and that’s truly unfortunate. (17.08.2009)

And alternative, and a prequel to The English Patient, Indochina, and other thematically similar East Asian big films with a focus on romantic and relationship stories. The director's effort and careful work with the characters, whose motivations and conflicts we understand just as well as their reconciliations, cannot be denied. However, when it finally gets going (and you can very well guess how it will end), the ending is much more abrupt than the you would want. The performances are undeniably strong, especially Naomi Watts, who showcases her traditionally refined and proven range of emotions. However, unlike other similarly crafted films, I have no desire to see this one again. It felt unnecessarily bland and tedious in the middle, with nothing to hold onto, and visually not always captivating enough to cover up what was needed. (19.06.2015)

I liked this. A nice, human story about making mistakes, facing the consequences, sometimes it is indeed intentional punishment, but then there are paths that lead us to solve our problems with our dear halves, and everything is good again, until... Why not? The beautiful environment of the Asian continent, at least this Chinese part, gives it all a beautiful charm. Sometimes a person needs a quite successful romance that doesn't push too hard. I am starting to like Norton more and more, which is due to its versatility. (03.04.2014)