mmwilde

This short film is full of warmth, charm (really!) and plenty of laughs. I was amazed by the incredibly thin line this thing chose to walk. One slip, and it would have been a complete disaster. So, in addition to being a completely satisfying film, it also winds up being a small miracle. Everyone on board understands what's at stake, from the photography to the direction to the great cast, all the way to the phenomenal score, set so perfectly that one has to wonder if the composer had his tongue in his cheek or not. The film looks great, feels great, and is great. The subject matter, a man's behind, is handled tenderly. But it is so much more than butt. It is a complete story, with not a hole left unfilled. I am not just blowing hot air when I say you must do yourself the favor of being swept up by "The Wind".

I was impressed by the way this movie told two stories, one about a down-and-out fighter and another about the Great Depression. Either story was important enough, but when woven together it becomes one of the greatest American stories of all time. Each was told well enough to stand on its own, but again, together they comprise a truly great motion picture. As if this story and the way it was told weren't enough, the movie is spectacular to look at, and the acting jobs are transcendent, particularly Paul Giamatti, who takes a simple role and infuses it with something riveting. Russell Crowe, who I've never liked, is fantastic, and Renee Zellweger is, well, Renee Zellweiger. Nothing beats a story that should be told when it is told really well. Sit back with your popcorn and take the ride. Opie has done it again.