A Map of the World

"A Map of the World" is easily one of the most honest films I've ever seen. The merits go specially to a very fine cast and a clever, well written screenplay. Sigourney Weaver really shines here, in an Oscar caliber performance, as Alice Goodwin, a woman who is not afraid to show what she is feeling. She is married, has two young girls, lives in a farm and works at a school nursery. Her life seems calm, but happy, until a terrible accident happens, followed by a sad mistake, and her life falls apart.

"A Map of the World" had everything to be a bland and conventional film, but it is not. I have to say that I don't give any merit to the direction- this is indeed the main problem. The director doesn't captivate the audience, and doesn't seem to care about that. There are many slow moments and scenes that could have been cut. But "A Map of the World" is a rarity- a very good film with mediocre directing. Who is the miracle maker? Sigourney Weaver, surely. She shows passion for acting and an incredible strength as Alice Goodwin. I can't imagine anyone else playing Alice, because Sigourney is perfect building her character. The Oscar was gone, but I put Weaver on my list of snubbed stars this year. But she doesn't work alone- Julianne Moore is here, and when she is in you can expect much. I'm a fan of Ms. Moore since I've seen her in "Short Cuts", and now that I've seen "Magnolia" (if you've read some of my reviews you know how much I praise "Magnolia") I'm starting to adore this lady. She shines even in slapstick comedies as "Nine Months"... There's nothing she can't do!

Getting back to "A Map of the World", I have to say that I appreciated very much its screenplay. It was written with strength, trying to escape of the clichés even in courtroom scenes. There are many beautiful messages the film has to pass and it should be admired for this. It shows that everyone commits mistakes, more than one time, and that is why we are ordinary people, with qualities and flaws. We should learn with ourselves and with the others. We should believe in ourselves and try to cope with our mistakes. The film has messages like these to learn, and many others, resulting in a complex study of people in conflict.

I truly recommend "A Map of the World", despite its flaws. Watch it for Sigourney, Julianne and the messages and forget the weak directing. It is a worth seeing.

It is a pity that "A Map of the World" was not better directed. It had it all, a wonderful story, brilliant actors but the movie somehow lacked guidance. In spite of this problem, Sigourney Weaver was nothing short of magnificent, her performance did deserve an Academy Award nomination. It is astonishing how well she plays roles that range from comedy to drama, always doing it beautifully. If "A Map of the World" were to be directed by somebody else, it would have been a masterpiece.

Here's yet another nod to composer, arranger and musician/performer Pat Metheny (sans the Group, as was incorrectly identified in another review). On this soundtrack, Metheny is accompanied by an unidentified chamber orchestra (percussion, violin, harp, flute, viola, cello, horn, bass, clarinet and the talented Gil Goldstein on organ).

Mostly variations on the title track, these melodic interpretations are quite eloquent (as one would come to expect from both Metheny & PMG), but arranged such that they never overtake the scene in which they are scored. Metheny contributes his own brilliant lead acoustic guitars, as well as piano and keyboards, with an overall combined feel of his previous Secret Story and Beyond the Missouri Sky releases.

A warm, introspective journey, this set of 28 tunes (6 less than a minute long and another 10 less than 2 minutes) are well-crafted and are worthy for a listen on a Sunday morning with coffee, in front of the fireplace with a nice bottle of wine or a drive in the country, esp. for those in the midwestern US.

This is a tough task. I want to explain why this film is very worthy of a viewing, without giving any spoilers away. It's not the most incredible film ever made, but it's so much better than many films made in 1999. It's beauty is organic, in that from a good story/novel comes a very finely honed and skilled script. A story that manages the odd laugh in some very dark situations. A script that gives us the kitchen sink drama of folk attempting the American dream, the tense drama that sometimes has you wondering whether you like that person you loved a minute ago, and some very normal, human days. Then you take the immensely talented Sigourney Weaver, David Strathairn, and Julianne Moore (along with other mentionables such as Richard McMillan and Aunjanue Ellis) to deliver the dialogue, and we already have something worth watching.

I could attempt to interpret it, and tell you what it's all about, what it all 'means' but, in essence it's a story about some people dealing with some extraordinary events in their ordinary lives. What we learn, or take away from it is down to the individual watching.

The direction, and photography is flawless, with some subtle colour themes running throughout the movie. Greys and pale blues, set with rust and bright orange as the story progresses; fields and concrete, hope and despair. The story is linear, but very rarely the camera cunningly takes us to different times and places. The soundtrack is just fine, and while it, and the film sometimes verge on being a little saccharine (which it manages to avoid in the main), what we see here are some very talented people making a good solid film.

A lot of the time what you think is about to happen next, often does. But be ready for a couple of surprises, and even if what happens next is what you suspected would occur, just watch some people acting their socks off!

I only found this film because the DVD was on sale for half a dollar, and bought it purely on the strength of Sigourney Weaver and Julianne Moore, who have never let me down. They are a couple of the best actors of their generation - I only have to point you to Snowcake, The Hours, or Magnolia for solid proof of that. Apart from their obvious acting abilities, I particularly applaud their lack of vanity, and dedication to getting things right.

If you think you're into good film, and want to see all of them before you die, then you really should watch this one.

kudos to Sigourney Weaver for yet another outstanding and sympathetic performance. David Straithairn also is effective as the husband, caught in a web of chaos; Weaver as a school nurse is accused of child abuse in a small Wisconsin town; this after a child she is babysitting accidentally drowns. (The mother of the drowned child is portrayed by Julianne Moore).

Look for an excellent part with Arliss Howard as the defense attorney; it is a shocking surprise that 5 other children come forward accusing Weaver; it develops into a sort of witch hunt- and the actress playing the prosecutor is quite odious.

"A Map of the World" is not an easy story to take to; there are many complicated and also malicious sides of several characters; The character Weaver portrays is complex; guilty, and angry about a child accidentally dying, she accepts prison as an appropriate sentence, and even injures herself; She remains sympathetic however, throughout this film, and that is a rare talent that many actors could NEVER carry off. A must see. 9/10.