MickyG333

7.8 stars.

The story is basic, but the film is endearing and somewhat intense at times. It's the story of a pretty little girl who becomes an orphan and is purchased by a man who eventually forces her to be his number one brothel girl. He calls her Angel and it seems like he's her protector, but he is a wicked and cruel man, in it for control and greed.

Next we get to know a Christian farmer who asks God to help him find a wife. He happens to see Angel as she's parading in the streets outside the brothel (a different brothel in a different town). He falls in love with our dear Angel, not so much an angel, yet still the most beautiful woman around. He feels led to her by God, and lets her know this, but she wants nothing to do with him. These "poignant" moments seemed a bit cliche, if I'm being honest. Good looking man seeks out gorgeous, troubled and tainted woman...it's all too syrupy and unrealistic.

There is a major time jump, which is a bit confusing. How did she get here? We see few flashbacks, but it doesn't flow as well as I'd like. Where is the evil boss? Why is the farmer in town? They don't go into much backstory.

The rest of the film centers around the two of them in a strange relationship. She is a woman of the world and doesn't feel she will ever be worthy of a good man, not feeling comfortable with his strange Christian ways. She is already too far removed from any chance of decency and good morals, or so it seems. But he trusts his (God's) decision.

There are other shady characters and some good ones that enter the arena...she strays more than once (which felt excessive and uneven) falls back into the old lifestyle...he suffers, but doesn't force her to do anything against her will, so he is painted as a kind and patient man.

This is a very endearing film, I welled up with tears about five times; one of those moments I wept deeply. The combination of music, sad and happy moments...this movie is powerful, albeit not believable.

It's also a bit out of sorts (for lack of better terms), because the chronology of events and timeline were a bit hard to follow. Not sure how to describe it, perhaps the film is not long enough (even though it's quite lengthy) and should've been a miniseries. I don't think the director captured the passage of time quite right, so it's a bit scattered. It all happens over many years, but seems more like a year or two at most, and there are huge unexplained gaps. However, it's easy enough to follow for a good viewing experience.

I was entertained and cried and I really enjoyed 'Redeeming Love', it has a lot of redeeming qualities, and I will watch it again in a few years.

6.0 stars.

No, this is not the SOAP with the same name, this is the original movie and it's not great. I made a list of Lana Turner movies and wanted to see all her stuff, because back in those days, she was one top foxy lady. Unfortunately, she is a secondary character here. I use those old-fashioned terms for old times' sake, it felt swell to refer to her that way...like in this film when one student says "necking" and I remember my parents saying that all the time. I'm the last generation whose parents said "necking". Perhaps your grandparent said it, if you were born after 1980, but for us gen-x'ers it is a familiar term our parents used for "making out" back in the 50s and 60s, perhaps even prior, however I don't recall any films in the 30s and 40s using the term.

'Peyton Place' is out of place for me, it feels like a teeny bopper 60s movie, and I've seen a bunch of those Gidget type classics. They were a dime a dozen, when the industry got saturated with endless and pointless flicks, featuring angsty teenagers, portrayed by twenty-somethings. Who were they kidding, we can tell none of these actors are actually teenagers, but when you research their age, some of them were teenagers, yet looked like 25 year olds. I guess we went through a phase in those days when people looked older. It's becoming that way again these days, which is strange. And why did so many of these 1950s actors pass away in their fifties?

I don't know the point of this movie except to entertain young people and perhaps to inundate them with the political stuff of their day. I hear words like "progressive" and ideas like women's rights and equality being mentioned. In the end, 'Peyton Place' (the movie) fails to entertain.

6.3 stars.

It's the story of several bands of travelers that venture to the Galapagos Islands to start a fresh life. It all takes place in the 1930s. These people are ultimately unsuccessful in forming a cohesive and peaceful society and everything turns sour.

I recall several films from the 80s and 90s that 'Eden' reminds me of. I can't name many of them, perhaps a few, like 'The Island of Dr. Moreau' remake of 1996. It's interesting how the narrative of Dr. Moreau and 'Eden' share so many similarities. Other similar movies were: 'The Mission' (1986) 'Christopher Columbus: The Discovery', 'Amistad', 'The Scarlet Letter'. One disaster I truly disdain is '1492: Conquest of Paradise'. What a horrible film, and yet it received high praise from all around. Something was so wrong there, and 'Eden' reminds me of the same style of script and direction.

I don't really know where the line begins with a great film and ends with a disappointing one in these particular situations, but there are obviously truly GREAT films of the genre, which I need not mention. It's often a fine line between awesome and disappointing. The cinematography is usually indistinguishable, the acting is imperceptibly different, but the flow and dialogue are coma-inducing.

As with 1492, 'Eden' has a stellar cast of great actors, all of which should be capable of uplifting the viewers' experience. But something is broken in this film. Ron Howard directed a plethora of excellent films, but 'Eden' is not one.