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Highly Overrated But Still Good

Great Film overall

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

This movie was crying out for the Peter Weir touch. Where was the sense of foreboding? The women/girls not only suppressed their emotions, they suppressed them from us too! The perpetual semi-darkness made for a very bleak house without any relief. Dark, murky interiors. I wished those candles cast more light! The back-lit window lighting became a distraction. And the colourless look of the film. Too many short scenes. Faces actually talking together rarely shown. Seemed to be only when it was consciously important. With such a powerhouse cast, film lacked a gothic sexual edge. What a great Australian movie this would have been with Weir directing and Kidman and Naomi Watts playing the leads (they could choose which part they wanted!). If you've seen Picnic At Hanging Rock you'll know what I'm talking about. And it too was set in a "girls academy." Special mention to Colin Farrell who really has a thankless role but shines. This film is probably worth more than I'm giving it but my disappointment in what could have been has to be registered! Worth a watch in order to come to your own conclusion.

This film does have a distinct visual appeal to it, as well as overall solid performances. However, the underlying tension that Coppola I think was going for doesn't really materialize. Instead the viewer is left with feelings of frustration because we know what we're supposed to be feeling, or what we think we should, but the director just can't make it happen. In part this is due to her going for style in place of substance, when these need not be mutually exclusive.

Great storyline and sublime acting but horribly irritating light.!!

I don't watch new movies often bc I have a baby and am exhausted. But I thought I'd treat myself tonight on HBO Now. Oh my God! What a waste of my time! No character development AT ALL. Why did Colin Farrel leave Dublin? Was he a gardener? Why is Kirsten Dunst fluent in French and wants to get as far away from the school as possible? Why is Elle Fanning such a fluzy? What happened to Nikole Kidman's previous life? This was all such crap. I should've turned it off-but was waiting for the answers to my questions. Then all of a sudden, it was over. Didn't even include cool music soundtrack that Coppola usually pairs. Sucked donkey balls!