Watch The Cider House Rules For Free

That was an excellent one.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

The acting in this movie is really good.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The key to understanding Cider House Rules is in the title itself. Roger Ebert says he's not really sure what the movie is about. Other critics have become embroiled in a rather heated debate about the politics of the film since Michael Caine plays a doctor who runs an orphanage and performs illegal abortions from time to time. Some have accused the film of being pro-choice propaganda; others have depicted it as a balanced treatment of the subject. For this reviewer the debate misses the point, because the point of the film is, I think, a bit more philosophical and abstract. The moral philosophy of the film is, in the words of Sartre, that we are "condemned to freedom."Tobey Maguire plays Homer Wells, the focal point of the film. Homer has grown up in an orphanage in Maine, and ends up as one of the "unpicked", that is, one of the children who hopes to be adopted, but never is--at least, formally. As Homer grows into adolescence, Dr. Larch, the head of the orphanage takes Homer under his wings and teaches Homer medicine. He also tries to teach Homer how to perform abortions, but Homer is passionately opposed. As Homer approaches adulthood, he decides that it is time for him to find his own way. He leaves the orphanage, and ends up picking apples, discovering the larger world, and falling in love. Homer makes more than a few mistakes along the way. Perhaps it is not an accident that it is an orchard that initially seems like Eden for Homer. Homer discovers what a burden it is to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and this is where he confronts the cider house rules.The film is thoroughly existential in its themes and moral philosophy. I am not particularly troubled by this. The best films are those films that make me think, not those that tell me what to think in a rather heavy-handed way. I believe in God as the ground and source of all truth. I also believe that we see through a glass darkly, and must therefore, "work out our salvation with fear and trembling." It is in this sense that we are condemned to freedom.The story, performances, and visual artistry are excellent. John Irving (Simon Birch, The World According to Garp) wrote the novel and the screenplay. Lasse Hallstrom (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Something to Talk About, My Life as a Dog) directs the story with tenderness and an eye for nuances in relationships--as is the case in his previous films. There are clear similarities between the central character here and Hallstrom's characters in What's Eating Gilbert Grape and My Life as a Dog. Michael Caine turns in a solid performance as Dr. Larch and Tobey Maguire is perfect as Homer Wells. This is a thoughtful story well told. Still, this is not a film for all. The PG-13 rating and the previews understate the mature themes of the film, and some are offended by the film's treatment of abortion. I found the film to be thoughtful and artfully done. Consistent with the theme of the film, you will have to decide for yourself.

Cider House Rules is the best movie I have ever seen! It is full of so much meaning for all of humanity. Tobey Mcguire made the film what it is; a wonderful story about life. No wonder it won academy awards. Anyone who has been in an orphanage knows what love and acceptance can be in making a life. Tobey Maguire exemplifies in his daily life all the qualities we should strive to have.

Growing up in an orphanage, Homer always wonders what the outside world looks like. Despite the affection he received inside the orphanage, he insists on exploring the world outside. During the time outside experiencing life, he gradually realized the fact that the orphanage is the place where he belongs to. This is the aspect in the story that fascinates me. We grow up in some place and become familiar with this particular place. It is this familiarity that leads us to forget how good this place is and how deeply we are connected with the place. Only by leaving the place can we realize our deeply attachment with the place. Some of the most touching poems in ancient China is about poets' nostalgia. Homer is lucky because in the movie, he finally come back to the orphanage and become the director of the orphanage. I hope that some day I will come to realize the place where I want to come back to and spend the rest of my life.

Homer is among many of the orphans in Dr. Larch's orphanage, Homer has was to be adopted twice when young but ended back in the orphanage becoming one of the oldest orphans there and Dr. Larch's favorite. Dr. Larch taught homer all medical knowledge he possessed, who becomes a skilled doctor but unlicensed. Homer wondered what life outside the orphanage would be like so when Wally and Candy visit the orphanage for an abortion Homer leaves with them and ended up working for Wally's family apple farm. Wally takes off to war leaving his girlfriend Candy and Homer at the cider house, where Homer learns a lot about love and life, in the end he returns to the orphanage to carry on Dr. Larch's work. One of the themes present in the film is, rules have different interpretations depending on the situation. In the film Homer was always against abortion, because it was the rule. But towards the end of the film he ended up performing an abortion himself. Some of the techniques which makes this film a good film includes the transitions between scenes and how the movie is shot. In this film you don't get to see jumps between scenes, they use ease you in to a scene and ease you out it using smooth transitions. A good example is the scene where Homer and Dr. Larch read letter that they wrote to one another, you can see how they switch from one scene to the other and also utilizing a montage like technique where time moves faster and they basically move you from one season to another. Cider house rules is a good film that really shows how important other aspects of the film making process are important in making the film good. The story is somewhat generic but how the story is presented is wonderful, it's simple but elegant. when you start watching the film it's a complete experience with beautiful music and dialogue, and the story feels complete, with techniques like montage they provide a lot of information in a short scene which helps connect the dots and make the film complete.