Review of The Hours

The novel is quite complex, and I think The Hours did a very worthy job of adapting it. One or two of the scenarios could have been more weighty and perhaps less clichéd and the pacing is occasionally a little slow, but overall The Hours is a stunning film, very elegant and beautiful. Not only that, it is a very poignant exploration of longing, desire and regret, conveying the lives of three women from three different eras.

The Hours looks exquisite- the film has amazing costumes, settings, cinematography and scenery. Even more impressive are the beautiful haunting score, magnificent screenplay, compelling story and strong direction. Not only that, the performances are marvellous. Nicole Kidman gives one of her best performances here, she is virtually unrecognisable as writer Virginia Woolf, the most developed and compelling character of the film. But Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep are also fantastic as the stifled 1950s housewife and the present-day lesbian book editor.

Overall, stunning film, where the pros well and truly compensate for the minor cons. 9/10 Bethany Cox