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The Hours

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep
Director: Stephen Daldry
Genre: Drama
Year: 2002
Rating: 4 / 5

The Hours has been presented to the public as a film skewing decidedly female, yet I found myself greatly impressed with the film, while my female viewing companion was clearly unimpressed. The film certainly has strong female characters, as its casting brought out all of Hollywood’s finest leading ladies. The victorious parties, as they may be called, were noted actresses Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, and a nearly unrecognizable Nicole Kidman. Each woman was tailor-made for her respective role, although Kidman undoubtedly gives the most compelling performance. She elevates a film with an unusual storytelling device to the level of genius, imbuing three distinct tales with a sense of purpose and power.

Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) is a struggling writer in 1923, hard at work on a piece of literature which will eventually become Mrs. Dalloway. She is fighting a history of illnesses, including multiple attempts to take her own life. Her supportive husband Leonard (Stephen Dillane), although rather stoic and somewhat aloof, is eager to help his wife, even though he seems to feel little emotional connection to her. Virginia spends her days searching for inspiration, using her writing as a means of living the life she herself cannot lead. It allows her to explore why we live, what we live for, and how we define our sense of self. In addition, it sets the tone for two other stories about women looking to find their way.

In 1951, homemaker Laura Brown (Julianne Moore) cannot find any happiness in her life. Living what appears to be the stereotypical 1950s existence with her hard-working husband Dan (John C. Reilly) and adorable son Richie, her life remains unfulfilled. During the course of the day, she continually struggles in her efforts to help celebrate her husband’s birthday, toiling with the same issues as Mrs. Dalloway, the protagonist of the novel she is reading. Fifty years in the future, Clarissa Vaughn (Meryl Streep) is also having difficulty throwing a party for her poet friend (Ed Harris), a weary man slowly succumbing to illness. Outside of this party, she finds that little is driving her, little excites her, and she has little reason to keep living.

Director Stephen Daldry should be commended for the film’s crowning achievement, the interwoven narrative that propels The Hours along. Considering that he is dealing with three distinct plot threads, each with little or no overlap, he does a masterful job of using the film’s key themes and message to bind these disparate tales together. As we watch Virginia Woolf wrestle with the challenges of her life, we see her counterparts in 1951 and 2001 wrestle with the very same issues. While each of these women has her own unique voice, the same classic human questions about life and love unite them all. Along with the fine performances put forth by the film’s main stars, these questions echo in the minds of all viewers of The Hours.

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG-13.
Running Time: 114 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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