I admit that I do not like Edward Norton or Naomi Watts as a general rule.
As someone I know recently put it so well “they seem weak.”
But I guess that is why it is called acting. Because, not very long into “The Painted Veil,” I began to identify so strongly with each of their characters that it did not occur to me to question anything that they said or did. Each of them won me over to his/her side. (I do not know what all these recent award panels are thinking as this film has received one nomination -- for best score – thus far.) And it was not long before I started weeping for them both.
The locations in China are breathtaking and the script delves into philosophy, politics and personal experience in a surprisingly seamless and economical way. By the way, the musical score IS wonderful. Liev Schrieber, as a villain here, see review of the Omen,) is just right.
This is an epic and unforgettable film. It is not a “chick flick.” It is an “everyone who is human flick,”
