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Cold Mountain

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Cold Mountain

R

Released Dec 25, 2003

2h 35m

Drama

War

Adventure

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

Tomatometer

228 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In this classic story of love and devotion set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, a wounded Confederate soldier named W.P. Inman (Jude Law) deserts his unit and travels across the South, aiming to return to his young wife, Ada (Nicole Kidman), who he left behind to tend their farm. As Inman makes his perilous journey home, Ada struggles to keep their home intact with the assistance of Ruby (Renée Zellweger), a mysterious drifter sent to help her by a kindly neighbor.

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Critics Consensus

The well-crafted Cold Mountain has an epic sweep and captures the horror and brutal hardship of war.

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Neil Norman

London Evening Standard

Minghella's movie is stern and lucid for the most part and immensely enlivened by the presence of Zellweger and Hoffman who bring amusement to their roles.

Jan 11, 2018

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Excellent but upsetting, only for older teens.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 22, 2010

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Time Out

If the love story is asked to carry more weight than it can bare, at least this is a film of rich measure and ambition.

Jun 24, 2006

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

This unconvincing "timelessness" is the film's weakest aspect. The work takes the form of a series of disconnected and discrete episodes, without essential inner connection, and becomes somewhat tedious as a result.

Feb 15, 2021

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Minghella fans will be happy.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 5, 2020

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Micheal Compton

Bowling Green Daily News

While it may not be the best film of the year, it is still a solid effort worthy of most of its pre-release hype.

Nov 16, 2019

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mark g

Although a brilliant book, this movie was crushed by over the top "southern accents." Even quality actors like Hoffman and Kidman were just silly. Then you have Zellweger, who sounds ridiculous, and she's from Texas!

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/28/25

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Erik B

Beautiful scenery and colorful characters make this an engaging and enjoyable (if not a little melodramatic) period piece. I love the CGI feathers when the turkey gets blown away - that didn't age well.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/24/25

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Dave C

A long, sweeping epic of civil war, telling of the love lost and hankered after, the hardships suffered, fought through and survived, and the relationships and strength of character that enable people to live through it all. The cast is stellar, and the story is a good one. I love RZ for the humour and candour she brings, with PSH and BG's characters also carrying some of that too. It elevates the story's warmth and humanity

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/16/25

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Audience Member

One of the best Hollywood romance films of all time!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/17/24

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Tony L

The acting is excellent, especially Renee Zellwiger. The plot creates empathy for the Confederate side in the Civil War, which is somewhat unusual. But the plot has been done before: the war hero struggles to make it home, where the women are making do without him. There is plenty of foreshadowing that the ending will not be happy -- maybe too obvious. There are lots of poignant scenes and philosophical lines of dialogue -- some of which seem stilted. Also, this couple barely knew each other and made love once -- but they are both consumed with love for each other while apart for years. It doesn't ring true. My chief criticism is that the movie is too long -- more than two and a half hours! It could have been 20-30 minutes shorter.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/28/24

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Kathryn V

Epic movie. Jude Law and Nicole Kidman, great on screen chemistry. Many good actors and actresses.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/28/24

Full Review

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Anthony Minghella

Director

Jude Law

Inman

Nicole Kidman

Ada

Renée Zellweger

Ruby Thewes

Eileen Atkins

Maddy

Brendan Gleeson

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Synopsis

In this classic story of love and devotion set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, a wounded Confederate soldier named W.P. Inman (Jude Law) deserts his unit and travels across the South, aiming to return to his young wife, Ada (Nicole Kidman), who he left behind to tend their farm. As Inman makes his perilous journey home, Ada struggles to keep their home intact with the assistance of Ruby (Renée Zellweger), a mysterious drifter sent to help her by a kindly neighbor.

Director: Anthony Minghella
Producer: Albert Berger, William Horberg, Sydney Pollack, Ron Yerxa
Screenwriter: Charles Frazier, Anthony Minghella
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Castel Film Romania, Bona Fide Productions, Cattleya, Mirage Enterprises, Miramax Films, Blossom Films
Rating: R (Violence|Sexuality)
Genre: Drama, War, Adventure, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $95.6M
Runtime: 2h 35m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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