Mildred Pierce (2011)

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Absolutely brilliant

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

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.

I learned there was far more "Sex & Nudity" than the Parents Guide claimed. And that's about it.The ending left me with absolutely no lesson learned, nothing to think about, nothing more than a blank stare and blatant frustration.Mildred Pierce. Hardly a main character. Hardly a character at all. You'll find that being in every scene doesn't make you a character, simply a prop. She does not grow. She does not learn. She actively follows what she knows is bad for her. Willingly walks into the most stupid things, I can't even begin to tell you.. You begin to believe she enjoys being hurt. She pretends to be angry one scene, and then acts as if nothing happened the next, even apologizing or doing favors for the other person who is clearly garbage and has admitted to ruining an important part of her life. Clearly never picked up a book on parenting, but then again those books don't lecture you on sociopaths.. However, you would think after years of dealing with that monster, she would have some kind of idea that said monster was.. as I said.. a monster, right? Not keep trying to "make it up to her" as if her daugher were an angel? I acknowledge some mothers can be naive when it comes to their children, but not like this. This does not make for an interesting character. Only a flat, detestable, and insufferable doormat tripping you into a most unsatisfting ending. Only until the very last scene does Mildred LOOK like maybe finally she's got the hang of it. Maybe she SHOULD let her daughter go. Want to see this phoenix rise at last? Too bad, the series is over.

I've watched the original many times and I've read the book at least ten times. This version strayed a bit from the original but was so very good. I would watch it over and over. I missed a certain character which i don't want to mention as a spoiler. All in all, A STRONG remake. I loved it. Kate Winslet was amazing, amazing and Evan Rachel Wood was spectacular as Veda. Watch it!!!!

For me the shadow of Joan Crawford looms large over this re-telling of James M Cain's novel, her Oscar-winning performance in Michael Curtiz's 1946 film noir re-established her career from "has-been" status. Kate Winslet's an Oscar winner too but these are still large shoes to fill and I wasn't completely convinced she did so after 5 hour-long episodes of Hollywood Golden Age recreation-specialist Todd Haynes recent production. She does her American accent well and certainly enters whole-heartedly into the part as the constantly striving Mildred, abandoned by her husband with two young children to bring up who'll stop and stoop at nothing to do the best for her kids, even if one of those kids turns out be the devil's daughter in terms of selfishness, disrespect and outright cruelty and vindictiveness. Somehow though, Winslet just fails to really trawl the depths of despair and desperation her character warrants plus is it just me or does she appear a bit too young for the part, indeed she seems to age very little as the drama proceeds.One also suspects the action unfolds a bit slower on the screen than it did in the original pulp-fiction novel. This production is over three times the length of the original movie and it does feel like it sometimes. I did appreciate that director Haynes stayed true to the book's original ending although it made me look a little foolish to my wife, to whom I'd confidently promised a big dramatic finish like I'd seen in the old movie.As you'd expect with this director, the period of 30's LA is reproduced beautifully both inside and outside and he gets good quality acting from the actors supporting Winslet. I would say though that the replacement of young Veda by older Veda is a bit sudden with little resemblance between the two actors. Of the two of them, I was more impressed by the younger version, the actress in question may not thank me for saying this but to my way of thinking, she has a naturally sardonic, even cruel visage. I also liked the actor playing husband number one and three while Guy Pierce revels in the flashy role of Monty Berragan, the penniless dandy living on old glories and a fading charm.In conclusion then, despite the question mark in my mind over Winslet's casting, this was still a compulsive soap-opera come thriller helped by stylish direction, impressive production values and good ensemble acting.

This movie, recently presented in separate airings, was highly addictive. At first you think how can a movie based around a woman who makes great pies be that good but, IT REALLY WAS! My husband was hooked as soon as he saw the first episode I had recorded. It was PERFECTLY cast and all the performances were awesome! The setting based in the 1930's was absolutely gorgeous as was the music from back then. It made you wish you could go back in time, before technology, when things were so much simpler! The main theme of the story is universal to this day. This is one of those that if you are just channel surfing and you see it on, you just keep watching it over and over again. There is some nudity; but that aside, this is a a must see!