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The Piano
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by Lions Gate
Sales Rank: 3842
Price: $6.99
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Ada is a mute woman who travels with her daughter and piano from scotland to bush country new zealand for an arranged marriage to a wealthy landowner. The relationship sours when her husband trades her beloved piano to their neighbor baines. Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 02/01/2005 Starring: Holly Hunter Harvey Keitel Run time: 121 minutes Rating: R Director: Jane Campion
Viewer Reviews
REVIEW: Set in the stark, muddy, yet beautiful backdrop of New Zealand: Jane Campion's award winning "THE PIANO" is a most unusual love story that revolves around newcomer Ada (a willfully mute woman played by Holly Hunter), her daughter Flora (Paquin), Ada's husband by a pre-arranged marriage (Neill), and their mysterious neighbor Baines (Keitel) who has been initiated into the Maori tribe. Centering around these four characters is Ada's piano which comes to represent many different things: for Ada it is her refuge, and the extension of her own fierce individuality; for Flora it is a common bond the links her to her mother's own closed-off world; for Ada's husband, Stewart, it becomes an instrument that mocks his efforts in trying to win Ada's heart; and for Baines it becomes a tool to pierce through Ada's seemingly impenetrable fortress of self while re-awakening in her the desire to love and the passion to embrace life again. The central theme of the film is sex which is used by the director in order to contrast the more conservative/civilized manner of Stewart and his ilk with the wild/unorthodox Maori native traditions which Baines is a part of. It is this unbridled sexual passion that drives Baines to bargain with Stewart for Ada's piano, and then to strike a deal with Ada that is totally unexpected and which leads to a shocking conclusion. "THE PIANO" is not a film for everyone's taste. Campion's idea of using sex in order to "jolt" Ada out of her self-imposed exile is an interesting psychological twist; but the scenes of full-frontal nudity were really unnecessary and may keep some viewers from wanting to see the film. But regardless of the "controversial" aspects of the story: "THE PIANO" remains a completely original, gorgeously filmed work that is brought to life by a first-rate cast; and a musical score by Michael Nyman that is absolutely haunting in every sense of the word. HARSH LANGUAGE: about 17 words. VIOLENCE: about 5 scenes. NUDITY/SEXUAL REFERENCES: about 11 scenes including full-frontal male and female nudity and simulated sex.
THE MORAL COMPASS: Although a great film from a humanistic/psychological viewpoint: the fact remains that "THE PIANO" has some very shocking scenes of nudity and raw, simulated sex. And even though the passion between Ada's character and Baines is shown to be more than just lust: the line between adult drama and mild pornography becomes very thin when Campion let's the camera roll on their romantic escapades together. Add to that the realization that Ada IS committing adultery (regardless of the fact that her marriage to Stewart has been pre-arranged), and you've got a morally ambiguous stew that should cause a few headaches for the Christian believer. If Campion had edited out the more extraneous moments of nudity and simulated sex then at least Christians could deal with the story itself on a more emotional level. But with Keitel's character walking around nude, bumping-and-grinding, and slurping away: it's safe to say that most Spirit-filled believers will be turning their heads during the more explicit scenes (unless they can catch an edited version of it on T.V.). But because of the film's sexual content, nudity, a bit of violence, and some harsh language: it should earn a mild OBJECTIONABLE rating.
ACADEMY AWARDS:
WON: for Best Actress (Hunter), Best Supporting Actress (Paquin), and Best Original Screenplay.
NOMINATED: for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, and Best Costume Design.
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