THE PAINTED VEIL
Release Date: December 20th (limited); December 29th (wider)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some mature sexual situations, partial nudity, disturbing images and brief drug content
Ten Words Or Less: My husband's so distant...maybe I'll go fight cholera.
Reason For Existence: It's like Merchant Ivory never left...
Mathematical Equation: Howard's End + The Constant Gardener - social relevance
Take A Look: Naomi Watts...as a brunette!
Early Buzz (Good): "Their conflicted interaction set against such an exotic locale (sensuously filmed by Stuart Dryburgh) will invite easy comparisons to David Lean (Doctor Zhivago, Ryan's Daughter) and Anthony Minghella (The English Patient). It certainly is as classic—and effective—a romance as any of those." - Michael Guillén, Twitch
Early Buzz (Bad): "If a drama across sweeping romantic vistas set against the backdrop of a 1920s cholera-ridden China is your cup'o'tea, do check it out.'" - JoBlo.com (seriously, that's as bad as it gets at the moment)
Oscar Locks: None
In The Running: Best Actor (Edward Norton), Best Actress (Naomi Watts), Original Score (Alexandre Desplat)
Long Shots: Cinematography (Stuart Dryburgh), Adapted Screenplay (Ron Nyswaner)
Completely Irrelevant Best Picture Odds: 12-1
Why It's Essential: Increasing buzz and its elegant stars make it the must-see movie for The English Patient set.
The Achilles Heel: Somerset Maugham novels have rarely made Oscar-winning movies. Even with Garbo.
The Verdict: The critics' awards will tell the tale...if it picks up momentum, it'll have no trouble leveraging its tony pedigree into multiple nominations. [Modern Fabulousity]
