Stars: Michael Caine, Delroy Lindo, Charlize Theron, Tobey Maguire, Paul Rudd, Kathy Baker, Kieran Culkin, Jane Alexander, Kate Nelligan, K. Todd Freeman, Heavy D, Erykah Badu

Director: Lasse Hallstrom

Summary: The story of Homer Wells, a young man who strives to find where he belongs. He has lived nearly all his life in St. Cloud's Orphanage under the watchful eye of Dr. Larch. Based on John Irving's best-selling classic.

THE CIDER HOUSE RUES, an expertly crafted and intelligent adapation of John Irving's novel, explores themes of disappointment, ideas of moral ambiguity, and, indeed, lessons about life itself, woven into a dramatic story that is neither slow nor sentimental. Tobey Maguire is the immensely likable Homer Wells, a lifelong resident of a Maine orphanage who comes of age during WWII under the auspices of its director, Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine). Larch is pragmatic, progressive, highly intelligent, and loathe to let Homer go out into the world. He sees him as a son, and the only one whose medical training allows for him to take over when he retires from his job as physician, obstetrician, and illegal abortionist. When ingenue Candy (Charlize Theron) and air force adventurer Wally (Paul Rudd), come to Larch for help with an abortion, Homer befriends the couple and, against Larch's wishes, sets off with them to see the world, or at least the rest of Maine. Working at an apple orchard owned by Wally's mother (Kate Nelligan), Homer lives and works with a group of African-American migrant workers, among them the morally ambiguous Mr. Rose Delroy Lindo and his beloved daughter Rose Rose (Erykah Badu in a stunning debut). When Wally goes off to war, and Rose Rose gets into a complex and frightening situation, Homer is faced with serious choices and dilemmas that can only be solved by the wisdom he has learned from Larch. A classic, old-fashioned-style American film that deals directly with sensitive and taboo issues, THE CIDER HOUSE RULES is a beautifully acted, carefully paced story full of substance.

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In adapting his own novel The Cider House Rulesfor the screen, John Irving sacrificed at least some of the depth and detail that made his humanitarian themes resonate, while the film--directed with Scandinavian sobriety by Lasse Hallström--is often vague about the complex issues (abortion, incest, responsibility) that lie at its core. Allowing for this ambiguity (which is arguably intentional), the film retains much of what made Irving's novel so admired, and like Hallström's earlier feature What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, it's blessed with a generous, forgiving spirit toward the mistakes, foibles, and desires of its many engaging characters.

Central to the story (set during World War II) is Homer (Tobey Maguire), a young man raised in a Maine orphanage, where the ether-sniffing Dr Larch (Michael Caine) rules with benevolent grace while performing safe but illegal abortions. To expand his horizons, Homer follows a young couple (Charlize Theron, Paul Rudd) to do fieldwork on an apple farm, where his innocent eyes are opened to the good and evil of the world--and to the realisation that not all rules are steadfast in all situations. By the time Homer returns to the orphanage, The Cider House Rules--which features one of Caine's finest performances--has run out of steam. The film ends up being memorable more for its many charming and insightful moments than for any lasting dramatic impact. Is Homer fated to come full circle in his kindhearted journey? It's left to the viewer to decide. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Deleted Scenes, Trailer - 1. Original Theatrical, 2. TV Spots, Audio Commentary
Year:	1999
Release Date:	March 12, 2001
Runtime:	120 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	B E D 888153
Keywords:	House, Rules, General, Drama, Cider
Genre:	Drama