Zwischen Fremden

Between strangers tells the very loosely connected story of three women, all having lost an important aspect of their lives and the chance to confront their old ghosts.

The three women are acted by three ages of women; Mira Sorvino, Debra Unger and finally the perennial Sophia Loren looking deliberately dowdy. They are supported by an able cast of some of Europe's actors, representing where the films finances were presumably gathered- Gerard depardieu (France) in an almost cameo appearance, Klaus Marie Brandauer (Germany)as an ambitious photojournalist father, Pete Postlethwaite(UK) as an embittered ex-runner.Add to that Sophia(Italy), Mira(USA) and Debra Unger(Canada) amongst others and this film must have cost more in airfares than any other cost.

It is the second film by Edoardo Ponti, son of Carlo Ponti and more famously Sophia Loren. He never lets that get in the way of the story and directs her without kid gloves.

He also wrote the script and, as a second film, it succeeds well with a story that moves along, letting us get to know and empathize with the characters and care what happens.

I caught this on a recent airline flight. I had seen the dreadful reviews given it when it played the Toronto Film Festival so was prepared for appalling schlock. Considering it was Sophia's son's first effort as a director (though admittedly surrounding himself with a stellar cast from Sophia cashing in some major chips)he extracted good performances from everyone. A very light story involving three disparate women is gracefully laced together in the end as they come to their own conclusions as to what their lives should be about. 6 out of 10.

Look ! i know the story line could be repeated in many other films, i know the plot is sometimes weak, i know the ending gathering scene is far fetched you may say all that but...but forget all that and look at Sophia Lauren oh my god what an acting how up and down she good with her emotions and face expressions,with her feelings of despair of guilt then of hope all mixed in one scene..one shot look at her in the book shop scene-master scene for her,she is determined yet weak as a woman with a hard past its an art film,art in acting art in development of heightened feelings,if it shows on TV..Watch it its not just a film for wounded women its a film for those who have sensitive feelings and have been wounded in the past and by the way ,the ending is deep just try to think of it..out of the box.. i gave that rankling for the superb acting for Mira survino as well as THE Sophia Lauren also for announcing proudly that its shot and takes its events in Canada

What a wonderful film! What a superb cast. What a sensitive, haunting story. Everything comes to-gether --- the music, the cinematography, the story --- to produce a beautiful motion picture. A very different role for Sophia Loren. As you might expect, she excels. But so does everybody else. The scene in the book store is one of cinema's great moments. The silver screen has invincible power when it used so masterfully. And how very nice to see Toronto play itself for a change instead of acting as a stand in for some other place. A few films like this would do far more to revive the city's shattered image than concerts by the Stones and visits by Conan O'Brien. This film is a keeper!!!

Everything about this movie was perfect - the three lead characters were played with such depth and restraint! Although I have never been in the position of any of these women (luckily), I feel like I could relate to their emotions, their ambivalence, their sadness and their ultimate strength. If ever there was a movie that showed the power of living through adversity, this is it! Gerard Depardieu was lovely as an intuitive friend - he was in it just a little, but his presence always moved the movie forward. Sophia Loren's husband was a perfectly human foil - both had shattered dreams and took two different paths in dealing with it, but both paths were completely understandable. Although his character could have been horribly despicable (and, boy!, some of his dialog was shockingly mean), he didn't seem like a monster. Not even the hoodlums were one-dimensional. Miro Sorvino took my breath away, Deborah Unger's restraint was outstanding and Sophia Loren - well, her best role, ever. This is a movie for the down-hearted, for those at impossible crossroads, and for those who like hopeful - not happy - endings.