Opiniones de usuarios

My rating: 8 out of 10 (I really liked it)

I just watched this and wow, what a movie.

I hope no one would let the "average" rating this movie has received on IMDb dissuade them from giving it a try. I can't predict what people will like and what they won't like, but I know that for me it was an experience I didn't want to end. The point of movies is to immerse you in another world, to make you believe you're watching real people going through real experiences. For 2 hours 'Nell' did that for me.

The acting in 'Nell' is some of the best I've ever seen. There wasn't a false note to be found from a single person in the cast – these actors BECAME those characters. Never once did I feel that I was watching a performance. It was all incredibly real, and that's rare. I was in awe the whole time.

'Nell' is full of wonderful things. The cinematography is utterly gorgeous. Normally visuals don't carry much weight with me, but even I couldn't help but notice. And the music, while simple, was so weighty and effective.

This is not a movie for people who are bored unless there's fighting and explosions and such. This is a thoughtful movie. It's about people, their life experiences, and how they deal with and are shaped by those experiences.

It's interesting…I've read a number of reviews of 'Nell', and the mixed reactions it's gotten for the last 20 years tell me that sometimes even highly intelligent people can see a movie and yet not really see it. Many reviewers would have you think 'Nell' is about language, about the phenomenon of "idioglossia". Trust me, that's NOT what this movie is about. Yes, that may be the framework for the story, and "Idioglossia" is the name of the play on which this is based, but that's not what 'Nell' is about. Simply put, the story of 'Nell' is a story of two of the most basic and yet most profound of human experiences – love and loss. For two hours we are given a window into the lives of these characters, watching them as they help one another deal with these two matters together.

I won't say any more about the plot because I would hate to spoil anything for someone reading this, but I will add one more thing. Watching Jodi Foster in the very last scene of the movie…maybe I'm the only one who feels this way, but wow. Rarely have I seen an end to a movie that so simply, effectively, and profoundly reflects on a human being's experience of love and loss.

My rating of an 8 in no way implies that I found flaws with this movie. When you reach a certain level of quality in art it becomes simply a matter of preference. In my scale, 9 and 10 are generally reserved for movies of certain genres and certain subjects. Therefore, I would not argue one bit with someone who gave this movie a perfect score.

This film really surprised me, because it was really good. But it mostly surprised me, because I read here that this would be a drama and I must say I disagree. Drama stands for sadness and melancholy, whereas this film stood for humanism. I mean Nell is basically as happy as can be and who are we (the people in the film) to tell her that her way of life is not good? I know this might sound strange, but I see this film as a metaphor for human behavior. We reject what is not like us (race, religion, gender, sexual preference, skin color and so on) and think those people ought to be like us, because they are not ‘normal'. Well you tell me who is more normal: Nell or the people who want to put her away; Nell or the journalists; Nell or the boys in the bar? I will tell you: Nell, Nell and Nell. I can recommend this film to everyone and I hereby want to thank all people involved and especially Jodie Foster for her great performance.

7,5 out of 10

The subject matter is fascinating. Nell (Jodie Foster) is a young woman raised by her mother in a setting completely cut off from civilization. She knows nothing of the outside world and has had little if any interaction with other people throughout her life, to the point at which she's developed her own language. Discovered by a grocery store delivery boy when her mother died, she comes under the care and tutelage of Drs. Lovell and Olson (Liam Neesom and Natasha Richardson) who have to decide whether or not she should be taken from her isolated environment and introduced to the "real" world.

The dilemma is very powerful. What right does anyone else have to decide for Nell how her life should be lived, especially when she's clearly capable of living on her own in the environment to which she's accustomed? Why should she be subject to court orders about her fate or to living in psychiatric hospitals when there's obviously nothing really wrong with her except that she's living a life that no one in the outside world can understand? Those are tough questions. The movie does a great job of developing the relationship between Nell and Lovell (and then also Olson) in a sensitive way, as both begin to care for Nell and want to be protective of her and her rights to choose. Jodie Foster was - I thought - surprisingly good in this role. She usually plays a stronger type, and - at least as the movie opens - Nell was a very vulnerable figure. I didn't know if Foster would work in such a role, but she pulled it off perfectly.

I would criticize this film only for the overly happy ending. Beginning with Nell appearing in court, this took on a too "syrupy" fell in my opinion; everything in the end was far too happy to be believable - in my opinion anyway. But aside from that I thought this was a very well done movie and a very interesting story. (7/10)

I've watched this last time when I was a teenager. It left a mark like many similar movies that came out around that time. Philadelphia, Gilbert Grape, Rain Man. Movies that shed a spotlight on the less fortunate of society, of scientific curiosities. And it was a time when actors were trying to win an Oscar by portraying difficult characters. It was a time shortly after the cold War ended and the outlook on the future was bright. When we shot the Hubble space telescope into space, and watched jurassic dinosaurs come to life in cinema. It was a great time to grow up in.

Movies had the freedom to focus on greatness, empathy for the less fortunate, improving the world. Characters in this movie are smart and empathetic. Science is being portrayed as a tool to improve life.

While the portrait of Nell is a bit over the top, watching it again today, it's still impactful and delivers the message. Someone who has been completely disconnected from society is being rediscovered, and people try to understand and help. The main characters are all over the top great character models as well, but I enjoyed watching them nontheless. Everyone is trying their best, trying to help, trying to improve. Watching this today, it seems exaggerated. But it brings back fond memories of a time where we believed that everything is going to turn out well.

Overall can recommend, this kind of movies and characters kind of have been lost in time.

Jodie Foster stars in this popular film about a woman discovered in the woods of Carolina having not know civilization as commonly known.

Of course, the ones who found her, Neeson and Richardson, want to take care of her and show her the new world, while their colleagues and other government people as exposed as "bad guys" and want to exlpoit her. A good film but way too predictable and too "hollywood-ized". There are no suprises at all.. Jodie Foster does a great job in the title role. 6 of 10

The story has been presented by other reviewers but I have a little different take. The acting and story were great and Foster gives an outstanding performer. What bothers me is, as a resident the area I have many complaints. Before getting into the factual problems let's cut to the main problem which is government intervention. I know several 'mountain folk' who live in the mountains just outside Robbinsville who live 100% off the land. No electric, water in house, food, etc. They are perfectly happy and Nell was more that capable to take care of herself. The government destroyed her life! Second, the City of Robbinsville is horribly represented with the pool hall scene! There is no way she would have treated like that from anyone in that lovely town! The people of the town and the surrounding counties were horrified!

Young woman named Nell, raised in total isolation in the backwoods of North Carolina by her mother (who had suffered strokes before her death and inadvertently taught her daughter an idiosyncratic form of English) is discovered by a well-meaning doctor who hopes to understand her; unfortunately, other doctors with eyes on their careers get involved and, figuring Nell to be a mentally backward wild child, bring science into the equation. Intrinsically, the film is about how civilization corrupts our innate innocence, yet the movie is really a bit condescending to the medical profession to suggest today's scientists (and journalists) are only interested in basic assimilation and not the human spirit. If this is indicative of today's society--and that the message is we'd all be better off living like Nell--it doesn't provide much enlightenment. The picture has a cold, flat look, and I grew very tired of Natasha Richardson as a doctor who initially would like to see the girl act like just like the rest of us (all she ever seems to ask is, "So what are we gonna do about Nell?"). On the other hand, Jodie Foster goes for broke in the lead, allowing her whole self to be expressive, particularly her lovely hands. It's a sensitive, memorable performance by the actress, who deserved her Oscar nomination, yet the picture itself disappoints, going around in a rather beleaguered circle. ** from ****

I just watched this movie for the second time. One word: wow!

This is one of the rare gems that you can tell when actors and actresses put everything into their performances, and actually go beyond the role. How can I tell? At the very end of the movie, the emotion of the moment that Jodie's character feels towards the scene with the little girl reminding her of her lost sister is enough to make Jodie herself cry and wipe away a tear. Incredible. It's very rare to see that level of immersion into a role where the actors involved feel real emotion about a scene. I'm willing to bet that moment of grace at the very end of the movie wasn't scripted nor acted on Jodie's part. You simply cannot get more heartfelt emotion into a scene than what was shown at the end of Nell. Brilliant and well-acted movie by all. A definite 10.

Normally I love Jodie Foster, but this film is a total misfire that is little more than a gender reversal on Forrest Gump. Foster plays an uneducated backwoods woman, who is "discovered" following the death of her guardian and becomes the cause celebre for dueling medicos Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson, who debate about whether she should be institutionalized or allowed to remain in isolation. It is a potentially interesting story, but it goes south once one realizes that the film is infinitely more interested in utilizing Nell as some sort of wise-beyond-her-years E.T., who will ultimately bring everyone around her together, rather than examining the world from her perspective. As with many films now, it is in desperate need of editing and the length is unreasonable. Foster is initially amazing as a woman who speaks a language all her own, but there is nothing to the role beyond the initial impression. She spends the majority of the film twirling, speaking gibberish and taking skinnydips. One certainly has to admire her fearlessness in these moments, as she truly gives an air of being uninhibited and innocent. Ironically, director Apted misses few opportunities to denude his leading lady, but when the story conspires a reason for the strapping Neeson to shed his clothes, tellingly Apted suddenly becomes coy with showing nudity. Neeson and Richardson are both fine, but they are stuck in cardboard roles with little dimension. A total waste of time.

It was a great and simple story. Simply about a woman raised in the wild, unable to speak proper english due to her mothers stroke and she is trying to be brought into "civilisation".

Neeson and Foster are the stars of this film!! Not just because of their star status but they really showed talent in this film. Foster is brilliant as the vulnerable but independent Nell and Neeson is great as her "guardian angel".

This film has its funny bits but the ending... well if youre dead sensitive, get the tissues out. When Nell speaks in the courts, I was causing a flood!!!!

I give it a 10/10. Definetly one to keep forever.

Helen xxxxx

It starts off well, this story of a wild woman in the woods of South Carolina, but loses steam halfway not to regain it again. The ending is downright silly and melodramatic. Great performance by Jodie Foster though, beautiful scenery as well. But all in all, "Nell" never really takes off and remains a distant film with a pretentious and by sweetish violins accompanied message.

An interesting and powerful performance by Jodie Foster. It must have been really difficult to make that character. Good work as well by Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson. For a Brit, Richardson did a superlative job with the Southern accent, honey-sweet without overdoing it. The film had some disappointing aspects, however. It seemed to echo the tired assumption, nature=good, human=bad. Overall, though this is an interesting film, worth a look. Grade: C+

Nell is one of the most captivating, moving and thought provoking films I have ever seen in my life. The acting all round is superb, including a truly fine performance by Jodie Foster. This film is nothing short of spectacular, boasting a strong script, beautiful scenery and excellent direction. Overall, Nell is nothing short of breath taking. I strongly advise to see it. You won't be disappointed.

Not believable. So many of these "wild person" movies have been done, from Tarzan to Crocodile Dundee, that we know what to expect of them...nothing believable, and nothing to learn from. Characters in other movies have been suckled by wolves, raised to swing from vines like apes, to fight crocodiles by the Australian Aborigines, raised by Indians and taught to dance with wolves, who knows what else? The only thing is, it could never happen. Raised by people in other societies, yes, but children raised without contact with any other people, it's impossible. Nell, if she had been living like the story has us believe, would have matted hair, filthy skin that was callused from head to toe, and she would be eating caterpillars and bark, not the groceries that were delivered to her door every week. And if the grocer knew where she was living, so would everybody else. Who pays the grocer? Why is she wearing shoes that fit? Why is her skin so soft and smooth? Why does her sister have to be an identical twin to make their own language...she could just as easily be a cousin. The thing that bothers me the most is that the average hillbilly in the mountains of North Carolina are much worse off than she is, and yet she is the one with new clean clothes and perfect teeth, while they are the ones with none. You want to make a movie about hillbillies in NC, then just go into the woods and film an average family in those hills, you don't need to drag Jodie Foster in with 25 makeup artists to hide blemishes. We have her in a cabin near a road that some local bikers have found. Are they the first people who ever stumbled on that cabin? The US government has surveyed every square inch of land in this country, and census takers know where every cabin or shack is. I have 28 acres in a part of the Adirondacks that are every bit as remote as the hills of NC, and when I tried sneaking a cabin in there, within a week I had the Town Officials up there wanting to see my permit. The movie is impossible.

Having never seen this film before, I "stumbled" on to it this morning about 10 minutes after it started on A&E and was so mesmerized that I watched the whole movie, and really liked it! It is well acted (Jodie Foster is INCREDIBLE), as is Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson, and it's just an all around GOOD movie. I recommend it very highly, and stopped short of giving it a "10" because it didn't have one of those neat what-happened-to-her title-over endings, though the ending IS a good one.

This film is to my opinion very unrealistic. It tells the psychological history of the leading character, Nell. Having studied psychology, I think the progression of Nell's behaviour is just not possible. Considering that this is the main theme this is a very negative point. But on the other hand however, the acting performance of Jodie Foster is superb. Jodie Foster and the tension build up by the story actually makes it worthwhile to view this movie. Considering pros and cons I rated it 6 out of 10.

The only prize that the usually excellent Jodie Foster deserved for her performance in the God-awful "Nell" was a Booby Prize, not an Oscar nomination. The movie and her performance are both cloying, manipulative embarassments. I sat through the whole precious, fey, numbingly predictable piece of claptrap, dumbfounded that this normally intelligent and thoughtful actress could have experienced such an extended bout of temporary insanity as was needed to give this particular performance. Everyone's entitled to mistakes, I guess. The jaw-dropping thing is that some people actually like this movie, and not just as camp! By the way, it also features Liam Neeson at his most constipated, and Natasha Richardson's along for the ride too, though its hard to notice either of them while Jodie's so busy making funny faces and gurgling.