August

Having seen A Country Life, another film based on Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, I have to say I preferred August. While both of them have taken the story to another setting and another time, I was swayed by the compelling performance of Anthony Hopkins (and perhaps his direction, too). Kate Burton was beautiful and enigmatic, and I couldn't help but see glimpses of her famous father slipping through, after just viewing Becket the night before. August had all the elements of Chekhovian drama: unfulfilled dreams, boredom, longing for an elusive future. The entire cast was magnificent, and Hopkins was amazing as usual. He brought so much to the role -the finest actor today!

This is a lovely, well considered and well paced version of Chekhov's famous play. It is both amusing and sad, really a perfect balance. The title is a little misleading because this is actually UNCLE VANYA, not an adaptation. The characters' names have been altered and a brief mining accident has been added, but it is otherwise nearly a word-for-word translation, well worth watching. Hopkins is a wonderful Vanya (Ieuan), shifting moods rapidly from farce to frenzy. Kate Burton is a fine Yelena (Helen), not surprising because she worked for many years at the Williamstown Festival under Nikos Psacharopoulos, a director renowned for his Chekhov productions.

What a shame to see the excellent actor, Anthony Hopkins, make such an inept effort at directing. This movie is about a group of miserable Welsh gentry who have nothing better to do than make each other as unhappy as they know how. This is a sort of childish attempt to imitate "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe" with a larger cast. There is no character that seems like a real person (other than in an institution) and will bore most anyone to sleep. I watched to the end just to see if Hopkins would improve with experience. He didn't.

Casting! Acting! Timing! Perfection in concert in every aspect of every detail. Masterful Direction. Bravo!

Must say I really enjoyed this Wish they'd make more original remakes and bringing older scripts back to life Wales always makes a fascinating back drop and with Hopkins involved his sheer quality brings every above the ordinary in beautiful settings such as this in wales or train spotting in Scotland or Commitments in Ireland or Amelie or Ronin in France and the Holiday in the peak districts. Check out other British and welsh classics like; Twin Town, last Days of Dolwyn, Zulu, Saturday Night Sunday Morning, Sporting Life, Run for Your money. Sadly it's all middle class rubbish since then like Love ACtually and posh controlled grim up north dramas. Why do the elite try and write working class plays? Get the working class to write about it. Because they know the truth is the poor have way more laughs and less obsession with power and greed.

It just adds so much and shows the world is far far richer than just shiny old Hollwood, London and the big apple (much as I love New York mind) Great stuff keep making them tony