1999 Rewind: The Cider House Rules


It's been 20 years since 1999, a year with a number of extraordinary and engaging films. During this summer, I'll be looking back at 10 of my favorites from 1999 for those looking to catch up with a few good films. Check back Mondays this summer for more from 1999.

The Cider House Rules (December 3, 1999)
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Paul Rudd, Michael Caine, Delroy Lindo, and Erykah Badu
About: This is surely a controversial choice because of its subject matter. I won't get into that debate here. The reason this is on the list is because it's one of my favorites from the year, and comes from one of my favorite authors, John Irving. He actually won the Academy Award for writing this script. And Caine won for Best Supporting Actor. This was a film that was among the Best Picture nominees, and remains beautiful for the way it captures relationships. I read this book, and while the film is quite different in some ways, the heart of the story remains the same. Maguire is quite good in the lead, and Theron is good in a supporting role as well. The score is also quite beautiful and the shots here are quite beautiful, too. Director Lasse Hallstrom does a good job bringing the story to life. This was my favorite of the Best Picture nominees at the time, and it's still my favorite of the Best Picture nominees 20 years later. It's one of the best and most impactful films of 1999, too.
Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexuality, nudity, substance abuse and some violence.

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