The Cider House Rules (DVD)

...years as an orphan at the St. Clouds Orphanage in Maine. Over the years, and a couple of failed adoptions, he has become like a son to the orphanage's director, Dr. Larch (Michael Caine). Larch has educated him in many medical practices which include child birth and abortion, in the hope that one day he would take over the reins of the orphanage. Unfortunately, Homer feels that he needs to experience the world outside of the orphanage, so that he ...
...moral issues of the illegal but safe abortions that Dr. Larch conducts. Whilst away from the orphanage, Homer gets work as an apple picker, where he falls in love with the beautiful Candy, the daughter in law to be of the orchard owner. He also makes friends with the other traveling fruit pickers. His new life and experiences, teaches him some valuable lessons about the work and to where his true destiny lies. This is a very pleasant film, which ...

christianfilmcritic 22.02.2006 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

...by Dr Wilbur Larch in the hospital in which he was born. Dr Larch treats him like his own son and teaches him the skills of his medical trade - gynaecology. By the time Homer is a young man, he has skills of the same standard as Dr Larch, although he has no formal qualifications, and refuses to carry out abortions. Homer is happy with his lot, caring for the women who come to the hospital and for the other orphans. He secretly has a desire to escape ...
...couple who attend the hospital agree to give him a lift, he goes with them, much to Dr Larch's horror. Befriended by the young couple, Candy and Wally, Homer goes with them to their home town, where Wally finds him a job as an apple picker for his family's business shortly before going off to fight in the Far East. Homer becomes close to the team of apple pickers he works with and finds himself spending more and more time with Candy. Dr Larch writes ...

sunmeilan 19.03.2007 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

...and directed by Lasse Hallstrom. The movie is very rich in its fable and metaphor. And it is a warm and gentle carnival of all the convolutions of life. Lasse Hallstrom and Irving have carved out this movie with relaxing concentration that never slips away from the harsh realities, simultaneously holding on to the simpler moments. They together view the world with compassion. St Clouds, Maine is an isolated but picturesque place. Those who get down ...
...against a mountain ledge in the woods of New England. This is an orphanage to where people go to leave a child, to adopt a child or not to have a child. Dr Larch (Michael Caine) manages the orphanage. He is the “caretaker of many and father of none”. Homer Wells (Toby Maguire), when he was a newborn babe, was left at the orphanage as the family that wanted to adopt him said, ”he doesn’t cry”. Babies who don’t cry, ...

skmm 21.03.2001 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

...a two-hour period, much of the detail and even significant parts of the story line must be left out. That is certain the case with 'The Cider House Rules'. John Irving’s novel had much more character development, naturally (as a book can always reveal the interior lives of characters much more fully than can any theatrical treatment), but I was a bit disappointed that significant plot developments (such as Homer’s relationships away from St. Clouds) ...
...been made, I thought that the movie was very good. Michael Caine gave his usual wonderful performance, but I was never quite clear what accent he was trying to bring about (being someone with a muddled accent myself, I am not really one to criticise on this point). The stories of the orphans of St. Clouds and the women who came for help in one way or another were very poignant. I was moved at the interplay between compassion and concern—the right ...

frkurt 03.03.2003 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

It’s easy to get the wrong idea. When I heard the title of this movie, I imagined it spoken in a thick Southern Californian accent – “Thu Cider House rools, dude!”. Thank the stars *that* doesn’t happen. And when I found out Michael Caine was making a comeback, I imagined him in Cock-er-nee tones, threatening people and saying “bladdy ‘ell!” Again, the stars are to be thanked. This is not a typical ...
...Maine, New England. Larch is the head honcho at this establishment, and not only takes in strays, but (illegally) assists women with unwanted pregnancies. One day, a baby named Homer Wells catches his attention, after he is brought back by a couple for being “too quiet”. The next couple solve that problem – he cries all the time, through them beating him. Larch is not pleased, and takes Homer into his personal care, moulding him ...

peppersinclaire 16.10.2001 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

...ever completely lived up to the expectations of readers who loved the books. On the other hand, sometimes if one sees a movie first and then reads the book because they loved the film, the book might be a disappointment. However, with "Cider House Rules", I'm not sure that we haven't come as close to equals in both a great read and great watch as is humanly possible. I'm a long-standing (and good faith) fan of John Irving. Many would have started ...
...House Rules was actually only the second book of Irving's I read. One of the most important things to remember about Irving is his love of the absurd. He has an ability to look at a situation and find, not only what we can all find in common with it, but also what makes it strange and unusual. And it is in this, that Irving finds the real beauty and truths in life. Cider House Rules looks first into the truths of life as Irving sees it, and tries ...

TheChocolateLady 21.08.2002 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

...an outstanding one. That was the reason why I wanted to own this DVD by myself. If I think that this is a real outstanding masterpiece you may read in my following opinion. __The DVD: The Cider House Rules__ The Cider House Rules is based upon the successful novel of John Irving. Famous director Lasse Hallström is responsible for the film version. The readers who have already read the complex novel, will quickly find out that this difficult adaptation ...
...continuous assistance of the author John Irving who also wrote the screenplay for "The Cider House Rules". /*/The story The young Homer Wells has spend his whole life in the orphanage of Dr. Larch. As a child he was introduced in the gynecological work by his mentor Dr. Larch. For Dr. Larch Homer became some kind of his own son from whom he expected that he fulfilled his services in the orphanage. Homer took care of the small inhabitants of the ...

albertas 03.02.2004 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

..."the cider house rules" for the first time the other night. I must say that my early and initial reactions to the film were "why is Michael Caine not a cockney? He sounds silly" and "surely they could have gotten someone else other than Peter Parker to play Homer?". These fairly plausible questions and thoughts were soon extinguished and deemed pedantoic when i was soon drawn into this delicately steady story of an emotionally immune orphan and his ...
...to prevent it from happening. The story tells of one child, named Homer, who didn't have much luck as an orphan; his first foster parents didn't know how to cope with such an unusually quiet baby whilst his second batch of foster parents beat him. In the end, Dr Larch took it upon himself to keep him at the orphanage and to make him "useful", as he puts it - he trains him to be a doctor. Years go by and baby Homer becomes a youthful pre-spiderman ...

jamiebecks 17.06.2009 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

Don’t take that the wrong way....it’s been a long fight to get this film on the screen, that’s all (the book having been published in 1985....the author having wrote his first draft of the film in 1986). In both cases, John Irving makes an impassioned case for the rights of abortion which on the whole are convincing (unless, you’re a staunch pro-rights activist which of course, means that the film is complete piffle....). ...
...during World War Two. The doctor at the orphanage Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine) who’s extremely overworked as an abortionist, obstetrician AND physician....although he copes with it quite well with an addiction to ether....and involving himself with the nurses. Homer finds himself working with him as an unlicensed trainee doctor (although Larch has plans about that....). Homer tires quickly and wants out of this and soon escapes. He ...

the_fury 22.06.2001 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

...Caine’s accent is quite dodgy!). The nurses and midwives love him and the children adore him. He likes to try and make the orphans as comfortable as he can, their stay there a happy one. One of his orphans is Homer Wells, played by Tobey Maguire (of Spider-Man fame). Larch treats Wells like a son, training him (unofficially) in the works of medicine. Grooming him, in fact, for his job. But Wells is not happy and wants to see what there is other ...
...he wants to spend the rest of his life, without interference or influence from Larch. So, when Candy and Wally arrive to be booked in for an abortion, Wells asks them for a lift, to anywhere. He ends up working for Wally’s parents in their Cider House, and when Wally, a soldier, goes to fight in the war he takes on the role as Candy’s friend. This friendship blossoms to love. Meanwhile, Dr Larch continues to write to Homer in the hope than he will ...

Borg 20.05.2003 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

...fan of films set before the 1980’s but I though I would pick this up based on the strenght of reviews and the fact that Tobey Maguire is in it. I was ppleasantly surprised! Set partly in St Clouds orphanage in Maine, New England, Tobey Maguire is an orphan who grows up in the orphanage without being adopted. The head of the orphanage, Michael Caine (in an Oscar winning performance) takes him under his wing and trains him to be a doctor, more ...
...The orphanage is also a place where mothers can go to have their children and then leave them to be adopted, they can also have abortions there despite it being illegal. When Tobey (sorry, I cannot remember the character’s name) has grown up he decides to leave the orphanage to see what else there is as he does npt feel fullfiled and is not happy about the abortions that occur at St Clouds. Michael Caine is not very happy about this, he loves ...

Staggly 30.03.2001 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

The Cider House Rules recieved its first terrestrial broadcast the other day just as I was sitting in front of the tv bored out of my skull! So, as you do, I watched it. Good descision! The film is based on the book by John Irving and is set around an orphanage in Maine, New England called St. Cloud's (and directed by Lasse Hallstrom). Here we meet Dr. Larch (Michael Caine), a loving, caring doctor who treats and looks after unwanted children and ...
...takes a special interset in the upbringing of one Homer Wells (Toby Maguire). As a baby, Homer managed to be returned by two famalies (one because he wouldn't cry, and the other because they beat him), and in the end it was left up to St.Cloud's to provide a home and some form of education for him. It is from here that we follow Homer's apprenticeship under Dr. Larch, to his adult life, where his ambition to see more of the world leads him to leave ...

lostprophet 12.04.2003 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

...of this film after watching the trailer was one of disinterest. I avoided watching at the cinema which, in hindsight, I later came to regret because when I did finally give the film a chance and watched it on DVD I was amazed and suprised by how brilliant this film is. Seldom do I watch films that are affective on so many levels and can induce a strong emotional response within me. The blend of great performances from a fantastic cast, exceptional ...
...quality and substance. The story is essentially of a coming of age drama, set in the 1940's, that centres around the life of Homer Wells, an orphan who has spent his entire life in a New England orphanage. The story is wonderfully narrated by the orphanage director and doctor Larch who has developed a special bond with Homer and whom he takes under his wing and teaches. Homer leaves the orphange to see the world and embarks on a life altering journey ...

Antnic78 09.06.2008 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)

...his own best-seller, this is the extraordinary story of one boy's journey into maturity in the 1940s. Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire) grew up in a sheltered existence at an orphange in St. Clouds, Maine, under the kindly, paternal care of ether-addicted Dr. Larch (Michael Caine) who, each night, after reading a chapter from Charles Dickens, bid the wistful, unwanted boys a poignant "Good night, you princes of Maine, you kings of New England." As Larch's ...
...why he decides to explore the outside world, hitching a ride with a young woman (Charlize Theron) and her fiance (Paul Rudd), an Air Force pilot. Taking a job as an apple picker, he joins a black migrant worker crew, headed by Mr. Rose (Delroy Lindo) and his daughter (Erykah Badu). Director Lasse Hallstrom is sensitively and affectionately in tune with Irving's off-beat, idiosyncratic characters, eliciting substantial, Oscar-caliber performances ...

dannit 16.10.2005 · Read full review
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Review of The Cider House Rules (DVD)