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Title: Not Emma's Best
Review: and not really Anthony's, either. I borrowed the VHS from a friend anticipating a lovely, two-hour or so film with rich, well-developed characters, beautiful scenery, and a riveting storyline. I guess one out of three's not bad.Howards End promises a lot but underdelivers. With Emma Thompson, Sir Anthony Hopkins, and Helena Bonham-Carter in the lead roles, one expects a more interesting film or at the very least, an exciting climax. One gets neither. This film plods along for over two hours, much like an overworked carthorse stumbling through the English countryside. By the end, all one wants is some oats and a night's sleep in the barn. What disappointed me most was Bonham-Carter's performance. She is much better at edgy hysteria than what she shows here.Even the climax was dull. (In case you still want to see this film, I won't give it away.)In this reviewer's opinion, if you want a good Merchant Ivory flick, watch A Room with a View instead.
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