The Hours

One of the best films of the decade is without a doubt Stephen Daldry’s The Hours based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Michael Cunningham. The film can be justifiably labeled with any and every accolade normally associated with a brilliant film. With an unrivaled cast (Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, and Meryl Streep to name a few…), The Hours takes the viewer on both a literary and visual journey.
The film follows the lives of three women living in three different eras whose lives are all interconnected through time by Virginia Woolf’s novel, Mrs. Dalloway. The story begins with Virginia Woolf, played by Nicole Kidman, beginning to work on the novel which ultimately becomes Mrs. Dalloway. Strikingly poised and eccentric, Kidman adds layers of complexity to her character, rightfully representing the estranged Virginia Woolf. The second element of the film depicts Laura Brown, played by Julianne Moore, a housewife living in the suburbs shortly after World War II. Laura, struggling with her life as a mother and doting wife, she looks to Mrs. Dalloway as an escape from her daily struggles. Empathetic pathos reeks from Moore’s character, and the film follows her emotional and decision-affected journey. The last story depicts the life of Clarissa Vaughan, played by Meryl Streep, in modern day New York City. Her story revolves around her planning of an extravagant party, and in essence, Clarissa Vaughan is the film’s modern representation of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway.
The stunningly intricate plot line keeps the viewer enraptured until the bitter end. The plot reveals a surprising complexity and emanates profundity. By the end of the film, the lives of these three women are tied through much more than just Woolf’s text. They are tied through a common humanity, a universality that infuses into the hearts of all viewers.
The Hours received nine Academy Award nominations, and won the 2003 Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Film. Obviously, this film is far from underrated and appeals to the liking of both the movie-knowledgeable and the common viewer. After the credits rolled off the screen and I was left in complete, lonely darkness, I sat and thought about the artistic message of the film. After sitting there for sometime, I got up, walked to my bookshelf and grabbed Mrs. Dalloway. As my eyes scanned the pages, I realized that the film helped me understand Virginia. I realized that the film helped me understand things that I never would have expected to understand. The Hours evokes contemplation, and is without a doubt, one of the best and must-see films of the decade.