[.ca] Restoration (Widescreen) (ISBN 6305428379)

From Amazon.com:
A fantastic premise is utterly blown in this film by director Michael Hoffman and screenwriter Rupert Walters (the two collaborated previously on the winning Some Girls). Robert Downey Jr. plays Robert Merivel, King Charles II's (Sam Neill) spirited young physician in 17th-century England. The king offers to set Merivel up for life in exchange for one small favor: marry the royal mistress (Polly Walker) to provide his highness some cover for his philandering. But Merivel blows it by falling in love with the woman, and he is cast out of his pampered paradise to reinvent himself as a serious man helping victims of the plague beyond the palace's walls. It's a superb notion, and the film looks just terrific, particularly Charles's court, where scientific and artistic innovation flourishes. But somehow the story completely falls apart once Merivel goes on his quest for salvation. The scenes aren't there, the characters are underdeveloped, the drama is clunky. The whole enterprise feels as if an editor tried to salvage a major failure and barely came up with something coherent. --Tom Keogh

The rise, fall & restoration of the physician Robert Merivel:
"Restoration" won a pair of Oscars for Eugenio Zanetti's Art Direction-Set Deocration and James Acheson's Costume Design, and there is a sense in which the spectacular sets threaten to overwhelm the story, which is based on the novel by Rose Tremain. This is a gorgeous film where the camera often takes time to focus on every detail as we are introduced to one spectacular set after another that presents the lavish court of King Charles II, who returned to the English throne following the restoration of the Stuart monarch. As far as period costume dramas go this 1994 film is virtually in a class by itself, and how it was made for only $18 million is beyond belief. The reason that many viewers may not cotton to this film is that it is one in which we are repeatedly misled as to what the film is above. Even with the hint of the film's title, which is at face value the term used to describe the reign of Charles II, "Restoration" makes more sense retrospectively. However, I liked the idea that my idea of what the film was about kept evolving. After all the times I have sat through predictable films and been ahead of the characters and the plot, I can certainly enjoy trying to keep up with a story for one and being surprised by the twists and turns in the narrative. The story is about Robert Merivel (Robert Downey Jr.), a young physician of great promise who is summoned to court to attend to a patient at the command of the King (Sam Neill). Merivel succeeds, albeit more through luck than skill, and is appointed to a position in court. Seduced by life in the palace Merivel accepts the position, which means turning his back on his studies and his best friend John Pearce (David Thewlis), a Quaker. However, the King finds another use for Merivel and marries him to his most spirited mistress, Lady Cedlia (Polly Walker). After the lavish wedding Merivel gets a knighthood and a huge country estate, but the one thing that is denied him is sex with his "wife." Having been ordered not to fall in love with Celia, we believe we know what this film is going to be about. However, in that regard we are both right and wrong. Despite the glamour of Merivel's rise in the first part of this film, it is his fall that produces the true drama. It is a long fall, hard fall, set against the backdrop of two cataclysmic events in the London of that time: the Black Plague and the Great Fire. It is not that Merivel finds himself during these trying times, but rather than he remembers himself. Downey's performance covers a lot of ground. When he is the fool he embraces the role wholeheartedly, but at the end when he has restored to him the most precious thing that he has lost the look on his face is a moment of transcendent joy. Of course, it is impossible to watch this film today and not wish the actor had taken its moral to heart. I have enjoyed watching this film several times and one of these days I am going to have to read Tremain's novel. I suspect that the screenplay by Rupert Walters is being extremely faithful, but I would also think that Tremain has all sorts of marvelous period details that I would enjoy. Another thing that impresses me about Michael Hoffman's film is that it has Ian McKellen and Meg Ryan in what are essentially small, but pivotal, roles. "Restoration" is a film where you just go along for the ride, enjoy the pretty pictures, and be surprised at the end to discover how far you have come from where you started.

Monarchy Restored you say...I should cocoa...:
Not in all the films (probably only one but it seems like hundreds) with Richard Chamberlain playing The Sun King (Louis XIV) did a court look as sumptuous as that of the restored Charles II (the first of that name having been beheaded of course). It is a very strange take since Britons never went in for, and were never comfortable with, the opulence favoured by our continental cousins...it wasn't done you know...we've always been a bit reticent to pile on the treacle in that way. Consider if you will , for example, with more cause than any nation in the history of the world to have our kings declared Emperors, we never did...well the very idea, that was always something foreigners went in for at every opportunity. Still I liked this grandiose and flamboyant (to put it mildly) take on the restored monarchy, and it was as amusing as it was impressive, quite an achievement. For the two Oscars it pulled (and deserved? just watch it) for Costumes and Art Direction, this film is definitely worth a look. See...now you've seen it you know don't you... Oscars are not the sham they're sometimes accused of being er!...Who's eating their words now then. As a film of two halves, and neither of them having (or seeming to have) a great deal in common with each other it is a difficult film to quantify. That said though for Robert Downey Jr. and his performance as the surgeon in the right place at the wrong time it ought to be compulsory viewing. Robert you are something to watch...I like you, well we all do...and I am never likely to ever meet or know you...what's your secret kid?

A parallel to the life of Robert Downey, Jr.:
Here is one of my favorite films and one of the best period pieces of recent years. Occuring during the English Restoration period, it is also the story of a soul's restoration to recognize one's talents and one's destiny. Based on the novel by Rose Tremain, it cuts across the events of the era using the life of the character Robert Merivel, played by Robert Downey, Jr. The beauty of the costumes and art direction was accomplished within a miniscule budget (the total film budget was less than $20 million) but resulted in winning the Oscar for both categories. As always, Mr. Downey Jr. proves that he is one of the top actors in America today. It is a pity that his personal life has been so tragic and yet, here within this film, he portrays an individual bent on self-destruction rather than recognizing and exercising his talents. You want to shout, "Robert, do you watch any of your films?" It is funny, touching and inspiring. Sadly, not a box office smash, but it was a difficult movie to promote. Also, pay attention to the film score, a great combination of classical music of the period and an excellent score by James Newton Howard. And, to Mr. Downey Jr., who I hope can get his personal troubles behind him so that he can enjoy his talents, there is a line for him that is quite appropriate: "Lord, send a light to show Robert the way."

A fantastic period piece:
Some of Downey's best work, I believe. There isn't a single piece of acting in this film that didn't impress me, and of course as a period piece the costuming is gorgeous. It's a well-made statement about what was going on during the Restoration period, as well as being a moving story about an intelligent and talented man thrown into the world of court intrigue, and failing to deal with it very well. I could wish for more extra stuff on the DVD, but I almost always can. ;-)

Poor DVD Transfer:
I am very disapointed. I loved the movie enough to get the DVD only to find that for one of the most beautifull movies ever made it is one of the worst DVD transfers I have ever seen. First, I don't know why Hollywood cannot get it screen format act together. This movie is not wide screen animorphic ( to fite wide screen TV's) nor is it surround sound, as it says on the back under special features. You have to look closer to see the word "Stereo" after running time and color. The first release of The Last of The Mohicans had the same screen format problem but thank God they came out with what they then called an enhanced widescreen version that fixed the problem. Please Mirimax restore Restoration to true wide screen dolby 5.1 surround sound and I will give it an easy 5 stars