Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

That's right, I bought the film because of the dogs. Those beautiful little King Charles spaniels. And that sums the film up right there -- it's the visuals that made it for me.

This film picked up an Oscar for the art direction, and rightly so. The costumes, sets and the props -- and oh, yeah, the dogs -- simply make this film for me in terms of color and spectacle. And you get to see the gamut, from the restored court of King Charles II to the slums of London and an insane asylum.

The somewhat rags to riches to rags and back again story of a young physician in England in the 1660's. His King. His friends. The two women he loves.

The really, really good points of this film: Sam Neil as King Charles, this was inspired casting and he simply shines as the king, there were two scenes that simply made it for me, when he takes Merivel to his patient (a very sick little spaniel) and the ending, which I won't reveal here, but it made even cynical me choke up. Hugh Grant as a favor-seeking, snobby painter looking for a position at Court, Ian McKellen as the steward at the house that Merivel receives from the king.

Most of all, the people come across as true (with one notable exception, which I'll cover in a moment), and the story is centered around Merivel, a very shallow but brilliant doctor, looking for fame and fortune from the King, and having to grow up along the way. Robert Downey jr. does a remarkable job with this role -- watch his face when he goes to get a loan from his hard working father and you'll see. It's a story about redemption, and what healing can come out of love, both true and false, and the value of friendship.

The music too, is a standout. If you can find the soundtrack, indulge yourself, it's a wonderful mix of period music and the modern, and sets the mood so well without overloading the film.

Besides, if your dogs love you, you can't be too much of a sot.

Now for the bad points.

Meg Ryan. She simply did _not_ fit this film. Looking like the modern 90's woman, she was plunked down in this role, and was grating and annoying to watch. Not to mention the accent. Thankfully, she wasn't on screen too long, and vanished quite nicely in a lovely soppy deathbed scene. Ok, that's cruel, but I couldn't wait for her to get -gone- in this one. The other bit that annoyed me, a C-section? Well, at least they got the part right about the mother dying in the process.

The other part was that they seemed to be trying to cram so much into this film, by the end, I was overloaded with plot twists and devices.

This film has an R rating. There is a fairly explicit sex scene at the star, some more sex here and there, various cuckolding, and a bit of blood, but nothing too major. I would have given it PG-13, or a very soft R rating.

So -- plot, 3 and a half stars. Visuals and eye candy, five stars, giving us an average of four stars for this one.




Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older