Gottes Werk & Teufels Beitrag (1999)

Gottes Werk u0026 Teufels Beitrag: Directed by Lasse Hallström. With Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Delroy Lindo, Paul Rudd. A compassionate young man, raised in an orphanage and trained to be a doctor there, decides to leave to see the world.

“The Cider House Rules is a folksy tale about a boy from an orphanage and his coming of age. Heu0026#39;s been trained to deliver babies at the orphanage by the benevolent Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e tNotably this boyu0026#39;s passage into manhood necessitates him accepting the responsibility of also performing illegal abortions! Now thereu0026#39;s a twist. John Irving, also wrote the books The World According To Garp and The Hotel New Hampshiire, made into films of the same name, as well as A Prayer For Owen Meany which was made into the puzzling Simon Birch, a film Irving vigourously disowns. Irving subsequently, in the case of Cider House, has also written the screenplay.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e The actual cider house rules are a minor element of a rambling film that is full of such minor events.They are a non-consequential, ignored set of laws meant to govern the behaviour of the workers who bunk in the cider house on an apple farm.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e But lifeu0026#39;s like that, or so John Irving and his film would have you believe. Itu0026#39;s just that usually films concentrate a little more on lifeu0026#39;s more tumultuous moments.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e Young Homer Wells (our budding unlicensed doctor) is played delightfully by Tobey Maguire (Pleasantville)with a sweet smile and sleepy eyes. Those of you who prefer your actors to be more dynamic might find Maguire to be too even, but in this film his style was just the ticket.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e Heu0026#39;s one of the boys who were never chosen to be adopted at the orphanage. There are some touching scenes centred around the children in particular not being selected, hovering with their bags packed.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e Homer sets off to see the world with new friends Candy (Charlize Theron) and Wally (Paul Rudd). They had attended the orphanage for an abortion.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e Homer sees the sea for the first time. He learns how to pick apples and to get on with his work mates. He has a romance. And he learns how to accept responsibility for his and otheru0026#39;s actions away from the shelter of the orphanage. And thatu0026#39;s about it. And thatu0026#39;s just enough.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e The mood of the film accentuates a dreamy continuance; years and seasons merge. Life goes on. The apples grow. Relationships develop. The scenery is beautiful. The black labourers accept their lot.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e This is life (and death) seen from the personal; a snapshot of middle, rural America; a land where youu0026#39;re meant to just get on with it and accept your lot.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e The Cider House Rules is sensitively directed and written with an emphasis on people caring for each other. Itu0026#39;s a bit of a weepy. Even villains are given their good sides.”