Portrait of a Lady (1996)

Portrait of a Lady: Directed by Jane Campion. With Nicole Kidman, John Malkovich, Barbara Hershey, Mary-Louise Parker. An American girl inherits a fortune and falls into a misguided relationship with a gentleman confidence artist whose true nature, including a barbed and covetous disposition, turns her life into a nightmare.

“An interesting film with an undercurrent of sexual repression similar to that in Campionu0026#39;s other films. Nicole Kidman is excellent, given the material, though her transition from likeable, virtuous innocent to a cold and corrupted woman doesnu0026#39;t ring as true as it should–the three years glossed over with a subtitle isnu0026#39;t adequate to show the change. I blame this on the interpretation, direction, and/or editing rather than Kidmanu0026#39;s performance, however. Malkovich is not as strong, and one wonders what any woman could see in him as a lover. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe ending is cold and unsettling. Most filmgoers prefer to know that their hero/heroine is u0026quot;safeu0026quot; at the end of the story. Here, who knows ?u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eProduction values are good, and the film is quite stylish with interesting use of camera tilt, lighting, and angles. Itu0026#39;s quite artsy. I am glad I saw the film, but acknowledge itu0026#39;s not likely to be everyoneu0026#39;s cup of tea.”