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Movies / On DVD / The Bridges of Madison County
The Bridges of Madison County

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The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

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Reviews Counted:39

Fresh:35

Rotten:4

Average Rating:7.1/10

Runtime: 2 hrs 15 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: The film adaptation of Robert James Waller's wildly popular, bestselling novel. The story takes place in 1965, in the farmlands of Iowa, where bored, middle-aged Italian housewife Francesca has... The film adaptation of Robert James Waller's wildly popular, bestselling novel. The story takes place in 1965, in the farmlands of Iowa, where bored, middle-aged Italian housewife Francesca has just sent her two kids and husband away to the state fair. Shortly thereafter she encounters Robert Kincaid, a mysterious, rugged, "National Geographic" photographer, on assignment taking pictures of Iowa's covered bridges. The two are immediately attracted to each other, and when Francesca invites Robert back to her home, they begin a romantic, sensual, illicit affair that lasts over the next few days. For Francesca, this is the first time in years that she's experienced passion in her life, and she realizes that maybe she's found her true love. Robert feels the same way, and shortly before her family returns home, asks Francesca to run off with him. Francesca now must make an important decision -- one that will affect the rest of her life and could leave her with many regrets... [More]

Starring: Meryl Streep, Clint Eastwood

Starring: Meryl Streep, Clint Eastwood

Director: Clint Eastwood

Director: Clint Eastwood
Screenwriter: Richard La Gravenese
Story: Robert James Waller
Producer: Clint Eastwood, Kathleen Kennedy

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Bridges of Madison County

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

An unlikely choice as director and producer, it's thanks to Eastwood's relatively thin sentimental streak that the film doesn't fall headlong into a lagoon of schmaltz.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
10/27/08
Richard Luck
Richard Luck
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Immaculately performed, and assembled with wit and sensitivity, this is one of the most satisfying weepies in years.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Madison County is Eastwood's gift to women: to Francesca, to all the girls he's loved before -- and to Streep, who alchemizes literary mawkishness into intelligent movie passion.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
10/27/08
Richard Corliss
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Little happens here apart from a long, slow buildup to sentimentalized coitus, but there's no denying the sheer screen presence of these two 500-lb. gorillas of pop culture.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
10/27/08
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Perhaps the only time in history a movie was far better than its source material

comment Comment
08/21/08
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

Whether Meryl Streep deserved an Oscar nomination may be debatable, but what's beyond dispute is that scripter Richard LaGravenese and director Clint Eastwood have actually made a better, more enjoyable film than the schmaltzy literary source.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
07/15/08
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Given the intelligent restraint of the treatment, this is about as fine an adaptation of this material as one could hope for...

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
06/23/08
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

...an old-fashioned love story for adults.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
05/23/08
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

No review available.

comment Comment
01/17/08
Beth Accomando
Beth Accomando
KPBS.org

In Eastwood's hands, it seems, even divorce can be more romantic than orgasms under the right circumstances.

Full Review Source: Not Coming to a Theater Near You | comment Comment
08/06/06
Leo Goldsmith
Leo Goldsmith
Not Coming to a Theater Near You

Clint's movie is muddy, dusty and full of flies. It took a real man like Eastwood to really fall in love.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
07/31/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

This didn't pain me anywhere near as much as I thought it would. A money-grab, surely, and Clint's weird bush story is very awkward, but generally charming enough for a date with a boring person.

comment Comment
08/14/05
Gregory Weinkauf
Gregory Weinkauf
ÜberCiné

Atmospheric love story with Eastwood and Streep in great form.

comment Comment
06/29/05
Steve Crum
Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com

Eastwood can do no wrong in my eyes ... but he came dangerously close with this one.

comment Comment
04/03/05
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com

Better than the book.

comment Comment
05/31/04
Victoria Alexander
Victoria Alexander
FilmsInReview.com

Limited by the vapidity of this material while he trims its excesses with the requisite machete, Mr. Eastwood locates a moving, elegiac love story at the heart of Mr. Waller's self-congratulatory overkill.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/17/04
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
01/16/04
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

comment Comment
11/20/03
James O'Ehley
James O'Ehley
Sci-Fi Movie Page

Outstanding drama. Actually makes a case for adultery. You really feel for them and get sucked into this quiet world.

comment Comment
07/25/03
Fred Topel
Fred Topel
About.com

No review available.

comment Comment
05/20/03
Monica Hayde
Monica Hayde
Palo Alto Weekly
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
all

Latest News for The Bridges of Madison County

October 17, 2005: Eastwood to Tackle TWO Separate Iwo Jima Films
You're probably already a bit familiar with master filmmaker Clint Eastwood's upcoming project, "Flags of Our Fathers," but Time Magazine brings us a fascinating new... More...

March 29, 2005: Paramount Hires "Mean" Director to Remake "Mitty"
The long-standing on-again, off-again remake of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" finally looks to be underway over at Paramount. "Freaky Friday" and... More...

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