Some novels, such as "Love in the Time of Cholera", by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, should be allowed to stay in the written page. As has been the case with other attempts to capture the author's work for the screen, most, alas, have ended in failure. One can question the people behind this project about what they had in mind. A work of this magnitude certainly deserved better than this bland account by Ronald Harwood, a man that has done better, and by the director, Mike Newell. Missing is the poetry, and magic, of the book and most of what is not being shown on the screen.

Evidently, as usually is the case with these ambitious projects, there are a lot of things that get in the way. First, and foremost, trying to bring together such a large, mostly Spanish speaking cast to play the various characters, needs a surer hand and clear vision of how to translate this novel to cinematic terms and still bring out the essence of the story. This work, supposedly has been read by more than sixty million readers, so to make a mediocre adaptation of it, should have been enough to have left it alone.

The basic problem lies with the way Florentino Ariza has been conceived. As played by Mr. Bardem, in one of his less effective performances in a while, it robs the character his voice and the way one conceived it in one's mind. We are constantly reminded this Florentino is Javier Bardem, at all times, and not the man who longingly aches for Fermina most of his life. We are watching the actor going through some dialog, period. On the other hand, Mr. Bardem is only an actor, and the reading he gives should have been guided better. Just watch him under the Coen brothers' clear vision in "No Country for Old Men".

The Fermina of Giovanna Mezzogiorno is also a problem in our all overall enjoyment of the picture. An excellent actress, she is bogged down by a script that doesn't add much to her talent. John Leguizamo is totally miscast as Fermina's father, as is Fernanda Montenegro, a great actress who doesn't fare well at all here.

The cinematography by Alfonso Beato is about one of the the best things in the film. Alfonso Beato's music doesn't add much drama to the whole picture either.

For pure enjoyment pick up the original novel and have a great time with the magic world Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote, in one of his most memorable works.

Adapted from the Gabriel García Márquez novel, this is the story of Florentino as a young man in 1879 Columbia who falls in love at first sight to Fermina Daza. Her family would keep them apart, and he begins a life of sexual relationships with many women.

I have not read the novel, but I assume it is a romantic epic. I just think it is probably too epic to put it all on film. At over 2 hours, this thing is a rambling melodrama. Although Javier Bardem is a great actor, I wonder if aging up Unax Ugalde would have been better. They don't really come off as the same guy. Maybe they could glue on a beard on Unax. Also the use of English really takes away the power of this as an Spanish language novel. The use of so many non-Spanish actors like Liev Schreiber and even John Leguizamo who isn't much of a Spanish speaker really dilutes the atmosphere. There is almost a cheesy feeling to this Mike Newell production.

I'll divide my comment into three sections, story, actors and cinematography. Story-wise I won't be telling anything that will spoiler anything, but about the structure. The movie begins then with the "present" (not our present mind you) and looks back on how it came to this day. It's nothing you haven't seen already, but a nice touch to keep us on our toes. Although don't get too excited, because the pace of the movie is rather slow.

The actors are great, with one small exception: John Leguiazamo. I like him and I think he's a great (underrated) actor, but in this particular movie he's borderline to annoying. Even if it is a bit part of his role, there is a fine line to portray his character and he seems to have passed that line many miles, making him look a bit like a caricature. The rest of the cast is pretty good.

I'm not going to go into the lighting, but into the framing. Even if you might want the story to move faster, you can't help but love those "pictures" the movie gives you. With a good soundtrack to accompany it, it's in a few details that this movie is missing out on being even better than it is :o)