Even though I have never read any of Sylvia Plath's poetry I did get a pedestrian view point of this talented artist and I have heard from others that this doesn't have anything to show that lovers of Plath didn't know already. With that, this film has a dandy performance by Gwyneth Paltrow. Story is of course about Sylvia Plath (Paltrow) and the film starts out with Plath already a student at Cambridge in England and she has already had a few poems printed in books with so-so reviews. One night at a party she meets Ted Hughes (Daniel Craig) who has already become well known with his poetry and Sylvia seemingly has fallen in love at first sight. They talk and flirt and when Ted tries to leave they share a kiss and she bites him on the cheek. They become a couple and eventually get married. She tells him from the start that she has tried suicide in the past but Ted thinks of her as being a very passionate person. They travel to the United States and go visit Sylvia's mother Aurelia Plath (Blythe Danner) in Massachusetts. Its there that Aurelia warns Ted of Sylvia and that he had better not hurt her. They buy a cottage back in England where they both concentrate on they're poetry but Sylvia is having a hard time writing. In the meantime, Ted has become very famous and has eclipsed her in terms of fame. Sylvia starts becoming more depressed and is jealous of every move that Ted makes. She thinks that he is having an affair with the wife of an acquaintance and her behavior becomes hostile and erratic. Sylvia finds out that she is right. Ted has been having an affair and Sylvia and their two kids move out. Sylvia tries to get on with her life and her poems start becoming popular and she tells her agent Al Alvarez (Jared Harris) that she wants to have an affair with him. Al is stunned and lets her know that its not going to happen.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Sylvia tells Ted that she forgives him and wants to try and make they're marriage work but Ted lets her know that the other woman is pregnant. Sylvia puts milk and bread in the bedrooms of her children and seals the door shut. She than goes into the kitchen and turns on the gas and ultimately commits suicide. This film was directed by Christine Jeffs and its only her second effort as a director. Jeffs direction is capable and she does a good job of allowing the viewers to hear Plath's poetry either by Paltrow reading it in certain scenes or by having it as part of the narration. During the scene where Plath commits suicide Jeffs shows a visual flare that gives us a sense that Plath might be happier in death. While I don't think the film does anything extraordinary in the way it tells this story, I do think the film is enhanced greatly by a very strong performance by Paltrow. She lets us know right from the start that her poetry is the most important thing in her life and when she reads the bad reviews her anger and pain are very evident. Paltrow seemingly allows herself to be absorbed by the passion and pain of Sylvia. I think this is her best performance yet and I consider it a much better performance than her Oscar winning role in "Shakespeare in Love". While Jeffs direction gives off only a few sparkles of style, its Paltrow's believable performance that give this film the lift it needs.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Sylvia tells Ted that she forgives him and wants to try and make they're marriage work but Ted lets her know that the other woman is pregnant. Sylvia puts milk and bread in the bedrooms of her children and seals the door shut. She than goes into the kitchen and turns on the gas and ultimately commits suicide. This film was directed by Christine Jeffs and its only her second effort as a director. Jeffs direction is capable and she does a good job of allowing the viewers to hear Plath's poetry either by Paltrow reading it in certain scenes or by having it as part of the narration. During the scene where Plath commits suicide Jeffs shows a visual flare that gives us a sense that Plath might be happier in death. While I don't think the film does anything extraordinary in the way it tells this story, I do think the film is enhanced greatly by a very strong performance by Paltrow. She lets us know right from the start that her poetry is the most important thing in her life and when she reads the bad reviews her anger and pain are very evident. Paltrow seemingly allows herself to be absorbed by the passion and pain of Sylvia. I think this is her best performance yet and I consider it a much better performance than her Oscar winning role in "Shakespeare in Love". While Jeffs direction gives off only a few sparkles of style, its Paltrow's believable performance that give this film the lift it needs.