The Age of Innocence

It is clear to me why this film from Martin Scorsese’s filmography is not talked about much. In terms of its story, The Age of Innocence is unbelievably boring, and the only thing that salvages it is the way Scorsese filmed it. Michelle Pfeiffer’s story might have been the most interesting thing in the whole movie. But that’s still not enough to turn this into a good film. Just imagine that the movie you’re watching is not set in New York but in the English countryside and the level of its blandness becomes clear. This movie aspired to give me a visual brain lobotomy. (30/11/2014)

Formally precise, but reprehensibly shallow and uninteresting in content. Lewis and Pfeiffer have a lot of feeling, as do masters Scorsese and Bernstein, but due to its emotional coldness and excessive runtime, I unfortunately can't view the film as anything other than an educational glimpse into the lives of the social elite of the 18th century. And the fact that it is a very believable and visually impressive glimpse doesn't change that. Not even the best director could have saved this romance. 65% (10/01/2014)

A historical costume melodrama about the unfulfilled love of two members of New York's high society in the second half of the 19th century. Although there are objections in the comments regarding its length and "emptiness and dullness," I personally don't think that the weakness of the film lies in the quality of the screenplay and its execution. In fact, such careful psychological characterization and well-thought-out story structure are certainly not often seen. Thanks to the budget and Scorsese's directorial skills, The Age of Innocence is a truly impressive depiction of the life of the bourgeois elite, starting with the ladies' wardrobe and ending with the grandeur of bourgeois residences. Yes, this film does not rush anywhere, and you must look for adventure, eroticism, or tension in other genres and titles. But this is not Scorsese's or his team's fault. My detachment and more modest evaluation are rather of an "ideological" nature. I simply don't feel well among those chatty snobs, hypocrites, and manipulators. I have no sympathy for the central couple either, who ultimately decided their own fate. If you decide to sell yourself for a noble title and meet the expectations of your family and social conventions, you must also sacrifice something, at least personal freedom and emotional fulfillment. They both had a choice, no doubt about it, but they couldn't overcome the limits of their social class. They sold themselves, and it apparently didn't hurt Newland much. Scorsese looks at his calculating bourgeois characters with a kind understanding rather than stabbing and biting, as social-critical authors would. In his interpretation, it is more of a romantic story of unhappy love than a social drama about period-class morality. I would gladly watch this story again but in the style of Guy de Maupassant... Overall impression: 65%. (15/01/2014)

If you like Scorsese's direction (which can be distinctive even in a costume historical drama) and can appreciate the performances of Daniel-Day Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer, you'll be pleased. After all, The Age of Innocence is no highbrow Scorsese, but rather a slow-moving tale from the "better class of society" about transcending the social conventions of the time. The period atmosphere of New York in the second half of the 19th century is of course excellent, but that's kind of what we expect from Martin Scorsese. And yet even despite a fairly linear story, it's still a very watchable affair, and that's mainly because of the acting, the period sets, and the excellent soundtrack. (07/01/2019)

The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel served as the template for a beautiful costume melodrama set in a time when morality was a priority above all else. The sweet times of booming New York are embellished by the actors' feel-good performances. Day-Lewis and Pfeiffer love each other more than their century can bear. And poor little Ryder has to face it all without giving anything away. The slow pace matches the time period shown, there is plenty of time for each visit to the salon or the opera, and there is only one thing to do - to be moved. (25/05/2018)