The English Patient
starring Ralph Fiennes, Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas
While watching this movie I was annoyed by the characters, and it wasn't until several days afterwards that I realised that allowing myself to by this facet of the movie masked the beauty of the overall story. The plot is thick with intrigue and love - at the same time. And while Ralph Fiennes character was hard to sympathise with, it doesn't diminish the tragic nature of the story that unfolds.
A plane crashes in the desert and the only survivor is a badly burned man who becomes known as the "english patient". He is lucky enough to have a genuinely caring nurse who seeks to make his final days as comfortable as possible. The patient however has a compelling story that unravels and brings some unrest to the house.
We see the patient (Fiennes) as an explorer and adventurer at heart. He is not personable or gregarious in the slightest, and it is with some surprise that we see him falling in love with the partner of a colleague. The inevitable heartache that this causes drives much of the movie, but it is much more than just a love story (or two). Good viewing. 8/10