raisishini I have recently seen the movie on television, and after the first time, I found myself compelled to rent the movie, so I did. I find the characters Joseph and Eva to be utterly captivating. The cinematography of the film perfectly captured their passion, their desire, their unextinguishable love. Lee Ross perfectly played the character Harry Flite in regards to capturing the character's desperation, and maddening obsession. Ross captured the character so perfectly that it made me despise the character. With all this said and done, I found the ending to be one of two things, thus bringing me to an undecisive state. Other than that, the movie is a must see for the melancholic ambiance of the film is undeniable.

drea_b I was sad to look in a store and know that I couldn't purchase this film because they didn't have it.This was a wonderful film, not in the sense that is was happy and cheery, but in the sense that it brought you into the heart and soul of three people.Samantha Morton was extraordinary in her role as Eva, the young woman torn between the love of her life, Joseph Lees (Rupert Graves) and the man she is obliged to (Lee Ross). Her passion and yearning for Joseph grows over the years, but she feels that she is obliged to Harry because he is madly in love with her and she has, in his eyes, has returned the same kind of love to him. When she finally reunites with Joseph her life is turned upside down and her heart is given the ultimate chance to be truly happy. She is torn between her duties and her heart, and Ms.Morton effectively shows this in her expressions.Rupert Graves and Lee Ross are equally extraordinary in their roles. This film really beautiful and I think everyone should watch.

Graham Hughes Plotless, pointless, tediously dull and lifeless. This film is a serious contender for the worst film that Britain has ever made. It is therefore no surprise to see Samantha Morton, the actress in the equally dreadful Brit-flick Under the Skin (1997), takes the leading role. Whereas dreadful Hollywood fodder like Showgirls, Battlefield Earth and Wild Wild West have some (although not many) redeeming features, Joseph Lees has none. It's not even fun to watch as a bad film. It starts off awful and then declines from there. It's the celluloid equivalent of Japanese water torture.Why is it so bad? Well, it is the sum of its parts. The direction is pedestrian, the acting is rotten, the script is dull, the story is predictable, the setting is miserable and all the characters do is mope around for two hours looking depressed. However, it is the sheer pointlessness of it all that deals the crushing blow. There is nobody to root for, nobody you can equate to, nobody to really care about. There is no humour, no emotion, no life, no empathy and nothing to make you want to watch it to the end.Imagine sitting for in an empty bar being spoken at by somebody incredibly boring and utterly unlikeable about something you do not care about. They talk in a dull, monotone voice, and after two painfully slow hours, they get up mid-sentence and leave without saying goodbye, even though you had the decency to sit there a waste a couple of hours of your life listening to their inane little tale.It would be more enjoyable to sit through all eight hours of Andy Warhol's lesson in pointless film-making, Empire, without a toilet break. Why the producers saw fit to spend the limited resources of the British film industry to make a godawful film that nobody would want to see boggles the mind. The only use for this film would be to show film students in a 'How Not To Make Movies' class. Avoid at all costs.

AZINDN Again, the Brits show off their capacity for quality adult drama, story lines not dummied down for public consumption, and actors whose ability to shine in roles without special effects, gratuitous nudity, and oversize lips makes this film a viewing delight. Rupert Graves is an actor whose face reflects emotional pain and sensuality in equal amounts. He is a treasure in this film. Stories of human dilema, period costumes, and location interiors add to the brilliant presentation.