dunsuls-1 Warning,it will be hard to find this film so understand what you are looking for.This film was released in 2001 and runs but 90 minutes and was re-released in 2006 under the new title of "Solders of change"Both titles are somewhat misleading as the story is more then family love of art (the painting) or the Vietnam war(Soldiers of change).That looked over or otherwise missed gem of a unknown film. Perhaps it was my interest in Albert Coombs Barnes's art collection in Philly that led me to this film,again not really similar BUT there are connections in a layered way.Ah,Layers !!!!!This film has many and thats the thing and also maybe a turn off to the great masses.So now that we have 3 layers to draw on,let us begin. Told in flashback by a soldier in Vietnam we learn of a rich southern white family of the 50's era whose father collects artwork as a passion as he made a good life for himself in Newspapers and hiring blacks workers right as the civil rights movement is beginning.( Barnes in a round about way).He had only one son and his wife dies during a storm, in a car accident while the boy,NOW the soldier,was but a young boy. The "butler".a black man,is almost more of a father to the boy than his real father who is absorbed in work maybe because he has to be,or because he's alone after the wife's death. At any rate,the young lad meets the butlers young niece at a black church mass and well,a friendship grows through the next 10 or so years to a love affair.Through that period we see the civil rights violence with no holes bared truth,as the film had a very tame almost whimsy feel to that point.Then it gets a bit more dark as the boy is sent to West Point but is kicked out and then marries his brown sugar and then is drafted as his now wife is pregnant.Here we a few draft era errors like marriage,but they are so small and not labored that you can forgive them.Bottom line is the father has lost him through his own misguided fears and the boy is more principled than any rich kids YOU ever met.Still they do miss each other and wish they had a way to swallow their silly stupid pride and re-connect.Here's were a film error is also made.Film makers should NOT let a character tell a story in flashback unless they say its from the grave or you can tell it yourself early on.The boy you see never comes home or sees his young daughter other than through pictures. Still a forgivable point as his death does set in motion a interesting reconciliation from the grave.Yes I cried at the end. The story,for only the rich can make change without a full revolution and that is the legacy of our 1960's.The white middle class in the guise of the children, forced the change as the fires in the streets were beginning to be lit.Interracial love,a taboo,but a powerful tool like none seen before is the true catalyst of that period and this film may be somewhat awkward in trying to show this along with all the other layers on its plate ,but try it does. So finally why see this film?? Again my 3 layers.One,in this film,blacks will get the art collection finally and unlike in the Barnes true historic story where they messed it up and Philly controls it today.Two,the 60's war in Vietnam was EVERYBODYS war because of a draft,not just the very few who volunteer as in todays wars and finally a love story that ends tragically BUT in the noblest of way.Romance only a few ever attain. Must see,with tissues and wait,if you let the whimsy pass,you will cry.The cast,lesser knowns for the most part,but they do honor to the heavy ideals of this deep film.

drh-8 When are people like jkdeboer (does that mean "the bore"? - it SHOULD!) going to sit back and enjoy a good story? And WHY, may I ask, have IMDb chosen to put THAT lousy comment on the movie's home page? Fortunately, I was somewhat surprised by ms DeBoer's comments and elected to read a few more rather than just take hers as typical! First of all, let's remember that this is NOT a star-studded movie spectacular. It is a fictitious story based around the popular urban myth about a rich man dying and his art collection being auctioned. If you haven't heard the story, I won't spoil the movie for you by telling it here. Mind you, if you have heard the story, then the end of the movie won't be any surprise either! But who cares? It is a nice wholesome movie and, as such, is pleasant entertainment.I could pick some holes in the acting (particularly Charles Shaughnessy's - he should have stuck to comedy!) but, again, what would that achieve? I guess there are those people in this world who simply enjoy rubbishing other people's efforts - although, I suspect if they had to make a movie themselves, they couldn't do nearly as well as those they tear apart! I have the movie on DVD and am happy to have it as part of my collection. So, people, if you have been put off by Miss DeBoer's irate rantings, just ignore them and watch The Painting anyway!

Honey I think the movie was very beautiful. They both loved each other, and held onto that loved, and pursued it despite the odds that faced them both. It just goes to show that sometimes love CAN conquer all. I think he was a compassionate and remarkable man. It showed in his ability to love his wife, to stand up for his friends, his beliefs, and most importantly, his decision to give his life to save that little girl. It was sad that he died though. I always hold a special place in my heart for movies that try to portray love with no boundaries! I have been in interracial relationships, and i have a biracial child. I am open to love, no matter the race, because you never know who you will love until it happens to you. I think that is one of the main points this movie was trying to get across! Peace and Blessings

rsgallo I was so grateful to be present at the Premiere of this movie in Kansas City. I went, thinking the worst that could happen was being bored for a couple of hours. Well, just the opposite happened. This movie was so outstanding, I was taken by surprise. It was so well done. This movie is both a chick flick and a guy flick, very rare now days. It pulls you into the movie, gently, sweetly inviting you into the character's lives. I fell so in love with the people in the movie, they were real, it showed them for the good and the weaknesses, but you cared for them as you would a dear friend or a relative. What happened to each of them deeply affected me as I came to care more and more deeply for them.The camera work was stunning too. It was like the camera was having a love affair with the actors, the sets and the surroundings. The movie would especially be powerful to those who were born in the late 1940's or early 1950's, so many events that were shown were events, I myself had lived through, which made them even more personal in nature. If anyone has been to Vietnam, I definitely recommend this movie. It is one of the few movies where Vietnam vets were really honored. I could not recommend this movie highly enough. I hope and pray everyone will get to see this movie. It is very real, very thought provoking, very deep, very good....