The Whole Wide World

This is a nice movie, nicely shot and well-acted, but there was some kind of lack of depth to it that kept me from liking it more. A problem for me was that we learn so little about Robert E. Howard. We don't learn much about his writing in the movie either. The movie begins when he is already regularly being published in the pulps. We don't really learn anything about events prior to that. We don't know much about his relationship with his mother and father, or his two male friends. Everything is pretty much from Novalyne's knowledge of him, and while I understand that the film was based on her memoirs of him, I wish other sources about his life had been delved into. Perhaps not much more is known, in which case I suppose it is better or fairer not to speculate.

I stumbled on this sad little romance by accident a while ago. The story is a trifle: mostly syrupy and sentimentally forced. But I thought the ending was very sad and heartbreaking. It enabled me to view the film again and rethink it. It worked for me on the second viewing; I found out this is a true story, based on a memoir by Novalyne Price about her brief love affair with Robert E. Howard. It is honest and truthful, with superb performances by Renee Zelleweger and especially Vincent D'Onofrio. The film deserves to be seen more than once to fully appreciate it.

This film covers themes of how people are creative and, also, how love can fade - the demands the odd writer makes on the more conventional school teacher who is intrigued by him are too great for her, although she tries - it is her own wish to be a writer that leads her to him shamelessly - and it is mixed in with her dream of who she might be. d'Onofrio turns in a convincing performance - and despite the oddness of the writer he portrays, we are charmed by him - no mean feat. and i think Renee Zelwenger gives one of the best performances i've seen from her - without that cutesy stuff she does aimed at seducing men. it is as good as she was in Cold Mountain. This is not a big screen film,however, and yet it is powerful for all that.

It's a good film, but it's absolutely painful to watch, as you repeatedly wish they'd put aside their insecurities and get together. The best screen kiss in recent memory is in this film and it gives you a taste of the power they would've had if they would've always stayed together, instead of straying alone. One of the most emotionally abusive films of the last year, it's more of a realistic romance instead of the perfect one featured in films such as "You've Got Mail". This and many other films serve as a reminder that most great romances are not without torturous actions from both halves.

Before I saw this movie a few years ago, I had never heard of "Robert E Howard". Since then, I've educated myself on who Robert E Howard was...and who Novalynn was. He was extraordinary and she drank him up. It's incredible that someone took her book and made a movie out of the story. Even more incredible is how perfectly it was all orchestrated. The characters were fantastic (Especially Vincent DiOnofrio). The script was great, the filmwork was beautiful, the timing was right on. I will never grow tired of this movie. And I'll continue to turn it onto whoever comes over to my house and hasn't seen it yet. The Whole Wide World is a masterpiece!