Some have commented it is imperative to have previously read the novel Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf before viewing Stephen Daldry's film The Hours, but I don't believe this is the case at all. Although I'm slightly familiar with the writer, I hadn't even heard of the book beforehand, and I still found the movie to be as rewarding and as enthralling as any intelligent, praiseworthy work I've seen in recent years. If anything, I'd be curious to perhaps watch it again after having read the book in order to spot even more of the details and clues throughout.
I use the word 'clues', because The Hours is an intricate, interlinking piece between three storylines. All have something to do with Mrs. Dalloway, and director Stephen Daldry inserts little hints and visual stimulae to connect them. The first plotline features Virginia Woolf herself (Nicole Kidman), circa 1923 through to her death in 1941. Here, we see depicted the real life events that would inspire her to write her famous novel. The second subplot takes place in 1951, where a housewife in smalltown America (Julianne Moore, as Laura Brown), ends up making some life-changing decisions based on what she aborbs in her reading ofMrs. Dalloway. The third subplot takes place in the present day in New York City, where a well-to-do woman named Clarissa Vaughn (Meryl Streep) is raising a daughter (Claire Danes) with her partner (Allison Janney). As we discover more plot points from the novel, we realize Clarissa herself is a kind of modern day Mrs. Dalloway.
Suffice to say, all the pistons need to be firing for a story like this to work. The timelines need to be clearly established, the writing crisp and the pace impeccable. That is certainly the case here. David Hare steps into the filmwriting circle after years of output for television and the stage with bold results. His adaptation of Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is a tricky balancing act that never goes astray. The principal characters are allocated three different storylines that manage to overlap thematically and resonate with subtle echoes. It's like watching a film unfold through a reflection, giving it both beauty and mysticism.
The performances range from very good to exceptional. Julianne Moore brings a quiet turmoil to not one but two roles, Ed Harris squeaked out a Supporting Actor nomination for his turn as Clarissa Vaughn's AIDS-stricken friend Richard Brown, and Meryl Streep proves she remains the premiere actress of our time. There is a scene inside a kitchen that is a perfect example of one of those no holds barred performances you rarely experience. Streep's control is impeccable here. There's also some great appearances by Toni Collette as Laura Brown's curious next door neighbour, John C. Reilly as Brown's doting husband, and the lovely Claire Danes has one of those touching scenes that could easily come off poorly but hits just the right note. Only Nicole Kidman, who managed to woo the Academy into a Best Actress award, seems out of place here, although, to be fair, the dated aspect to her character makes it the most challenging of the three lead roles.
It would be tempting to say The Hours is about life and how we live it, or about death and suicide, or about writing, or about lesbianism. True, the film touches on these subjects but it's also about much more. Naysaying critics have decried the lapses in linkage between the three time periods, but my guess would be they are looking for closure to the plotlines, where a more traditional story might spell it all out neatly. Upon closer examination, Laura, Clarissa and Virginia all do experience resolution to their crises in the small details and echoes that Daldry provides. This is an intellectually satisfying film that enthralls with its tapestry of details and a vision of immensely clever grandeur.
