The Prince of Tides (1991)

Read the book !!!
Like I said in the title read the book, and more of Pat Conroy. And forget about this movie. It only shows two actors, too old for the part playing together and not talking about this great story.

A flawed, but well-done film
Barbra Streisand's second film as a director is also her most successful, most well-liked, and by far her most oscar-nominated. It isn't hard to see why, as the film tackles the near-universal topic of dysfunctional family life, and how it ends up effecting other families as time goes on.

At the same time, this film has many controversies and flaws to it. Many fans of the novel condemn Streisand for totally changing the story around, and attempting to make the movie more about her character, Susan, when originally her role was not quite as central. It is also (agreeably) criticized for implying that revealing a secret repressed with just magically make everything better.

As far as flaws go, most of them come in the form of bad casting and unrealistic performances. The biggest miscast was Barbra's son, Jason Gould, as her son, wannabe football player Bernard. He comes across far too dorky and does not have the proper body to be completely believable as a football player. The other major problem is Barbra Streisand's performance as a psychiatrist. It has to be said that the way she acts is extremely unprofessional behavior for a psychiatrist. Real psychiatrists don't get confrontational, talk to their patients like they are stupid, yell at their patients, and certainly do not become friends with/date their patients. But you could argue that that is just something you need to suspend disbelief on.

Those flaws mentioned and ranted about, there are plenty of strong aspects to the movie. For one, the photography is just stunning, with some stunning scenery, sunsets, and even Barbra Streisand herself, looking very lovely, and difficult to take your eyes off of. Another strong point, perhaps what saves this production, are the fantastic performances. Nick Nolte, Kate Nelligan, and Blythe Danner especially give truly raw performances as complex, emotional, and not always likeable people. But nobody, not even Streisand and her son, gives a terrible performance. Finally, the storyline is very involving and heartbreaking, and even the romance between Nolte and Streisand, while a little more prevalent than it should be, is very touching.

Though nominated for many Academy Awards, it isn't hard to see why it won zero. When watched today, it has the feeling of a Lifetime tv-movie, and I'm sure the Academy felt that what could have been a raw, educational look at psychiatry and coming to terms with your past was made into not much more than a soap opera. But still, this is a very engrossing film that, love it or hate it, will stick with you. Not destined to be a classic, but good nonetheless.

A flawed, but well-done film
Barbra Streisand's second film as a director is also her most successful, most well-liked, and by far her most oscar-nominated. It isn't hard to see why, as the film tackles the near-universal topic of dysfunctional family life, and how it ends up effecting other families as time goes on.

At the same time, this film has many controversies and flaws to it. Many fans of the novel condemn Streisand for totally changing the story around, and attempting to make the movie more about her character, Susan, when originally her role was not quite as central. It is also (agreeably) criticized for implying that revealing a secret repressed with just magically make everything better.

As far as flaws go, most of them come in the form of bad casting and unrealistic performances. The biggest miscast was Barbra's son, Jason Gould, as her son, wannabe football player Bernard. He comes across far too dorky and does not have the proper body to be completely believable as a football player. The other major problem is Barbra Streisand's performance as a psychiatrist. It has to be said that the way she acts is extremely unprofessional behavior for a psychiatrist. Real psychiatrists don't get confrontational, talk to their patients like they are stupid, yell at their patients, and certainly do not become friends with/date their patients. But you could argue that that is just something you need to suspend disbelief on.

Those flaws mentioned and ranted about, there are plenty of strong aspects to the movie. For one, the photography is just stunning, with some stunning scenery, sunsets, and even Barbra Streisand herself, looking very lovely, and difficult to take your eyes off of. Another strong point, perhaps what saves this production, are the fantastic performances. Nick Nolte, Kate Nelligan, and Blythe Danner especially give truly raw performances as complex, emotional, and not always likeable people. But nobody, not even Streisand and her son, gives a terrible performance. Finally, the storyline is very involving and heartbreaking, and even the romance between Nolte and Streisand, while a little more prevalent than it should be, is very touching.

Though nominated for many Academy Awards, it isn't hard to see why it won zero. When watched today, it has the feeling of a Lifetime tv-movie, and I'm sure the Academy felt that what could have been a raw, educational look at psychiatry and coming to terms with your past was made into not much more than a soap opera. But still, this is a very engrossing film that, love it or hate it, will stick with you. Not destined to be a classic, but good nonetheless.