Not many movies are able to sweep adult viewers off their feet with a story of magic and true love, transporting them to another reality while keeping their eyes glued to the screen. “Winter’s Tale,” a 2014 film spanning the genres of fantasy, romance and mystery, accomplishes this with ease. The film follows the story of a petty thief who falls in love with a dying heiress, setting destiny in motion. Although this film may not be the love story of the year, it offers a fascinating plot and plenty of romance to capture the attention of viewers while pulling on their heartstrings.
An immigrant couple and their son finally reach Manhattan in 1886, but when they are refused entry, they send their son adrift in a small sailboat to float to the city. The story shifts to 1916, when the boy has grown up to become a petty thief named Peter Lake (Colin Farrell). The man who raised him and now employs him is Pearly Soames (Russell Crowe), a gangster who is also a demon. Peter eventually leaves Pearly’s gang and is pursued by a demon gangster, but a beautiful flying spirit horse rescues him. The horse eventually convinces Peter to attempt a burglary on a certain mansion. Peter follows the horse’s advice, but during the burglary he runs into the home owner’s daughter, a young woman named Beverly (Jessica Brown Findlay) who is dying of tuberculosis. The two begin to talk and soon fall madly in love, forcing Pearly to increase his efforts to kill Peter and keep him from Beverly, whom he believes to be Peter’s “miracle.” One night, Pearly devises a scheme to kill Beverly, and she falls dead in Peter’s arms.
After another brutal attack from Pearly, Peter develops amnesia, and he wanders Manhattan for nearly a century, until the year 2014. He meets a girl whose condition is strikingly similar to Beverly’s and befriends the girl’s mother. However, Pearly is still at large, and Peter must choose to fulfill his destiny before the demon destroys him.
This film features great performances by a standout cast, beautiful cinematography and a unique story that combines romance and fantasy in a way that feels genuine to viewers. The chemistry between Colin Farrell and Jessica Brown Findlay is undeniable, creating an attachment for viewers that may cause some tears to well up. Colin Farrell is convincing as a lost, tortured soul, and Russell Crowe plays his role as a vengeful demon with the perfect blend of emotion and intrigue. During the film, viewers find themselves at the edge of their seats as they are immersed in the incredible adventure of Peter Lake and a world not much different from their own.
“Winter’s Tale” is based on a novel of the same name, but the film deviates from the novel in several ways. While the novel does not focus heavily on the romance between Peter and Beverly, their relationship is the focal point of the movie. Also, the lengthy book contains many interesting events and characters that did not make it into the film. This is inevitable given the film’s relatively short run time, but it may upset dedicated fans of the book.
Throughout the story, “Winter’s Tale” expertly weaves in the themes of destiny and true love. Although the initial love story between Peter and Beverly is short-lived, it is this love that shapes the entire movie and the character of Peter, even enabling him to thrive through the centuries. Peter is told early on that he has a “miracle” inside him, a special destiny that he does not truly understand until the film begins to draw to a close. All the while, Pearly Soames attempts to keep Peter from fulfilling his destiny, which would supposedly upset the balance between good and evil. These themes are never hidden or subdued, always playing a prominent, visible role in the story.
Despite its many strengths, “Winter’s Tale” does fall short in some respects. Director Akiva Goldsman attempts to wrap up an incredibly complex story in a short movie, and the result is a somewhat confusing script that often lacks emotion due to its rushed nature. The battle between good and evil is never really explained, and some of the visual effects of the film fall flat. However, the film still manages to be thoroughly entertaining, and the excellent cast makes up for some of the weaknesses in the storytelling.