Moral Assessment + Abhorrent + + Disturbing + + + Acceptable + + + + Wholesome + + + + + Exemplary Technical Assessment • Poor • • Below average • • • Average • • • • Above average • • • • • Excellent CINEMA Rating Guide VA For viewers of all ages V13 For viewers age 13 and below with parental guidance V14 For viewers 14 and above V18 For mature viewers 18 and above NP Not for public viewing

Title: POSSESSION Running Time:  88 min Lead Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart, Jeremy Northam, Jennifer Ehle, Lena Headey, Holly Aird, Toby Stephens, Trevor Eve, To Hickey Director:  Neil LaBute Producers: Len Amato, David Barron Screenwriters: A.S. Byatt, David Henry Hwang Music: Gabriel Yared Editor:  Claire Simpson Genre: Romance Cinematography:  Jean-Yves Escoffier Distributor: Warner Brothers Location:  England Technical Assessment:  • • • • Moral Assessment:  + + + CINEMA Rating:   For viewers age 14 and above   Roland Michell (Aaron Eckhart) is an American scholar, on a fellowship in London to research further on his chosen author/poet, Randolph Henry Ash (Jeremy Northam) who served as Queen Victoria's poet laureate about a hundred years ago.  He discovers what appears to be letters from Ash to a lady poet, Christabel LaMotte (Jennifer Ehle).   This makes him decide to pursue available data along this line. Roland is led to the most authoritative person on LaMotte, Maud Bailey (Gwyneth Paltrow), who at first doesn't think much of the discovery. However, as they follow the available data trail, they uncover a heretofore-unknown connection of love and passion between the two that led to unforeseen consequences. In the process of their work to unravel the Randolph-Christabal relationship, Roland and Maud begin to discover themselves and how they feel about each other.  Would they be able to let go of the barriers they have put up between them? The story of the two couples—one contemporary and the other of a hundred years ago—unravel in parallel sequences. As Roland and Maud relate to each other in their mutually developing feelings, their progressive discoveries about the writers are flashed onscreen, showing the stages of their romance. This device is effective and interesting showing how the two couples are different, yet similar in certain aspects. Director LaBute is adept in handling the transitions from the present to the past, and back to the present again. In this way he gives equal time and importance to the two stories, which are both interesting.  The acting is distinct and effective for each of the characters portrayed. Possession begins with a modern day romance and its progress all through the film.  It includes a short-lived illicit affair, with its moments of pleasure and happiness, and the series of tragedies and heartaches that follow.  There is the portrayal of a lesbian relationship and the events that bring it to an end. One of the tragedies shown is a suicide and the events that cause it.  In the culture of the period and the value given to marriage and family, the attempt of a wife to preserve the home, as dictated by the given situation, is visually described.  The above negative actions and the consequent results may be missed because of the technically and artistically well-made film, which is a pleasure to watch.   (Date reviewed: October 18, 2002)