The Hours (2002)

Three different women, three different decades are connected by the novel MRS. DALLOWAY by Virginia Woolf. In 1920s England, Woolf (Nicole Kidman) suffering from a bipolar disorder struggles to write her novel MRS. DALLOWAY. In the 1950s, a California housewife (Julianne Moore) feels trapped in an unhappy marriage and has thoughts of suicide. In 2001 Manhattan, an editor (Meryl Streep) takes care of her dying friend (Ed Harris) and former lover. Based on the Pulitzer prize winning novel by Michael Cunningham and directed by Stephen Daldry. This is a beautifully crafted film with an emotional punch and complex characters impeccably played by a first rate cast and some extraordinary performances. I remember seeing it for the first time in December 2002 with a friend and when it was over, we were both so overwhelmed that we literally couldn't speak. 16 years later, it still delivers. David Hare's screenplay is literate and concise without ever crossing over into pretentiousness. Mention must be made of the superb Philip Glass score which is as much a part of the film's fabric as its screenplay and performances. The impeccable cast includes Allison Janney, Miranda Richardson, Jeff Daniels, Eileen Atkins, Claire Danes, Toni Collette, John C. Reilly, Margo Martindale, Stephen Dillane and Jack Rovello.