Nell

I bought the DVD of this film, which I was completely unaware of, because of a review I accidentally came across. Jodie Foster's performance as Nell made an almost incredible character totally believable. How she didn't get an Oscar for her performance says more about the Oscars than about the enormous range and empathy of this superb actress.She was assisted by a wonderful complementary and vulnerable performance from Liam Neesom and the sensitive exploration of a very difficult subject by Michael Apted. I found myself crying without immediately understanding why. I then realised that the film had plumbed the depths of my humanity to levels I did not realise existed. It confronted the question of what it is to be a fully individual human being going beyond our place in a so called civilised society to our almost instinctive spiritual responses to the natural world and to relationship. This is a truly deep and rewarding film which deserves a wide audience. My only criticism is that the transition to Nell's independence was hurried towards the end in the interests of dramatic denouement.

It's easy to point out the flaws in "Nell". The sub plots that are left to waste, the "Taster's Choice" ending, and above all, failing to delve deeper into the psyche of Nell instead of dwelling too much on scenery and loose shots. Too easy. But let's concentrate on the good. And there is much to love about this movie, not in the least Fosters brilliant acting. I remember when I saw this movie in the theater for the first time, I was totally convinced by her acting. During the entire movie I never doubted for a second that Foster was "Nell". This is the best compliment I could give any actress or actor.

Not believable. So many of these "wild person" movies have been done, from Tarzan to Crocodile Dundee, that we know what to expect of them...nothing believable, and nothing to learn from. Characters in other movies have been suckled by wolves, raised to swing from vines like apes, to fight crocodiles by the Australian Aborigines, raised by Indians and taught to dance with wolves, who knows what else? The only thing is, it could never happen. Raised by people in other societies, yes, but children raised without contact with any other people, it's impossible. Nell, if she had been living like the story has us believe, would have matted hair, filthy skin that was callused from head to toe, and she would be eating caterpillars and bark, not the groceries that were delivered to her door every week. And if the grocer knew where she was living, so would everybody else. Who pays the grocer? Why is she wearing shoes that fit? Why is her skin so soft and smooth? Why does her sister have to be an identical twin to make their own language...she could just as easily be a cousin. The thing that bothers me the most is that the average hillbilly in the mountains of North Carolina are much worse off than she is, and yet she is the one with new clean clothes and perfect teeth, while they are the ones with none. You want to make a movie about hillbillies in NC, then just go into the woods and film an average family in those hills, you don't need to drag Jodie Foster in with 25 makeup artists to hide blemishes. We have her in a cabin near a road that some local bikers have found. Are they the first people who ever stumbled on that cabin? The US government has surveyed every square inch of land in this country, and census takers know where every cabin or shack is. I have 28 acres in a part of the Adirondacks that are every bit as remote as the hills of NC, and when I tried sneaking a cabin in there, within a week I had the Town Officials up there wanting to see my permit. The movie is impossible.

Nell is one of those movies that captivated me in so many ways for so many reasons. It is powerful, poetic and astonishingly beautiful with a beautiful message and an overwhelming use of angelic material that makes my heart ache from how wonderful the attributes that this film tries to get across to it's audience are. The story is a bit familiar, yet they add so much pizazz that it makes it seem fresh and brand new. It really does handle all the subject matter so well and it is exquisitely executed. The directing and writing were amazing, and I thought the performances in particular were absolutely brilliant. Jodie Foster gave such character, life and believability to Nell that I don't think anyone else could have gave any better; she is truly spectacular and deserved that Oscar nomination, maybe even the win. The characters are well done and really likable for the performances and screenplay behind them so you actually care for them, which is what more movies need to try and do; make you care for the characters. Like I said, Nell is dramatic to the point where it's painful, in a good way, sort of, to watch this woman's innocent, undisturbed life play out and unfold, and you wish for anything that you can just make everyone see her point of view and you really hope everything pulls through for this brilliant character in the end. Nell definitely makes us wonder who are the real monsters of this world. The cinematography is excellent also and I found myself completely caught up in how awe-inspiring everything in the movie is at times, whether it's the cinematography, characters or story, which the story is absolutely gripping and fascinating, if you have not caught that by now. Nell seems to be a really overlooked film because most people do not see it for it's full potential of delight and cleverness. It has a few fans, but I never hear any talk of how wonderful it is from anyone. I thought it was excellent, and an astonishing watch, no, adventure, that I would love to live out again sometime soon.

Young woman named Nell, raised in total isolation in the backwoods of North Carolina by her mother (who had suffered strokes before her death and inadvertently taught her daughter an idiosyncratic form of English) is discovered by a well-meaning doctor who hopes to understand her; unfortunately, other doctors with eyes on their careers get involved and, figuring Nell to be a mentally backward wild child, bring science into the equation. Intrinsically, the film is about how civilization corrupts our innate innocence, yet the movie is really a bit condescending to the medical profession to suggest today's scientists (and journalists) are only interested in basic assimilation and not the human spirit. If this is indicative of today's society--and that the message is we'd all be better off living like Nell--it doesn't provide much enlightenment. The picture has a cold, flat look, and I grew very tired of Natasha Richardson as a doctor who initially would like to see the girl act like just like the rest of us (all she ever seems to ask is, "So what are we gonna do about Nell?"). On the other hand, Jodie Foster goes for broke in the lead, allowing her whole self to be expressive, particularly her lovely hands. It's a sensitive, memorable performance by the actress, who deserved her Oscar nomination, yet the picture itself disappoints, going around in a rather beleaguered circle. ** from ****

Normally I love Jodie Foster, but this film is a total misfire that is little more than a gender reversal on Forrest Gump. Foster plays an uneducated backwoods woman, who is "discovered" following the death of her guardian and becomes the cause celebre for dueling medicos Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson, who debate about whether she should be institutionalized or allowed to remain in isolation. It is a potentially interesting story, but it goes south once one realizes that the film is infinitely more interested in utilizing Nell as some sort of wise-beyond-her-years E.T., who will ultimately bring everyone around her together, rather than examining the world from her perspective. As with many films now, it is in desperate need of editing and the length is unreasonable. Foster is initially amazing as a woman who speaks a language all her own, but there is nothing to the role beyond the initial impression. She spends the majority of the film twirling, speaking gibberish and taking skinnydips. One certainly has to admire her fearlessness in these moments, as she truly gives an air of being uninhibited and innocent. Ironically, director Apted misses few opportunities to denude his leading lady, but when the story conspires a reason for the strapping Neeson to shed his clothes, tellingly Apted suddenly becomes coy with showing nudity. Neeson and Richardson are both fine, but they are stuck in cardboard roles with little dimension. A total waste of time.

Having never seen this film before, I "stumbled" on to it this morning about 10 minutes after it started on A&E and was so mesmerized that I watched the whole movie, and really liked it! It is well acted (Jodie Foster is INCREDIBLE), as is Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson, and it's just an all around GOOD movie. I recommend it very highly, and stopped short of giving it a "10" because it didn't have one of those neat what-happened-to-her title-over endings, though the ending IS a good one.

The only prize that the usually excellent Jodie Foster deserved for her performance in the God-awful "Nell" was a Booby Prize, not an Oscar nomination. The movie and her performance are both cloying, manipulative embarassments. I sat through the whole precious, fey, numbingly predictable piece of claptrap, dumbfounded that this normally intelligent and thoughtful actress could have experienced such an extended bout of temporary insanity as was needed to give this particular performance. Everyone's entitled to mistakes, I guess. The jaw-dropping thing is that some people actually like this movie, and not just as camp! By the way, it also features Liam Neeson at his most constipated, and Natasha Richardson's along for the ride too, though its hard to notice either of them while Jodie's so busy making funny faces and gurgling.

It was a great and simple story. Simply about a woman raised in the wild, unable to speak proper english due to her mothers stroke and she is trying to be brought into "civilisation". Neeson and Foster are the stars of this film!! Not just because of their star status but they really showed talent in this film. Foster is brilliant as the vulnerable but independent Nell and Neeson is great as her "guardian angel". This film has its funny bits but the ending... well if youre dead sensitive, get the tissues out. When Nell speaks in the courts, I was causing a flood!!!! I give it a 10/10. Definetly one to keep forever. Helen xxxxx

The film is especially upsetting because it has a mature theme or adult tone, and it has been rated 12 as a parental guidance and I was watching it with my 12 years old daughter and it is not suitable for 12 or 12A rate but NETFLIX failure in this point. I don't like the movie at all, very annoying and boring to watch it. Loads of naked scenes making no sense. Liam Neeson performance is mediocre and the scene where he come naked to the lake to make a possible contact with Nell, I found complete nonsense. I expect more from the movie and the only good performance was from Jodie Foster, but the language they choose for her to perform is really annoying and difficult to watch until the end, but I did just to write this review. I am not recommend.