"The Cider House Rules" is a wonderful film with excellent production values and a super cast. It's a coming of age story that lacks the sticky sweetness so commonly found in movies of that type, instead choosing to hit the viewer with a solid dose of ugly reality.
This is not to suggest that the movie does not have its light moments -- it does, but that the happiness present in the film is not unmixed with sadness or loss.
Tobey Maguire (of "Pleasantville" fame) stars as Homer Wells, an orphan left up for adoption in a secluded Maine institute. Having been adopted and returned, Homer is raised by the orphanage's staff and trained by its only doctor, played by Michael Caine.
Set during the height of World War II, Homer's journey is from a childhood existence of black and white to an adult life filled with moral shadings.
I don't think it's giving anything away to tell you that at one point "Cider House" deals with apples. The comparison between Homer's dawning understanding and the biblical consumption of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge is a strong thread throughout the second portion of the film and acts nicely as a sort of dramatic illustration of Homer's condition.
While the writing in the movie is certainly very good, the story itself is somewhat disjointed when taken to the screen. The fact that portions of the plot take place in two separate locations simultaneously and the confusion regarding who is the protagonist (both Maguire and Caine's characters are likely candidates) are both weak points that hold the audience a step back from the world of the film.
While this skipping around does provide a sense of distance, the actors themselves do an amazing job of drawing the viewer in. Michael Caine, of course, does a superb job of portraying the admirable and pathetic Doctor Larch. Tobey Maguire proves that he is still the ultimate nice guy, but adds another layer -- confident at times but vastly confused at others.
Maguire's portrayal of Homer is the biggest drawing point of the movie, for he renders an entirely sympathetic presence for the audience but also makes it real. Homer is a great person, but not perfect.
The best performance was turned in by Charlize Theron, who plays the love interest Candy Kendal. Kendal is both deeply vulnerable and independent. Like real people, the characters of the film are filled with seemingly opposite qualities, but somehow everything meshes.
Although there were a lot of deep issues that came to the fore during "Cider House," one thing struck me more than anything. Homer Wells eventually gets work as a migrant "apple technician" and every morning he eats breakfast with the other workers. In each of these scenes, they eat a massive plate of cornbread with honey and butter.
When I watched this movie, my mouth started watering and I couldn't get cornbread out of my mind until I finally went to Food Court and ate some. So "The Cider House Rules" is definitely a movie worth seeing, but be prepared to deal with cornbread cravings afterwards.
