The Cider House Rules (Miramax Collector's Series) | 
| Director: Lasse Hallstroem
Actors: Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Michael Caine, Delroy Lindo, Paul Rudd
Studio: Miramax
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.99
Buy New: $4.91
You Save: $10.08 (67%)
New (48) Used (46) from $3.00
Rating:  233 reviews
Sales Rank: 6139
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 126 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: D18306D
ISBN: 0788818368
UPC: 717951004918
EAN: 9780788818363
ASIN: B00003CWNR
Theatrical Release Date: 1999
Release Date: August 15, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A COMPASSIONATE YOUNG MAN, RAISED IN AN ORPHANAGE AND TRAINED TO BE A DOCTOR THERE, DECIDES TO LEAVE TO SEE THE WORLD. HOMER LEAVES WITH WALLY & CANDY TO WORK ON WALLY'S FAMILY APPLE FARM. WALLY GOES OFF TO WAR, LEAVING HOMER & CANDY ALONE TOGETHER. WHAT WILL HOMER LEARN ABOUT LIVE & LOVE IN THE CIDER HOUSE?
Amazon.com essential video
In adapting his own novel The Cider House Rules for the screen, John Irving sacrificed at least some of the depth and detail that made his humanitarian themes resonate, while the film--directed with Scandinavian sobriety by Lasse Hallstroem--is often vague about the complex issues (abortion, incest, responsibility) that lie at its core. Allowing for this ambiguity (which is arguably intentional), the film retains much of what made Irving's novel so admired, and like Hallstroem's earlier feature What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, it's blessed with a generous, forgiving spirit toward the mistakes, foibles, and desires of its many engaging characters. Central to the story (set during World War II) is Homer (Tobey Maguire), a young man raised in a Maine orphanage, where the ether-sniffing Dr. Larch (Michael Caine) rules with benevolent grace while performing safe but illegal abortions. To expand his horizons, Homer follows a young couple (Charlize Theron, Paul Rudd) to do fieldwork on an apple farm, where his innocent eyes are opened to the good and evil of the world--and to the realization that not all rules are steadfast in all situations. By the time Homer returns to the orphanage, The Cider House Rules--which features one of Caine's finest performances--is memorable more for its many charming and insightful moments than for any lasting dramatic impact. Is Homer fated to come full circle in his kindhearted journey? It's left to the viewer to decide. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews: Read 228 more reviews...
 Cider House Rules June 30, 2009
C. Wiegman (Texas)
This movie left me thinking that the plot was to lead the viewer to believe that the young man had no future except to follow in the old doctor's footsteps, return to the orphange and perform abortions. I am thowing the DVD away.
 "Cider House" Makes Us Sympathetic With Wickedness May 30, 2009
E. J. Ludwig (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
This film depicts likeable people caught up in circumstances where it seems not only normal but legitimate for them to lie, commit suicide, commit abortions, engage in incest, commit murder, live a lie (the main character finally "chooses" to go back to his old orphanage and pretend he is a doctor using a fake diploma), betray a close friendship, fornicate,...you name it: everything people shouldn't do is done.
The workers who work seasonally picking apples at an apple orchard in Maine have some rules tacked to their wall which they scorn. Eventually, the rules are thrown in the fire, and the head apple picker says, "The rules were written by people who don't live here; we live here...." This is a metaphor for the movie. All the rules about morality are inherited from others who don't live here on planet Earth in the good old USA now.
Therefore, those rules don't apply. This is the kind of existentialism that traces back to Albert Camus' novel The Stranger where the characters are reacting to circumstances, even the main character who is eventually tried for murder. They are just people caught up in living their lives. Any attempt to judge them by rules or a moral standard is bogus.
The thing about this movie if you just look at it uncritically and enjoy the beautiful scenery, the beautiful looking actors and actresses, and the personalities, all of whom seem superficially likeable and attractive, you might not notice that they have broken every rule in the book, every rule of morality or Judeo-Christian morality, whatever you want to call it. Therefore the movie ultimately makes bad seem good, and I don't recommend it at all. Truly a morally degraded and degrading film.
Truth in Advertising March 10, 2009
Loren (Indiana, USA)
1 out of 9 found this review helpful
With the hope that you will not be mislead as I was, you need to know that this movie is a story about a kindly, old abortionist and his protege.
If you can live with that, it's a good film. If your conscience is troubled with the presentation of a pair of abortionists as "nice guys", you will be put off by the film.
I destroyed my copy.
3 stars out of 4 January 20, 2009
One-Line Film Reviews (Ann Arbor)
The Bottom Line:
The Cider House Rules is a bit meandering but it's an effective and sometimes moving character piece that highlights a wonderful performance by Michael Caine in an all-around solid piece of filmmaking.
Never again will I see it December 2, 2008
Amazon Reviews
0 out of 11 found this review helpful
That was one of the worst movies I ever saw. I glad I did not pay for it. It seemed like it went through all kinds of justifications to say that it is okay to tell somone a lie. Repeatedly someone was lied to and they did not abject. Every was very calm in the movie It was like they were on come calming drug. They told all the kids that one kid was adpoted but he actually died. They were many other deceptions in the book. The had a definite slant against oranized religion. How could he perform an abortion so well if he had just watched the doctor.
At first toby said earler in the movie that adults should be responsibe for their actions then later on he changed his mind.
It seemed like was trying to make fun of kids saying they were glad to be alive instead of being aborted. they said something like if we were not here we would not be experiencing this pleasure.
There are many people that could have been aborted for many reasons but they have made amazing contributions to society.
It made it look the kids should have never been born. They were in such a deppressing place and they longed to be adpopted and once you got to old you never were.
Other strong pro abortion propaganda
They had to make a very strong agruement for abortion they felt everyone would agree with. So they had a father get his daughter pregant. The writer felt this a a compelling agrument for abortion that every one would side with. I am still not convinced .
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