The Piano

Quite a bit better than I had expected. I'm generally not a fan of costume dramas, but Campion's film benefits from stylish cinematography and a pleasant score to give this otherwise rather predictable drama/romance a little extra flair. That certainly made the difference for me.

Ada is a mute who lives alone with her daughter, playing the piano is the one thing that brings joy to her life. She marries Stewart, who lives in New Zealand. After she moves there, Stewart sells her piano to George, angering his new wife and ultimately driving her into the arms of George.

Cinematographer Dryburgh did an amazing job capturing the raw beauty of New Zealand, without turning the film into a cheap vacation ad. The soundtrack goes well with the images, performances are solid, and the romance is decent, though not extremely captivating. A fine film.