Review: I quite enjoyed this intense drama about about 2 scholars who are looking for the missing pages between 2 secret lovers, which are worth quite a lot of money. The storyline goes back and forth in time which makes the movie easy to follow because every is explained with real actions in Victorian times. I found the storyline interesting and quite touching because the 2 lovers found themselves in an impossible situation but they couldn't stop feeling for each other. Basically, it's a tamer version of National Treasure, without the action. The love story between the 2 historians was a bit corny, but it's a watchable movie which stays interesting throughout. Watchable!Round-Up: Aaron Eckhart and Gwyenth Paltrow was a great choice for this movie because they seem to pull out emotional performances with ease. The chemistry between the 2 characters was believable and I was impressed with Paltrows English accent. The Victorian scenes were also portrayed well but once you know the whole plot, it's not the type of movie that you will be watching again in a hurry. Judging by the gross of the movie, it was well received by audiences which is a shame because I have seen worse.Budget: $25million Worldwide Gross: $15millionI recommend this movie to people who are into there dramas about a couple of scholars who are looking for the missing pages of a Victorian poet and his lover. 5/10

Possession is a romantic and mysterious film based on the novel of the same name by A. S. Byatt.It film tells the story of two scholars, Roland Michell and Maud Bailey, who investigate the affair of fictional Victorian era poet Randolph Henry Ash, described in letters between him and another fictional poet, Christabel LaMotte.The movie stars Aaron Eckhart,Gwyneth Paltrow,Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle.It is written and directed by Neil LaBute.While the film probably won't leave you swooning, it is at least an earnest love letter to its transcendent source.It consists of quality of the acting, and the Brits -- Northam and Ehle -- invest their forbidden love with centuries of fine repressed English tradition.Despite the fact that Gwyneth Paltrow and Aaron Eckhart lead the cast, their performances as modern characters rank second to Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle.Unfortunately,what is supposed to be a deep examination of the transcendence of love and art and poetry turns into another shallow film about how repressed the British are.Aside from acting,there is nothing else about this film as it pass as either an After School Special for adults or a Love Story for the new millennium.Or worse,a closeted comedy.

After watching the movie, I now want to read the book. I am a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow. She reminds me of Catherine. This is a great romantic movie that has great flashbacks between 21st century and 19th century England. Great plot. I think the main character played as an American worked - somewhat out of his depth when playing against the the Maud Bailey character - but it seemed natural that they were attracted to each other. Just as Jonathan is attracted to Catherine, and yearns to be close to her, so Roland's and Maud's desires surface and cannot be denied. The story unfolds with elements of mystery that keep you wondering. And, what makes this move for me is that, at the end, all the main characters in the story have "happy endings"... this is what I feel makes for a great romantic movie. If only it was so in real life.

I would have given this movie 6 stars if it hadn't spent so much of its time on the boring modern day researchers in the story. I have twice tried to read this book. The first time I returned it to the library almost entirely unread after losing patience with it quickly. The second time after being pressed to try it again by a friend who admired it, I tried harder but still gave up quite quickly. Frankly, I found it boring, wordy, and tedious in spite of an interesting theme. The writer just couldn't hold my attention.I like period drama which is partly why I watched the movie, the other reason being the actors include three favourites of mine, Jeremy Northam. Trevor Eve and Toby Stephens. Regrettably, Stephens' potentially very interesting part as a villain, though starting well, ultimately is small and towards the end more or less forgotten. Eve similarly. Northam playing the Victorian poet would be expected to have a major amount of screen time along with his beloved, but this doesn't happen. The director concentrates on the most boring characters in the book, the two dreary modern characters plugging away interminably at their research and sparring with each other until one hardly cares what they find out or what they feel about one another as they simply aren't exciting characters.I think my reaction clearly indicates this movie isn't as good as it could have been. A good movie should hold the attention even if not featuring all that much the actors you came to it for. So who's at fault - the story, the actors playing the modern researchers, or the director? I think the director. He had the opportunity to make a better adaptation of the book or to divide attention more fairly between the characters, and chose not to.But of course it depends on your point of view. I've no interest at all in the modern researchers. Others may feel the Victorian story is a minor issue and the emotional interactions of the two modern researchers are all that really matters.