Re-making a so-called flawed masterpiece must be a very daunting task. For anyone who's seen the original 1942 version, I'd have to believe that this 2002 attempt is a mixed bag, at best. Technically, it's a pleasure to look at: the time periods are represented beautifully; the costumes and sets are perfect; and many of the memorable scenes are recreated word-for-word. But when you get down to the acting, different things begin to happen. Madeleine Stowe and James Cromwell are adequate in their roles, as is William Hootkins. Bruce Greenwood and Gretchen Mol fare much better, in my opinion, bringing real depth to their characters. I'm sorry to say that Jennifer Tilly as Aunt Fanny and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as George Minifer are so overdrawn that I had difficulty caring about them at all. George is so cold and calculating in this version that his character is almost one-dimensional, the same for Tilly's Aunt Fanny, and it hurts to state it, because I dearly love the story of the Ambersons. The '42 version, "flawed" as it supposedly is, has pure magic in it, from its unusual editing, its excellent cast, and its Wellesian pacing and dialog. I'm not so sure we needed an updated view of the Ambersons. 5 out of 10
Review of The Magnificent Ambersons
