Did Meryl Streep really say "I have a presentiment" in The Hours? I too had a presentiment -- that I would see a movie -- alas, there was none to be found. The Hours is an overwrought, underwritten, beautifully acted, fastidiously directed mess -- unfortunately. Unfortunate because, not merely three, but a dozen actors do absolutely splendid work. Unfortunate because, between three woven films, not a single shred of a story gets told in any way that matters, or is satisfactory -- which is the cinematic way. Doors slam continuously, people walk with purpose, cakes are baked, lines are spoken, people are in crisis, but what exactly is their problem? What are these scenes about? As I watched, I thought more of my own life, its tangled twists and turns, its little river of existence, than what was on the screen. As I watched, a young couple behind me were laughing again and again at highly inappropriate moments. I totally agreed with them.
