Rent The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

Difficult to rate - The Bridges of Madison County review by JD

There are some truly great things about this film and some weaknesses. The romantic plot is pretty obvious and not particularly intriguing. There are two layers to the tale the second layer (the present) is even more telescoped. There did not seem to be any chemistry between the main characters and the pivotal scenes were overplayed. The strengths are the feel of the film. It has a wonderfully genuine early 20th century American "smell". I think Clint plays the emotional moments better than Streep, though I did not empathise with the characters. The awards in my opinion should have gone to the cinematography department not Streep.

Lovely Bridge, Wouldn't Cross It Twice - The Bridges of Madison County review by griggs

Clint Eastwood trades gunfights for two people quietly falling for each other in an Iowa kitchen, and somehow it holds more tension than most gunfights manage.

Meryl Streep plays Francesca, an Italian war bride worn down by dishes and small talk, with an accent so committed it takes a scene or two to trust. Once I adjusted, Streep had me. Robert is a National Geographic photographer passing through Madison County to shoot its covered bridges, and Eastwood plays him disarmingly soft — all careful questions and unhurried patience.

Their chemistry is the whole film: shared meals, awkward pauses, the small thrill of someone actually listening to you. Eastwood directs with a light touch, letting porches and farmland carry the mood instead of shoving you towards tears.

It runs well over two hours and drifts in the middle, and Robert can feel a little too perfectly assembled — sensitive, worldly, conveniently passing through. Still, Streep sells every second of it.

Handsome, patient and affecting. Lovely bridge. Not sure I’d cross it twice.