Sorry, this movie sucks

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

I wanted to love this movie, but it just didn't move me that much. The story in itself is very strong. It's about a group of anthropologists capturing a pygmies couple to England for scientific purposes. They treat the two as if they are not human, but some kind of link between man and ape. It's a painful story of an era in time in which western society thought itself to be superior over other races. The real savages are not the pygmy couple, but those that don't want to accept that they are just as human as themselves. It's also about how science can become dangerous when scientists lose their empathy for the persons they are testing and how that can lead to inhumane situations. Like I said, it's definitely a strong subject for a movie. And apart from that, the settings are okay, the acting is strong and the dialogues really depict the scientific society of Britain in those days. I still had the feeling that something was missing. Its main character Docter Dudd ( Joseph Fiennes ) is too quickly transforming from heartless scientist to someone with heart for the pygmies couple. His partner in crime - clandestine animal smuggler Elena van den Ende ( Kristin Scott Thomas )- never really gets into the story and she's choosing sides way too quickly. And I think that there are some strange plot twists that just aren't that believable.At the end, it's a good movie. Maybe not as good as it could've been. But for those with a heart for period pieces with an important message on colonialism in past days, it's good enough.

Although I have never seen the completed Man to Man film, only the trailer, I know, hand on heart, for me, this was one of the greatest films ever written. Why? because I was there! Every picture tells a story and behind the scenes some stories never get told. I only joined the "Man to Man" crew at the later stages of filming in Scotland but living the life of a nomad on the road was a fantastic, once in a lifetime experience and comes highly recommended to any mere mortal who gets the slightest chance. Circus comes to town, Circus leaves town, all the locals get back to normal and the actors take their leave to go away, or do they? One day we found a secret rock pool not far from a film location. (I say we, I suppose it was one of the actors who first discovered it.)I thought later of burying some treasure there, it just had some magic about it. Anyway it cleansed my thoughts and all those who sailed through it I guess. One day perhaps I'll get to see the whole film and take myself back to the scene where the rock pool began. xx-xx Excert from the script..."I wanted to go into the forest with her and continue to protect her... but she made me understand that our journey together had come to an end, there, at the border of her land, the very frontier of her world... adieu, adieu, adieu!

In 1870, in Central Africa, the expeditionary Professor Jamie Dodd (Joseph Fiennes) and his associate Elena Van Den Ende (Kristin Scott Thomas) kidnap a couple of pigmies, Toko (Lomama Boseki) and Likola (Cécile Bayiha), and bring them to Scotland for research. Professors Alexander Auchinleck (Iain Glen) and Fraser McBride (Hugh Bonneville) are studying the missing link with Professor Jamie Dodd, and they believe they Africans might be the connection between man and monkey. However, Jamie finds evidence of intelligence in the couple, but their partners do not want to destroy their theory, and they imprison Jamie and travel with the pigmies to present them to European intellectuals. Jamie unsuccessfully tries to bring them back to Africa, but he has serious problems with the civilized society."Man To Man" has an original screenplay, with a wonderful cinematography and magnificent performances and direction. Unfortunately, the story does not flow well. For example, the abrupt beginning, without a previous development of the characters or the situation is confused and gives the impression of an action film. When Jamie is discussing with Alexander and his sister about the destiny of Likola, there is an ellipsis without explanation for the attitude of these characters. The ambiguous character of Elena Van Den Ende is also confused, showing contradictory feelings. The music score is also very beautiful. The "civilized" attitudes of the white man with the pigmies are also very impressive. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "O Elo Perdido" ("The Missing Link")

Yes, this film is perhaps a tad "worthy" and it certainly does aspire to be bigger and more important than it is, however, it is, for all that, vastly more interesting than most Hollywood high street fodder. The film presents some interesting observations on societal issues as well as the central humanistic drama. It excoriates the notion of man's inhumanity,or humanity, towards his fellow man. It is clear from the voting thus far that this film's appeal is largely to the female audience. No bad thing either as it didn't do "The English Patient" and several others any harm did it? I do find the other comments on Joseph Fiennes rather unfair. He plays the character with aplomb. Perhaps that viewer has forgotten the manners and behavioral traits of the period? Whatever it failings, this film is well worth watching. It is well made, looks fine, the acting and script are fine. Just because a few male attendees at the Berlin Film Festival miss the point, don't be swayed. Take a look at this film. Oh yes,I almost forgot... some of the supporting cast are excellent.