Rob Roy Details

A movie with heart

So much of the movie depends upon the casting, and in the three pivotal roles, the actors are terrific. Liam Neeson is just the right man to play the hero - he has the physical stature and the presence to be Rob Roy MacGregor, a man who keeps his word and does his best to look after his family and clan. As his wife, and love of his life, Jessica Lange delivers a complex performance. It becomes one of her greatest screen roles - we first see her as a down-to-earth and practical woman (and very naughty with her husband), but when tragedy befalls her, she brings such dignity to the role of a woman who suffers silently in order to protect her husband and pushes aside her own pain to help him any way she can. And lastly, Tim Roth is the supreme villain. He doesn't really look it at first, with his wigs and his effeminate clothes and mannerisms. But he is lethal and callous, and doesn't think twice about raping or killing. He is one villain that you will wish dead almost from the first time you see him.

The movie is very emotional; you get caught up in it easily. Because the story takes place on such a personal level, between a simple, honorable man and the villains trying to squash him, it doesn't take long to get involved and feel deeply about what's going on. The love between Rob Roy and his wife is also beautiful to watch, as the movie first allows us only glimpses of its raunchier side and then shows us its depths when they are beset with tragedy; Neeson and Lange have great chemistry. And surprisingly enough, there are also moments of real humor - a funny line here and there - that catch you off-guard.

Excellent film with a breath taking back drop of the Scottish Highlands. Great for a Sunday afternoon.