A solid, if sometimes stolid biopic of a remarkable woman who probably deserved a slightly stronger treatment than is delivered here.. "Amelia" is beautifully set and features as you would expect some excellent aerial photography but falls down somewhat in the dramatic stakes.
Hilary Swank bears a strong physical resemblance to the title character, but for me doesn't quite convey the passion and drive which inspired Earhart's exploits. The dialogue also is occasionally too florid, particularly between Earhart and her husband, Putnam, played by a too-old Richard Gere giving us some more of that razzle-dazzle, always looking for the main chance. Euan McGregor however seems miscast as the other romantic interest, Gene Vidal, father of writer Gore as the screenplay seems determined to make us realise. Christopher Ecclestone is wasted in his relatively small part as Earhart's last navigator (she didn't die alone) and could conceivably have played the McGregor part to greater benefit.
There is some interesting interpolation of vintage footage of Earhart herself and some neat transitions from black and white to colour to take us into the movie, but mostly the direction is unspectacular and episodic. The obvious comparison here is to Scorcese's "The Aviator", his biopic of Earhart's contemporary Howard Hughes. Yes, Hughes' eventful life gave Scorcese more to work with,but his film really grabbed you by the scruff of the neck and kept you on the edge of your seat, whereas this movie felt more like something you'd watch on the National Geographic channel.
All that said, immediately after watching the film, I was inspired to read up on the aviator's life, but maybe that too is a sign that the movie hadn't quite done its job in encapsulating the life and times of its remarkable subject.
My summary quote, by the way, is from Joni Mitchell's great song "Amelia" on her "Hejira" album.
Hilary Swank bears a strong physical resemblance to the title character, but for me doesn't quite convey the passion and drive which inspired Earhart's exploits. The dialogue also is occasionally too florid, particularly between Earhart and her husband, Putnam, played by a too-old Richard Gere giving us some more of that razzle-dazzle, always looking for the main chance. Euan McGregor however seems miscast as the other romantic interest, Gene Vidal, father of writer Gore as the screenplay seems determined to make us realise. Christopher Ecclestone is wasted in his relatively small part as Earhart's last navigator (she didn't die alone) and could conceivably have played the McGregor part to greater benefit.
There is some interesting interpolation of vintage footage of Earhart herself and some neat transitions from black and white to colour to take us into the movie, but mostly the direction is unspectacular and episodic. The obvious comparison here is to Scorcese's "The Aviator", his biopic of Earhart's contemporary Howard Hughes. Yes, Hughes' eventful life gave Scorcese more to work with,but his film really grabbed you by the scruff of the neck and kept you on the edge of your seat, whereas this movie felt more like something you'd watch on the National Geographic channel.
All that said, immediately after watching the film, I was inspired to read up on the aviator's life, but maybe that too is a sign that the movie hadn't quite done its job in encapsulating the life and times of its remarkable subject.
My summary quote, by the way, is from Joni Mitchell's great song "Amelia" on her "Hejira" album.