Clocking in over 2 hours, the movie does feel like it's too long. And since it is a period piece, you get the old "repression" and not being able to get what you want thing. But the movie does have a spin of course and that spin is Ralph Fiennes character. Of course there have been quite a few versions of the book (that I haven't read I'll admit right here), I can't compare it to them (or the book obviously).
Fiennes lends the movie some well needed gravitas and while it might have been a different movie with other actors in it (see "Did you know section" here on IMDb), it still is worth watching for anyone who likes his period pieces a lot. Drama and thrill combined with a little twist here and there always works. Jason Flemyng and other characters get less time than you wish they had and the movie ends like you'd expect it to ... though it is rather difficult to feel exactly what our protagonist is going through all the time, it still works most of the time.
Fiennes lends the movie some well needed gravitas and while it might have been a different movie with other actors in it (see "Did you know section" here on IMDb), it still is worth watching for anyone who likes his period pieces a lot. Drama and thrill combined with a little twist here and there always works. Jason Flemyng and other characters get less time than you wish they had and the movie ends like you'd expect it to ... though it is rather difficult to feel exactly what our protagonist is going through all the time, it still works most of the time.