Review

Gabriel Garcia Marquez' book is a life long chronicle of  unrequited, spirited, passionate, obsessive adolescent love of Florentino Ariza (Unax Ugalde) for the beautiful Fermina Daza (Giovanna Mezzogiomo). 

Florentino catches a glimpse of Fermina and writes ardent, beautiful letters to win her heart.  In one of these letters he proposes to Fermina.  She accepts, but Fermina's father (played by John Leguizamo) inquires into Florentino's background and learns that he is only telegraph operator.  Wanting a better suitor for Fermina, he refuses to allow the marriage and sends her to stay with family in the country.  Florentino's mother who is distressed that her boy has taken ill, asks his godfather (Hector Elizondo) for advice.   The godfather declares that Florentino has cholera. 

Years later, Fermina returns to Catagena.  Florentino learns of of her return and attempts a reconquista.  She has moved on, she ignores him.  This matters not to Florentino and he continues with his obsessive indulgence.  It is as though he has been stricken with an illness, he suffers with emotional and psychological pain.  He is unable to marry anyone.  He remains a Virgin, true to Fermina until her husband dies and she is again alone.

Director Mike Newell captures the essence of Marquez' journey through a latino magical mystery tour of youth, disease, love, death and age.  He evokes resplendant images of Cartegena, the city and Columbia, the country lush with history, culture, tradition and spiritual enslavement.  There is a sense here that if one visited a 19th century ancestors' home in latino america, that this is what she would find.

Newell gives Marquez' humor visual authority.  Javier Bardem (Florentino, as an adult) is subtle in his delivery as the hopelessly lovesick paramor.  Bardem  portrays aging eloquently (he writes love letters for a fee (for others)).  He's reminiscent of a young Buster Keaton, agile until the end.  Newell's women deliver wonderful performances.  They are timid, languid and strong.  The incredibly beautiful Laura Harring, plays a soulful suffering widow who Florentino embraces both spiritually and physically.  Her aging sensuality is part of the grand motif of a Marquez book.  Florentino can't resist her sorrowful needs and desires.  Newell captures the reverence of such a moment.

Hispanophiles will love seeing 'us' on the big screen and [this movie] is a must for those waiting to see Marquez' greatest love story on the screen.