In 1941, writer Virginia Woolf filled her pockets with stones and quietly waded into the River Ouse. So begins and ends The Hours, with the minutes between offering a staggeringly insightful look into the female psyche. Director Stephen Daldry expertly weaves together the tales of three women - played by Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep - each struggling to face the unhappy hours before them.
Instead of offering easy explanations for the misery of its characters, The Hours forces us to wrestle with the more powerful concept that unhappiness can persist in the face of seemingly appealing circumstances. Rather than finding joy in life, the three women tolerate it as a daily alternative to suicide.
Kidman is fantastic as Woolf, falling into the role so completely-even wearing that now-famous prosthetic nose-that we're unable to separate the actress from her character. Backing her up is a phenomenal supporting cast that includes Ed Harris, as a tortured writer dying from AIDS, and Stephen Dillane, who brilliantly portrays Woolf's caring husband.
The score is occasionally intrusive, and the parallels between the three women's lives sometimes feel forced, but overall, the formidable cast and incredible technical artistry bring the three stories and their separate time periods alive with such strength that The Hours is by far one of the best films of the year.
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