The Age of Innocence

The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel served as the template for a beautiful costume melodrama set in a time when morality was a priority above all else. The sweet times of booming New York are embellished by the actors' feel-good performances. Day-Lewis and Pfeiffer love each other more than their century can bear. And poor little Ryder has to face it all without giving anything away. The slow pace matches the time period shown, there is plenty of time for each visit to the salon or the opera, and there is only one thing to do - to be moved. (05/25/2018)

If you like Scorsese's direction (which can be distinctive even in a costume historical drama) and can appreciate the performances of Daniel-Day Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer, you'll be pleased. After all, The Age of Innocence is no highbrow Scorsese, but rather a slow-moving tale from the "better class of society" about transcending the social conventions of the time. The period atmosphere of New York in the second half of the 19th century is of course excellent, but that's kind of what we expect from Martin Scorsese. And yet even despite a fairly linear story, it's still a very watchable affair, and that's mainly because of the acting, the period sets, and the excellent soundtrack. (01/07/2019)

In terms of craftsmanship and aesthetics, this film is top-notch. The camera work is excellent, and the sets and locations are amazing. The story, however, is peculiar at least. The first half in particular is slow and incredibly tedious. I really liked the storytelling style, but the pace really needed to be faster. Nevertheless, the depiction of the lifestyle of that time is precise. (03/12/2004)

Formally precise, but reprehensibly shallow and uninteresting in content. Lewis and Pfeiffer have a lot of feeling, as do masters Scorsese and Bernstein, but due to its emotional coldness and excessive runtime, I unfortunately can't view the film as anything other than an educational glimpse into the lives of the social elite of the 18th century. And the fact that it is a very believable and visually impressive glimpse doesn't change that. Not even the best director could have saved this romance. 65% (01/10/2014)

"The Age of Innocence" is a film about a man who already has his place in society certain, he is popular and respected. Partly, it is because of where and when he was born. He lives in a society where a woman is the one who is in charge of the household, or she is the one who is obedient and, as a good Christian, gets married soon and stays in that marriage. However, the main character, Newland Archer (played convincingly by Daniel Day-Lewis), has slightly different views on society and, unlike other men, sees women as equals. Perhaps that's why Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer) impresses him. She has divorced, after all. So here we have another woman who stands against fate, against society, but this time it is the man we focus on. He is actually the weak one, he is the one who submits to society. Even though he loves another woman, he made a promise to someone else and will marry her, even though she will never be loved as she deserves. This time it is the man who is the weak hero, he is the one who can be considered - feminized. In this direction, Scorsese shows how society has changed, how roles intertwine and are quite unstable. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2013/03/vek-nevinnosti-1993-80.html (04/10/2013)