This movie is the perfect vehicle for the subtleties of Anthony Hopkins' acting talent, the slow shifting of emotions as author CS Lewis awakens to life and, through it, love. In this enactment of the romance between Lewis and Joy Gresham, a divorced American with a young son, Hopkins portrays an extremely private man and he does so with great sensitivity.

The stolid Oxford professor has insulated himself from any real intimacy with the world. As his friend Joy Gresham says, Lewis keeps everyone at a distance, either by years or by position. Secure in the book-lined rooms of academia, CS Lewis is enshrined in the world of the intellect, recoiling from the pain of real personal investment.

When Lewis meets Gresham and her son, the professor makes an elaborate show of friendship unbound by commitment. But Joy (Debra Winger) is more direct, unwilling to endure his self-protective posturing. In order to remain in London, Gresham must marry and Lewis accommodates her request and they wed in a civil ceremony. It is only after she is diagnosed with cancer that Lewis realizes the depth of his feelings for this woman, their time together now severely restricted. Lewis recognizes the rarity of such opportunity, throwing himself into new-found passion in middle age.

Hopkins flexes his acting muscles as this stolid, reserved man slowly awakens after a lifetime of self-control, embracing whole-heartedly an affection towards another, suddenly exuberant after years of emotional quietude. Unable to deal with his own grief at Gresham's impending death, Lewis is finally reminded that her son, Douglas, is suffering as well. In one of the most powerful scenes of the movie, Lewis approaches the young boy now in his care, reaching into the deepest reserves of compassion to as they both grieve, the beginning of healing.

The cinematography adds to the texture of the movie, verdant green hills, the weight of an Oxford winter, the bustling London streets. Winger is adequate as Gresham, but no match for Hopkins. Winger doesn't shine, simply reflects Hopkins' tour de force performance. A more memorable actress than Winger might have made this film perfect, but the emotional tenor of Hopkins' acting dwarfs the rest of the characters. "The boy chose safety. The man chose suffering." Luan Gaines/ 2005.

'We read to know that we are not alone!' I guess one can also say 'we watch movies to find humanity or common human experiences' I didn't mean to sound deep, but this movie is in perfect pitch right down to the intricate details. I can't add anymore to what the previous reviewers have written. BUY THIS DVD!

This movie simply sparkles. Although I've never really liked Debra Winger in her movie roles, she brought a refreshing sense of realism to her role of Joy in this film. The tour de force, however, belongs to Anthony Hopkins. We understand all his detachments and his eventual great emotional entanglements that allow him to finally live a life that had been held at arms length before.
One of the last scenes in which C.S. Lewis sits upstairs with his step-son trying to piece together the effects of Joy's death cuts me to the heart every time I see it. Anthony Hopkins is so genuine and finally lets that emotional dam break in a most believable while still subtle way. I treasure this movie and only wish it had received more acclaim in theaters. It is a jewel to add to your home collection. I highly recommend it.

If you have ever read C.S. Lewis by yourself or have read it with a child, you will know the magic this man created. He was an outstanding writer and an outstanding man of faith. I strongly recommend this film as an outstanding example of one small part of this man's life. Anthony Hopkins is excellent in his role of C.S.Lewis. They could not have picked a better person to have played this part.

I have begun to realize that Anthony Hopkins, whose older movies I am now watching and enjoying, was and is a genius. He can get more pathos, more sympathy, more complete human understanding from a lift of an eyebrow than just about anybody. And he does so in this charming, piquant and moving story adapted from the true story of author C.S. Lewis and his love affair with American poet Joy Gresham (Debra Winger).

Comfortably situated as an Oxford don, living with his brother and protected from any unwanted contact, author "Jack" Lewis is content, set in his ways, and gently going through his days, which will never change until their peaceful end. Then he meets Joy Gresham, a brash, outspoken American who first presents herself as an avid fan, and later becomes his close friend.

As Jack falls deeply in love, he cannot accept or even realize the depth of his feelings, as he has never had them before. But Joy's brutal battle with a swift-moving cancer that leaves her helpless changes his view of her, himself, his Christianity, which is so important to his being--and at last, himself.

Gently charming and tragic without being cloying, this is a gem of a movie, one that should be owned and cherished.