Ok. So I don't get out to the theater much. Just saw The English Patient last night for the first time. Next time I see a movie at the pawn shop that has won 9 Academy Awards I will pass without hesitation. I've never claimed to be cultured, but I can't see how the story line of this film is anything near great. Binoche is interesting. The film is visually appealing at many points. The acting is good at points. But the story just doesn't work. The main romance (an affair) never sets a context that makes it understandable or exciting. The story sets up like there is some deep dark secret to be unveiled and then it reveals it as if it were nothing, all in the name of suggesting his love was so great everything else is relativized.

In short, I kept watching because of the promise that there was a story being told, and in the end I came up almost entirely empty handed. Binoche's story had some interest, but there wasn't really any insight there either.

Ok, somebody with culture, please help me see what I missed. I'll admit the power went out three times while I was watching and interrupted the flow, but I don't think that can explain it.