Love in the Time of Cholera
Having just finished the book, I wanted to see the movie and went on opening night. Too bad the theater was almost empty. The film deserves a large audience, but with an offbeat love story to tell, and only Benjamin Bratt a recognized American actor, it may struggle to find it.
The movie is a faithful rendition of the original story but with several minor characters and events were edited out. The main characters were very well cast, and all the actors were great, especially those playing Fermina and Florentino. They remain believable despite going through more than 50 years of their lives.
Like the book, it is difficult to know that you are in the country of Columbia, South America unless you recognize the city of Cartegena when it comes onscreen. The movie also downplays the subtext of the class and racial divide shown by the book and softens some of the hard edges of the characters personalitiies. Still, it was well worth seeing, even for discerning teens.