A Little Bit of Beauty Beneath ***

It wasn't terrible and to call it pedestrian would slight it, but just slightly. The Painted Veil tells a decent story, and how it tells it can be viewed two ways. Some may find it ineffective emotionally since it is supposed to be a romantic and morally uplifting story but few Kleenexs were in evidence, yet others may find its subtle play on the viewers mood appealing. This it achieves through the Golden Globe nominated score which is a delightful accompaniment to the under-appreciated spectacle of the rural Chinese landscape that is lush with flowing rivers, tranquil mountains, picturesque villages and rife with disease, discontent and social malaise.

Both Edward Norton and Naomi Watts extend their credibility in their roles, even though their British accents can't fool even a non-Brit like myself, but their emotionally-measured performances were perfectly in sync with the feel of the film - wrought with an underlying tension that never really threatens too much but you know it's there. The only real problem I had with the film was the editing. The narrative seemed fractured in certain parts and I simply could not understand why a French song woud make it into the soundtrack and grace the burial scene, but perhaps I'm just being an ignoramus.

It's definitely more interesting than a documentary or a visit to the museum, but for those looking for thrills or romance, they can do better. There is beauty behind this veil, but it's probably not the kind they're looking for.