When I say I don't get it, I don't mean to imply that I didn't understand the movie. What I don't get is why we are supposed to care about such unsympathetic, flat characters. And I also don't get how this movie could possibly have won best picture; it is boring, overdone, and pretentious, and nice scenery does not make up for a lack of substance. I did not care what happened to either Ralph Fiennes or Kristin Scott Thomas; neither one gave me any reason to care. I agree with the comments that there is no indication that there was any real love here. It looked like a case of raging hormones to me. Are we given any reason why we should not despise KST for cheating on her husband over a prolonged period of time? No. Are we given any reason why we should not despise Fiennes for sleeping with his best friend's wife over a prolonged period of time? No. Are we given any reason why we should believe their relationship is based on anything more than lust? That scene at the Christmas dinner or whatever it was is a good example of how completely unlikable these characters were. I did like the character played by Binoche, and I did care what happened to her and Andrews' character, but this relationship was barely touched on in the movie, though I understand it is more important in the book. These characters were not despicable and showed more depth, and as far as I am concerned, they are the only reasons that this movie wasn't intolerable and completely without merit- other than the wonderful scenery, of course, which we are shown again and again and again.
I am not American (though I'm not sure if being Canadian is considered by many others to be more American-like or more European-like, or just different) and I am not male, and I don't see what these qualities have to do with anything anyway; a bad movie is a bad movie, and this was indeed a bad movie. I don't need massive explosions or shoot-outs, nor do I need lots of sex (though this movie had plenty of that) in order to enjoy a movie. I like a good story. I prefer talking to action. But none of this means anything if the characters are not likable. Likewise, likable characters can make a bad movie passable. In this case, Binoche's character keeps this movie from being downright horrible, instead bringing it up into the low end of mediocrity.
I am not American (though I'm not sure if being Canadian is considered by many others to be more American-like or more European-like, or just different) and I am not male, and I don't see what these qualities have to do with anything anyway; a bad movie is a bad movie, and this was indeed a bad movie. I don't need massive explosions or shoot-outs, nor do I need lots of sex (though this movie had plenty of that) in order to enjoy a movie. I like a good story. I prefer talking to action. But none of this means anything if the characters are not likable. Likewise, likable characters can make a bad movie passable. In this case, Binoche's character keeps this movie from being downright horrible, instead bringing it up into the low end of mediocrity.