The Cider House Rules
The Cider House Rules Image
Metascore
75 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 30 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Charlize Theron, Michael Caine, Tobey maguire
  • Summary: This is the story of a compassionate young man (Maguire), raised in an orphanage and trained to be a doctor by the abortionist (Caine) who runs the orphanage.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: David Kehr
    90
    Impeccably crafted and utterly impersonal, Lasse Hallstrom's adaptation of John Irving's novel has many of the qualities Oscar is known to appreciate.
  2. Dallas Observer
    Reviewed by: Jean Oppenheimer
    80
    Rich in story, character, and design, The Cider House Rules is obviously a collaborative effort, but above all it is a triumph for director Hallström.
  3. Mr. Showbiz
    Reviewed by: Richard T. Jameson
    80
    Hallström, a past master at cockeyed coming-of-age chronicles ("My Life as a Dog," "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"), has a near-genius for unpatronizing tolerance, and for seeing beauty in the world and nature and seasons without turning them into postcards.
    All this publication's reviews
  4. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    50
    The story touches many themes, lingers with some of them, moves on and arrives at nowhere in particular. It's not a story so much as a reverie about possible stories.

See all 32 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 1 out of 9
  1. steins03
    10
    I think that is was a great film, and the lighting helped in setting the mood in the film. The soft lighting showed a calm and relaxed environment at the orphanage. The costumes of the characters helped to set the time frame that the film had taken place. I defiantly recommend it for viewing.… Expand
  2. Compi24
    9
    Hallstrom has succeeded in adapting John Irving's novel into an incredibly refreshing period piece. With very touching performances from Maguire, Caine, and Theron, "The Cider House Rules" effectively portrays Irving's delightful coming-of-age tale.… Expand
  3. StudentLT
    7
    The Cider House Rules the film is a story of Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire), a permanent orphan of St. Cloudâ
  4. HunterC.
    0
    I do nominate Dr. Larch as being one of the most hypocritical characters in the history of American literture and film. One minute, he is caring and compassionate towards orphan children to the point that you want to cry. The next minute, he's cursing and scolding Homer over Homer's original disapproval of abortions. Either make Dr. Larch a caring man that truly loves children, or make him an evil man that hates children. The way this story is told, Larch is hypocritical. I'm surprised that Larch didn't stop women from having abortions the way he treated the kids in the orphanage. At the same time, I'm surprised Larch didn't lock all the orphan kids in their room and start a fire to kill them all the way he killed unborn babies. I have more respect for Hitler than Dr. Larch. At least Hitler knew who he didn't like (even though it was unjust and evil). Dr. Larch is just a big hypocrite.… Expand

See all 9 User Reviews

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