Creation

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Call Number: DVD Drama Creation
On Shelf At: Downtown Library

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Downtown 1st Floor 1-week checkout	DVD Drama Creation	1-week checkout	On Shelf

Based on the book "Annie's box" by Randal Keynes.
Originally released as a motion picture in 2009.
Bonus features: audio commentary, documentary, and eleven featurettes.
Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Jeremy Northam, Toby Jones.
Gives viewers a unique inside look at Charles Darwin, his family, and his love for his deeply religious wife, as he is torn between faith and science. Darwin struggles to finish his legendary book, On the Origin of Species, which goes on to become the foundation for evolutionary biology.
DVD, Dolby Digital 5.1, widescreen.
Contents: Annie's box.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Sadly Overlooked! submitted by crazypockets on November 8, 2011, 9:06am This is one of those movies that was inexplicably overlooked by most critics and awards. After watching it, I couldn't really understand why it didn't get more attention because not only was it very well-done, but the acting was superb. The story centers around Charles Darwin and his struggles with writing "The Origin of the Species." The film argues that the crisis of faith he suffered centered more around the loss of his oldest daughter than with his growing scientific beliefs. It is first and foremost a story of a family struggling with such a loss and with its own interpersonal relationships.

Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly give outstanding (in my opinion, Oscar-worthy) performances as Charles and Emma Darwin. Emma was staunchly Christian and couldn't reconcile Charles' evolving agnosticism, while Charles (himself a believer in God) agonized over the implications of writing and publishing such a book. The story also delves into how his own scientific research opened his eyes to the disastrous consequences of his own past choices and the pain and guilt he suffered as a result.

One biographer describes Darwin saying, "no man has ever inspired a wider and deeper personal interest and affection" (http://www.darwin-literature.com/l_biography.html), and Bettany does a great job of eking out such an affection in his audience. Few viewers would be able to resist the feeling of just wanting to put an arm around the poor guy's shoulder as we watch him fight with himself. While I'm not familiar enough with the facts of Darwin's life to say if this is a completely accurate assessment (though now I'm going to check out some books on him), this story is a definite tear-jerker and as complex a human story as it gets. With stunning acting and beautiful locations, I would highly recommend this for any history or science buffs or anyone who just loves good drama.

There is good reason this SILLY script was overlooked. submitted by Tassos on September 25, 2019, 11:23am And it is the totally unnatural dialogues between 19th century persons, especially the women, who sound like feminists from the 60s or 21st century people. The writers had NO EFFING CLUE.

Pity, for the topic is great.