Overview
A poignant tale of love and loss set against the backdrop of war's devastation.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- somber
- melancholic
- romantic
- quiet evening
- historical film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Anthony Minghella's meticulous historical craft and the widely acclaimed performances of Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renée Zellweger, while recognizing its poignant portrayal of war and home-front hardship.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Inman's journey through the collapsing Confederate war effort is intercut with Ada and Ruby's struggle to preserve a farm under home-front deprivation.
The western North Carolina mountains and rural farm are rendered with rare beauty against battlefields, executions, starvation, and militia brutality.
Inman deserts near the end of the Civil War and undertakes a dangerous journey toward Ada, whose memory motivates his return.
Ada must learn to run the farm and endure poverty and the home guard, with Ruby's practical partnership making survival possible.
Films like Cold Mountain, and why
Atonement
shared wartime romance, historical drama, intimate treatment of love separated by armed conflict
The English Patient
shared epic historical romance, battlefield trauma, and emotionally devastating consequences of war
The Beguiled
shared American Civil War setting, home-front hardship, and themes of survival and separation
The Painted Veil
shared literary adaptation, period setting, longing, and morally complicated wartime relationships
Movie Details
- Director
- Anthony Minghella
- Release Date
- 2003-12-24
- Runtime
- 154 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (2036)
Cast
- Jude Law
- Nicole Kidman
- Renée Zellweger
- Eileen Atkins
- Brendan Gleeson
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Natalie Portman
- Giovanni Ribisi
- Donald Sutherland
- Ray Winstone
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Cold Mountain about?
- A deserter crosses the ravaged Civil War South toward his beloved while two women fight to keep a North Carolina farm alive.
- What is Cold Mountain like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Cold Mountain as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Cold Mountain violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Cold Mountain as brutal.
- What did critics think of Cold Mountain?
- Critics broadly praised Anthony Minghella's meticulous historical craft and the widely acclaimed performances of Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renée Zellweger, while recognizing its poignant portrayal of war and home-front hardship.
- Which films are like Cold Mountain?
- Films with a similar feel include Atonement, The English Patient, The Beguiled, and The Painted Veil.
- How long is Cold Mountain?
- Cold Mountain runs 154 minutes.
- Where can I watch Cold Mountain?
- In United States, Cold Mountain streams on fuboTV.
