Sabrina (1995)

From my favorite movies..

Fantastic!

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

I have to say that I have never watched Sabrina(1954) before which was played by Audrey Hepburn. This movie is not a simple remaking. The things around Sabrina were totally different from the last one, though what happened to Sabrina was not change. When I first finished this movie, I only focused on her stories. But I have a every strange habit which is that I like watching movies repeatedly. So when I started to watch it twice, I noticed that the director of this movie is Sydney Pollack who is the father of Out of Africa. His movies had always been known for their social and political issues. His movies always meant something.So I watched Sabrina(1995) with objective view. I found my attention was changed. What happened to Linus caught my eyes. If the change of Sabrina is to give the audience a visual enjoyment and a hope for a better love. Linus is a vivid reflection of the life of the people of that time in 90s, which almost everyone was eager for the success of the cause, as well as the possession of money and power. Linus, who graduated from Yale University at the age of 19, had managed his family's empire, who enlarged his family property from billions of dollars to astronomical figures and also on the cover of Time. Gradually, He lost himself in business, money, and power. He had a sad and lonely soul and the only thing in his eye was working, which made everyone afraid of him.However, in Masa, when he tried to keep Sabrina away from David, he found that there was something else in his heart. He told truth to Sabrina. He truly loved Sabrina, but for his family's empire, he must lay to her that he didn't. Linus had always followed the orders by his mother all his life. He wanted to change. And only Sabrina could save him, because she knew him better than anyone else. Sabrina found herself in Paris, and Linus found himself in Sabrina. At first, Linus though what he needed was the success of the cause, but in fact, he needed love, no one can tell a lie in front of their own sincerity, even he was a good negotiator. Sabrina(1995) makes us believe that, whether you are rich or poor, everyone is equal in love, and you will find the one who understands you, saves you and brings you happy.

The lovely locations are the best that can be said about this tepid, half-hearted 1990s remake of the 1950s Audrey Hepburn vehicle. Julia Ormond is a good choice for the title role, but the script just doesn't crackle and fizz like it should, and the story plods along without inviting much interest. And to cast Harrison Ford as Linus, the love interest? I mean, he is too old. Greg Kinnear, as his brother David, is also too old to play a young playboy. And he doesn't have the playboy look. The dialogue is as stilted as a 1940s B-movie. But this is the 1990s. The film's creators seem determined to exclude all signs of modern times, except for the flat screen TVs Linus sells. And this world of society dinner parties and dumb barbie doll women really jars for me in this era. But the biggest anachronism for me is how Sabrina's value and happiness Is portrayed as resting solely in her looks and poise. I mean, the poor girl seems to have no identity in her own right. It's as if her problems will be solved once she hooks a man. She doesn't have any life of her own, and her sappy father, the chauffeur, looks on weakly. Sabrina is living in a daytime soap! And it's boring - for her and for us.

Sabrina (1995): Dir: Sydney Pollack / Cast: Julia Ormond, Harrison Ford, Greg Kinnear, Lauren Holly, Angie Dickinson: Satisfying yet inferior remake to Billy Wilder's 1954 romantic hit. Julia Ormond stars as Sabrina, perched in a tree to fancy the sight of an engaged man. When she returns from a trip she is transformed into a beautiful woman and catches his attention but he is married to the daughter of an investor whom older brother Linus wishes not to lose. He spirits her away to keep his younger brother from infidelity but finds himself falling for her. Still a lovely story with conviction yet it feels like a remake. Directed by Sidney Pollack who previously made Absence of Malice and Tootsie. Ormond accepts the brave task of filling the role previously mastered by Audrey Hepburn and she pulls through, and Harrison Ford is taking a shot at romantic comedies, on break from his usual action persona. He is a reasonable suggestion for someone to fill shoes once wore by Humphrey Bogart. Greg Kinnear plays his brother with the same glee possessed by William Holden in the original. Lauren Holly plays his wife but after her success with Dumb and Dumber she is unfortunately mere cardboard here. Angie Dickinson is also underused here after her previous success. This is not as good as the original but it is a well crafted and worthy romantic charm. Score: 7 ½ / 10

Will go back to reread some of the quality IMDb user comments here. A couple of high level commentators can be viewed---above...Is Mom (1954) or Daughter (1995) "SABRINA" better?While I like Daughter SABRINA a tad better---I love both. There are NO LOSERS in this gentle debate...Both SABRINA versions not only have quality leads---they have great supporting casts. Here, maybe I like 1995 SABRINA a bit more---since the supporting characters are more familiar to me...As I write this, Nancy Marchand (as the Larrabee Matriarch) has made yet another one of her dry quips... Angie Dickinson well portrays the emptyheaded once-trophy wife of David's fiancée's equally wealthy family - with Richard Crenna as her husband -And Lauren Holly is the result of the Tyson merger of beauty to brains/wealth - the smart yet beautiful Elisabeth Tyson, MD. - the first sensible female that woman chasing younger brother David has ever fallen for!!!The dialogue in 1995 is silky, gently ironic...and hey...all you would be scriptwriters, movie producers, etc. Study BOTH SABRINAS for how to make quality romantic films. +++++ (NOTE Amazingly, only one (clothed) short pre bedroom scene is in the 1995 version. 99% of this movie succeeds with just great script, production, casting, acting!!! What a novel concept!)Don't waste too much time debating what essentially is personal preference over which wonderful visual desert (Sabrina 1954 or Sabrina 1995) is better....Just see both!!!