"Of mice and men" is one of these movies we definitely need in our times.Gary Sinise 's directing is classic in the noblest sense of the term.The cinematography recalls some of those Ford (who adapted "Grapes of wrath",another Steinbeck's novel for the screen) gems of the forties or fifties.It is heart-rending to see Malkovich and his portrayal of the half-wit is one of the finest you can see in a nineties movies and leaves,for instance Dustin Hoffman's "rain man" character far behind.It takes a lot of guts to play such demeaning parts !Gary Sinise should not be forgotten either,in a performance which offers all the subtleties of the heart.

What moves me in the movie is the loneliness which frightens the characters .Everyone is searching for someone to rely on.Not only the two heroes (I think that ,actually, George needs more Lennie than the other way about)but also the old man -the scene with the old dog is almost unbearable;it will have an equivalent in a terrifying way at the end recalling Horace MacCoy's "they shoot horses don't they?"- Curley's wife;only the black guy has resigned himself to solitude.The scene when Candy and the two pals are talking of their future house -which we know from the very start they'll never have- is really heartwarming.At least,for one precious and fleeting moment,they could dream of a home,a fireplace and a hutch full of rabbits.

The book is one of my favourites, and I just loved this film. As an adaptation, it succeeds, apart from Curley's wife it is fairly faithful. But the real revelation of this Of Mice and Men is how well it succeeds on its own terms. The film looks absolutely gorgeous, with the scenery and photography very striking, while the score is moving and perhaps even nostalgic. The story still maintains the emotional impact especially at the end, and Of Mice and Men is beautifully scripted and directed. The performances are uniformly excellent. John Malkovich and Gary Sinise give very powerful performances, particularly Sinise, and Sherilyn Fenn has never been more appealing, however it was Ray Walston as Candy that I identified most with. All in all, a beautiful movie. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Based on John Steinbeck's classic novel, George Milton (Gary Sinise) and Lennie Small (John Malkovich) are traveling through the Depression era landscape. The guys are on the run as a woman runs away screaming. They have dreams of owning a small farm together. They have jobs lined up at the Tyler Ranch. The Boss (Noble Willingham) is a hard man. Candy (Ray Walston) is the old worker with one good arm. Curley (Casey Siemaszko) is the mean-spirited son of the boss. His wife (Sherilyn Fenn) is flirtatious and won't leave George alone.

The material is always great. It's just a matter if the actors are up to the material. In this case, both Sinise and Malkovich are fully up to the task. Malkovich may not have the bulk but he has the presence. He brings out the perfect tone of humanity and innocence. Sinise is always the protective brother in the relationship. These are very good performances.