critic be fall over themselves within the weinstein sphere of influence to praise this ugly and misguide and repellent adaptation of the lyrical novel on which it base . minghella ham fisted direction of the egregiously gory and shrill overly episodic odyssey be one of the many misstep of this civil war love story . be they kid . after ms. kidman and mr. law meet cute with zero screen chemistry in a small north carolina town and steal a kiss before it off to war for jude and his photo souvenir of the girl he leave behind and it a two hour test to the kidney a to whether he will survive a myriad of near death experience to reunite with his soulmate . who care . philip s. hoffman amateurish scene chew in a disgusting and unfunny role pale to renee zelweger appearance a a corn feed dynamo who burst miraculously upon the scene of kidman lonely farm to save the day . rarely have a performance screamed of look at me and i be act smugness . her sheer deafen nerve wake up the longuers for a couple of minute until the bluster wear painfully thin . release by miramax strategically for oscar and golden globe ( what a farce ) consideration and the weinsteins apparently own and along with dick clark and the critical community and win 8 globe nomination for their overblown failure . the resultant crime be that award have become meaningless and small and less powerful pr drive film become obscure . cold mountain be a concept film and an empty and bitter waste of time . cold indeed .