The world just wasn't big enough to contain her...

So I just watched Sylvia the other night. I still have not decided my final opinion about the film, but I must say that Gwyneth Paltrow does a superb job of personifying Sylvia. Her mannerisms, voice, glances, expressions. I guess you could say that she exposed herself well, letting you see into her character--the same way that Sylvia Plath does with her poetry and writing. A truly exquisite performance. Daniel Craig is in the movie, but I could do without him. However, I'm not a fair judge for his performance, since I only know a little about Ted Hughes. Their relationship, was portrayed very well. I just wish that the film wouldn't have focused so much on it. There was so much more to Sylvia and her life than Ted. She had so many more struggles than with Ted. The film did show some of her problems with her writing, but not nearly as much as I think they should have. The incorporation of her writing was very well done, both moving and poignant.

I will be even more so interested to see The Bell Jar with Julia Stiles after this and see how much of Esther will portray Sylvia, considering the character is based off of Sylvia. Seeing the movie, in a way, made me fall in love with Plath all over again. It added a visual aspect to her personally, that hasn't been that strong before, considering there is not a lot of video footage or pictures. Mostly what I/we see of Sylvia is through her poetry and prose. Which, though those are both beautifully raw, deep, honest, fully exposed, it's nice to see that different side of her, even when it's only an interpretation of her.

I'd love to be able to turn emotion into words and imagery the way that she does. I'd love to write or film a movie the way that this one was. There are so many things that I want and I wish I could view the end of the tunnel just enough to know if any of that is possible. Like Sylvia, I have my doubts and, though I don't plan on letting security or even failure eat away at me the way she did, it is definitely something that I have in mind and worry about.