Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
Two drifters, one a gentle but slow giant, try to make money working the fields during the Depression so they can fulfill their dreams.
A faithful and emotionally powerful adaptation of Steinbeck's novella. Gary Sinise and John Malkovich deliver career-defining performances, with Malkovich's Lennie being particularly extraordinary. The plot is a timeless tragedy about friendship, dreams, and loss during the Depression. The ending is devastating and handled with great restraint. Cinematography is competent but not especially distinctive. Novelty is modest given it adapts well-known source material and follows the 1939 version closely, offering little that is formally inventive or surprising.