Love in the Time of Cholera

Love in the Time of Cholera (2007)
Directed by Mike Newell
***1/4

Gabriel Garcia Marquez loves life. And when I say life I mean anything the five senses can reach. As a result, the novels from the Colombian master tend toward the fleshly — and this, the only major film adaptation, is no different. The story concerns one Florentino Ariza who falls head over heels for the beautiful Fermina Urbino, daughter of a new-monied jerk. Unfortunately for Florentino, Fermina is married to a doctor, and moved away. Florentino determines to wait for Fermina as long as it takes, until her husband dies. In the meanwhile, however, he passes the time by pursuing every other attractive woman he sees. Javier Bardem is extraordinarily gentle in the role of Florentino (especially considering his other 2007 role), and the rest of the film is a lush delight. It just may contain too much flesh for some tastes.