Unlike Cider House Rules, this is a Lasse Hallström film the way I think of Lasse Hallström films. It’s a lovely fable; a simple tale set in the past as a reflection of today. In many ways, it’s the lighter reflection of Quills, which I do expect to be Oscar nominated. Though some will probably feel that the movie takes the concerns of the story’s moralists too lightly (see ROTD), I think you have to find some perspective on the overall tone. The villain is a Snidely Whiplash (another role the great Alfred Molina played) whose sense of morality is matched only his own burgeoning yearnings. The heroes are beyond good. They are magic, literally. But the people of the village, led by the villain and enlightened by the heroes, are very, very human. And that’s the beauty of this movie.