I Dreamed of Africa

The true story of one woman's journey from Italian high society to the African plains is certainly one that deserves to be told. Kim Basinger is exquisite as Kuki Gallmann, who leaves behind costume balls and Gucci shoes to follow her new husband (Vincent Perez) and run a farm in Kenya, a country she's heard about only from her father's stories. The communion between humankind and nature seems like a fantasy come true for Kuki and her young son, until the reality hits . . . Venice is half a globe a way and now comfort takes a back seat to survival.

The sprawling Kenyan landscapes, complete with galloping impalas and elephants circling a watering hole, are glorious, and the soundtrack, filled with drums and African voices, is enchanting. But director Hugh Hudson doesn't allow himself, or us, to enjoy the setting. Determined to fit a lifetime's worth of experiences -- lion attack, devastating storm, several deaths, and much more -- into two hours, he speeds through every event, giving equal time to the significant and the less so. Whenever Kuki feels frustration at the slow pace of life in Africa, her friends remind her, "It's a different rhythm." She finally gives in to that rhythm and learns to appreciate the beauty of the land she lives on. Too bad Hudson never affords us the same opportunity.

-- Jumana Farouky