CIDER HOUSE RULES IN SOUTH AFRICA

Central to the story (set during World War II) is Homer (Tobey Maguire), a young man raised in a Maine orphanage, where the ether-sniffing Dr Larch (Michael Caine) rules with benevolent grace while performing safe but illegal abortions. To expand his horizons, Homer follows a young couple (Charlize Theron, Paul Rudd) to do fieldwork on an apple farm, where his innocent eyes are opened to the good and evil of the world--and to the realisation that not all rules are steadfast in all situations. By the time Homer returns to the orphanage, The Cider House Rules--which features one of Caine's finest performances--has run out of steam. The film ends up being memorable more for its many charming and insightful moments than for any lasting dramatic impact. Is Homer fated to come full circle in his kind hearted journey? It's left to the viewer to decide.