The Cider House Rules got a lot of attention, both positive and negative. But in order to fully evaluate the film we have to first eliminate the two most extreme groups who praise or deride the film.
Every artist has a legion of fans who extol the virtues of everything related to said artist, regardless of the actual quality. Such is the case with novelist John Irving, who also wrote the screenplay, and whose fans overwhelmingly embrace the film as a masterpiece.
On the other end of the spectrum lie the radical detractors, mostly pro-life advocates who believe the film endorses a pro-abortion position, though that point is highly debatable.
Once these two groups have been discounted, audiences are still divided, and rightly so. The film is in fact a touching coming-of-age story set in wartime New England. But it is also true that the film is contrived, melodramatic and highly overrated.
Ultimately, The Cider House Rules is a good, though not outstanding film where plot and theme take a backseat to romance and sentimentality. If you think that sounds like something you'd like, you're probably right. If on the other hand you think that sounds too sappy for you, you're also probably right.
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