Grade: C+ | Genre: Drama / Musical Summary: If you are up for the challenge, De-Lovely bears fruit. Just be prepared for a long growing season.

De-Lovely is really the tale of two films. The first half plays like a lackluster musical, slow and prodding, testing our fragile patience at every turn. The second act is more contemplative and deeply felt. At the heart of this film is the intricate life of Cole Porter. For those stuck in a quizzical look, Cole Porter was one of the greatest American composers who gave us such famous numbers as "Night and Day" and "Anything Goes".

If we go a step further, this is a film about the unconventional relationship between Cole (Kevin Klein) and his wife Linda (Ashley Judd). Linda first walks into Cole's line of vision at a black tie event in Paris that begins their courtship. Linda has already heard the hushed talk concerning Cole's proclivity towards sharing his bed with men and it doesn't seem to faze her. As the relationship evolves leading to their marriage, it's evident that they genuinely love and respect one another though in much different ways. In Lionel Richie terms, Linda is Cole's endless love yet she can't stir his sexual passions. While Linda fervently protests that this doesn't bother her, we can see that Cole's affairs hurt her deeply. She stuffs her contempt in carefully veiled conversation that can seem a bit cryptic at times. She longs to be the one he desires yet in her heart she knows that the passion that men spark in him will never be caught up in her.

Buy or Rent De-Lovely Now. You may also like... De-Lovely Soundtrack Life as a House Chicago

Their relationship is such an interesting one. At first glance, you settle into the thought that Cole is bisexual, given his relationship with Linda. Though there never seems to be any sexual intimacy passed the opening days of their relationship. Wonder sticks to you over whether he was a homosexual simply trying to live under the guise of a normal life, but the love he feels for Linda really degrades this theory. In the end, I think we just have to see this situation for what it was. A very unconventional arrangement where Cole has two distinct lives and loves that find their way to the surface based on the light of day.

Ashley Judd is amazing as Linda Porter. Somewhere along the path of her acting career, she has been unfairly relegated to the list of 'B' actresses. Through this role, she's shown that she has what it takes to perform on a level with the best. Judd embodies the tangled confusion and the utter disappointment of this character. Linda loves this man and the music that spins from him so intensely that she allows his philandering to dig valleys into her without lashing back ten fold. Linda is an extremely complex character, and Judd exquisitely displays every branch of this growing complexity. Kevin Klein was very good as Cole, yet he doesn't seem to show up until the second half of the film. He contributes to the lackadaisical nature of the film's beginning by not really grounding the character or giving him a soul for us to firmly attach to. He turns it on once Cole starts getting pounded by waves of adversity, but I wish we could have seen this throughout much closer to the performance Klein extended to us in Life as a House.

The music and the locales really add another dimension to this film. The contemporary musicians that dress up in Porter's staple tunes are some major heavy weights that continually crop up throughout the film as the lead singer for a band or a performer in a musical. It's interesting to run across the likes of Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello, Alanis Morissette, Diana Krall and Natalie Cole as the film dances on. It also provides for a highly compelling soundtrack that will surely prove a must have if you enjoy this film. Also, the locations that provide the backdrops are nothing short of breathtaking. From the streets of Paris to the canals of Venice, the scenery gently nudges your attention from the stars for a moment to revel in the world they inhabit.

De-Lovely is an interesting film that doesn't come easily. It really makes you work to keep from switching it off during the first hour, but it sufficiently saves itself in the later half based on very strong performances by Judd and Klein. If you have an affinity for Cole Porter's work or enjoy the taste of musicals, I think this is a pretty safe bet. As for the rest of you, this is one you are really going to have to be in the mood for. If you are up for the challenge, De-Lovely bears fruit. Just be prepared for a long growing season.

Buy or rent De-Lovely now. Also check out Innovative Radio for select cuts off the De-Lovely soundtrack including one of this week's featured selections -- Vivian Green's "Love for Sale".