An Oscar-winning movie that's ultimately a deeply moving experience - although it takes a long time getting there. Almost two years in the making, this film about the Cambodian war is based on the true story of a friendship between an American war correspondent (Sam Waterston from Law & Order) and his Cambodian confederate. They are eventually separated at the time of the Khmer Rouge invasion of 1975, despite the guilt-ridden American's efforts to smuggle his friend out. A sad and angry plea for peace, and a successful attempt to engender revulsion at such wars, the film is also an account of the survival of the human spirit against all the odds. The atrocities of war are, however, piled on rather too much, and the pace in places rather too leisurely, to rivet our attention to the central story, despite the impassioned performances of Waterston and Haing S Ngor (who won an Oscar) in the leading roles. In the end, though, you can't help but be moved to tears. With such a story, despite the shortcomings in its telling, that's only as it should be.

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