Winter's Tale

Winter's Tale is a 2014 American romantic fantasy film directed by Akiva Goldsman, based on a novella by the same name by Mark Helprin. The film stars Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, and Russell Crowe. The story takes place in a mythical New York City, where an enchanting atmosphere shrouds the once-great metropolis in a magical aura. The narrative follows a young burglar, Peter Lake, played by Colin Farrell, who has been living in poverty for much of his life since childhood. Peter has been living in an orphanage, but after one particular theft, he steals his heart, along with his conscience - as Peter has no qualms about breaking into the wealthy households, with no remorse for the property's damage done. One fateful night, as Peter is breaking into a mansion, he sees a beautiful and vibrant young woman, Beverly Penn, played by Jessica Brown Findlay. Despite their different worlds and contrasting backgrounds, the moment they meet, a mystical connection forms between them, which sets them on a journey to discover each other's true selves. However, their connection is short-lived as Peter gets caught and nearly gets hanged, but in his desperation, an angel of death comes to his aid and gives him the gift of reincarnation. Peter's spirit is then transferred to a mortal world for him and also provides a chance for the angel of death to teach him some harsh lessons on life. In the following 106 years that follow, Peter lives through various lives while always remembering his love for Beverly. As he navigates through his reincarnations, Peter becomes increasingly fascinated with the idea of finding Beverly in every life they've ever shared, and to protect her in his next life, Peter must find a way to prevent her early and tragic death that occurred in their first life. However, every time Beverly appears, they get separated and their love remains a mere memory. The story picks up again, with a now-older and wiser Peter, once again breaking into a mansion in an effort to meet his love, but unfortunately gets caught by the ruthless and sadistic Father Call, an enforcer for the corrupt, manipulative wealthy, and power-hungry men of NYC. But just as this Peter's fate seems sealed, he is saved by the angel, Hennessey (Russell Crowe), who once was known as 'Hortz' - an orphan who survived in an alley. Hortz's tragic death in his childhood has led him to have an unrelenting vendetta and becomes known for being the most notorious and deadly angel in NYC. The reason why Hortz turned to an angel is a mysterious and complicated past that led to it. Peter eventually discovers that he, and Hortz, are actually brothers, and this information creates a deep bond between them, and together they concoct a plan to rescue Beverly from a life of sadness and tragedy. However, their plan is complicated by the fact that Hortz's life is deeply intertwined with NYC's corrupt underbelly. The power-hungry men also have their eyes set on Peter's life as he becomes increasingly more powerful and their intentions become more sinister. In the end, with Peter and Hortz's combined strength, they successfully bring an end to Father Call's life and break the curse that had been haunting Beverly for centuries, ultimately saving her from a life of sadness and despair. Peter and Beverly then finally reunite in the end, rekindling their enchanting love story in the most heartwarming way, bringing magic and love to Winter's Tale, a story that has been woven through 106 years of love, betrayal, and redemption.