During the early 1860’s America was about to face the biggest challenge it would ever face and that was being town into with brother fighting brother. Because of the election of Abraham Lincoln and his anti-slavery views many in the south were feeling like revolting and going to war rather than losing their slaves. It is no different than in the town of Cold Mountain, North Carolina where they would almost welcome a war. Ada is from Charleston and has recently moved to Cold Mountain because of the failing of her minister father’s health. Cold Mountain is far from everything she has ever known as she was raised as a proper lady and the town is a farming community way out of the way of civilization. But she soon finds herself falling in love with a local Inman who does carpentry for the community. But like everyone else in the town when the call for war comes he enlists with the Confederate Army to fight the oppression of the North. Ada continues to write him as she tries to make do in a life she never expected. But the war begins to change Inman and he longs to be away from all the death and destruction. When he is wounded in combat he decides that is enough and begins the perilous journey home to his mountain community, hoping to reunite with his pre-war sweetheart. In his absence, Ada struggles to survive, and revive her father's farm with the help of intrepid young drifter Ruby

Based on Charles Frazier's best-selling Civil War novel of the same name the movie is an epic tale of romance and completely enthralls you in a wonderful story that is nothing short of amazing. You cannot help but be drawn into this movie, which is so much grander than you would ever expect. The movie is a little slow to begin and really does not take off until Renee Zellweger’s character arrives but once it gets going it is hard to not be totally and completely mesmerized by it. Renee Zellweger truly steals the story as she does an amazing job of playing the drifter Ruby that completely changes Ada’s view on life. Renee Zellweger should probably win an Oscar for her amazing job she did in this movie as without her the movie might have ended up being a little bit boring. The movie is as toughing as it is epic as it leads itself to an ending that is quite fitting for the tale that they were telling. Some might not like how it ends as it could be seen as a little bit of a downer but the movie does such a grand job at telling the story of civil war and the many ways it effected every ones life that you cannot possibly walk away from this movie without being thoroughly entertained and enchanted. If you like a good drama that mixes in a little action and romance then this movie is a must see as it is as marvelous as it is splendid.
4 stars out of 5