The story was very much true to hardy's novel (well up until the end) and while the film is dark it is wonderfully so. Instead of a cute feel good romance i'm confronted with a heavy movie of death, love, hate, and betrayal. First thing i notice it has kate winslet, its historical, and the tag line is really catchy so i check it out, drive to my friends house and start the show. I was at the library getting a movie for girls night and then i saw the jacket for this movie. On the contrary, this is the whole identity and uniqueness of the film. Jude and Sue (Kate Winslet, who starred in Reader) are in love with each other, but each.