Vous voulez voir cette page en français ? Cliquez ici.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
17 used & new from CDN$ 28.99
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
John Adams
 
See larger image and other views 
Share your own customer images

John Adams

Starring: Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney MPAA Rating: PG
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
List Price: CDN$ 74.98
Price: CDN$ 46.49 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
You Save: CDN$ 28.49 (38%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca. Gift-wrap available.

15 new from CDN$ 29.94 2 used from CDN$ 28.99
Valentines
Love: Up to 50% Off
Get your romance on with hilarious comedies, tear-jerking dramas, and bodice-ripping period pieces in our Love Event.

Special Offers and Product Promotions

Watch a Related Video
03:06
 
   

Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this DVD with John Adams by David McCullough

John Adams + John Adams
Price For Both: CDN$ 63.65

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: John Adams DVD ~ Paul Giamatti

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.
    This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details

  • John Adams by David McCullough

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over CDN$ 39. Details

What do customers ultimately buy after viewing this item?

John Adams
94% buy the item featured on this page:
John Adams 4.2 out of 5 stars (5)
CDN$ 46.49
Band Of Brothers (Widescreen)
2% buy
Band Of Brothers (Widescreen) 4.8 out of 5 stars (528)
CDN$ 54.99
Rome: Season 1
1% buy
Rome: Season 1 4.3 out of 5 stars (15)
CDN$ 47.99
Explore similar items

Product Details

Product Description

Amazon.ca

Based on David McCullough's bestselling biography, the HBO miniseries John Adams is the furthest thing from a starry-eyed look at America's founding fathers and the brutal path to independence. Adams (Paul Giamatti), second president of the United States, is portrayed as a skilled orator and principled attorney whose preference for justice over anti-English passions earns enemies. But he also gains the esteem of the first national government of the United States, i.e., the Continental Congress, which seeks non-firebrands capable of making a reasoned if powerful case for America's break from England's monarchy. The first thing one notices about John Adams' dramatizations of congress' proceedings, and the fervent pro-independence violence in the streets of Boston and elsewhere, is that America's roots don't look pretty or idealized here. Some horrendous things happen in the name of protest, driving Adams to push the cause of independence in a legitimate effort to get on with a revolutionary war under the command of George Washington. But the process isn't easy: not every one of the 13 colonies-turned-states is ready to incur the wrath of England, and behind-the-scenes negotiations prove as much a part of 18th century congressional sessions as they do today.

Besides this peek into a less-romanticized version of the past, John Adams is also a story of the man himself. Adams' frustration at being forgotten or overlooked at critical junctures of America's early development--sent abroad for years instead of helping to draft the U.S. constitution--is detailed. So is his dismay that the truth of what actually transpired leading to the signing of the Declaration of Independence has been slowly forgotten and replaced by a rosier myth. But above all, John Adams is the story of two key ties: Adams' 54-year marriage to Abigail Adams (Laura Linney), every bit her husband's intellectual equal and anchor, and his difficult, almost symbiotic relationship with Thomas Jefferson (Stephen Dillane) over decades. Giamatti, of course, has to carry much of the drama, and if he doesn't always seem quite believable in the series' first half, he becomes increasingly excellent at the point where an aging Adams becomes bitter over his place in history. Linney is marvelous, as is Dillane, Sarah Polley as daughter Nabby, Danny Huston as cousin Samuel Adams, and above all Tom Wilkinson as a complex but indispensable Ben Franklin. --Tom Keogh

On the DVD

cc
The entire 7-part miniseries
David McCullough: Painting With Words - a rare and personal glimpse at the life and words of author David McCullough
Facts Are Stubborn Things - an exclusive onscreen historicall guide
The Making of John Adams featurette
See all Product Description

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
 
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

John Adams

John Adams

by David McCullough
4.6 out of 5 stars (540)  CDN$ 17.16
Truman

Truman

DVD ~ Gary Sinise
4.5 out of 5 stars (12)  CDN$ 18.99
Thomas Jefferson - A Film by Ken Burns

Thomas Jefferson - A Film by Ken Burns

DVD ~ Blythe Danner
4.8 out of 5 stars (17)  CDN$ 22.99
1776

1776

by David McCullough
4.3 out of 5 stars (6)  CDN$ 21.94
The War of 1812 (2 Discs)

The War of 1812 (2 Discs)

CDN$ 19.99
› Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

5 Reviews
5 star:
 (2)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most helpful customer reviews

 
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The Birth of a Nation, Aug 5 2008
By Coach C (Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   
In this 7-part miniseries HBO has captured what Historian Gordon Wood describes as "The Radicalism of the American Revolution". As a Canadian, I had to wait until the DVD release but it was well worth the wait.

If you're looking for action, intricate battle scenes or romance you'll find little here. Instead, "John Adams" looks at the life of the second President of the US from a career and familial point of view. The intellectual exchanges between Adams and Benjamin Franklin, Adams and Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and Jefferson, and last but not least the fascinating exchanges between the congress of 13 states debating the issue of independence are wonderfully done. HBO recreates this cataclysmic moment in history with great purpose immersing the viewer with every spoken word.

The acting is equally superb. Paul Giamatti is electric as John Adams and Laura Linney brings the beauty, grace and intellectual brilliance of Abigail Adams to life.

For those in Canada who are relatively unfamiliar with American history, this HBO mini-series is an excellent primer in understanding the fundamental pillars of the creation of the American republic and how they still impact the way America works today.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars It's like being there ..., Sep 6 2008
By Yves Fournier (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I am no history major, just a history buff, and as such, this series blew me away. Very well acted, un-manicured, beautiful settings, quality stuff with lots of extras. The documentary about Mccullough's writing habits is excellent. It makes you want to know more aout this time and place in history. Now proudly sits on the shelf next to another Tom Hanks masterpiece, Band of Brothers.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Almost as good as the book, Nov 20 2008
By R. Doig (Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I read the Pullitzer Prize winning book, John Adams, by David McCullough, not realizing it had been made into a mini-series. The book was excellent. Despite being a 700+ page historical biography, it actually held my attention, kept me up late and night and reduced me to tears in places, especially when it recounts how John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
I thought the mini-series was also very well done. The acting was great, the way it brought the events to life was breathtaking. I loved the portrayal of Abigail Adams by Laura Linney. This mini-series is definitely worth watching and will have a proud place in my collection.
I have a few little points of contention when it comes to the portrayal of various characters. I thought, for example, the movie made John Adams out to be a little ridiculous at times, putting in words into his mouth in public settings which were actually said in private letters. The demise of his son Charles being a consequence of his lack of parental involvement was not as clear cut in the book as the movie made it seem, nor was John Quincy quite so bullied by his father. The book also makes much more of the duplicity of Thomas Jefferson, the indolence of Benjamin Franklin and the designs of Alexander Hamilton. Jefferson and Franklin still come out as heroes in the movie. Perhaps I bring up these points because the book makes you admire and love John Adams despite his weaknesses. If you enjoyed the mini-series, read the book too. It fills everything out, adds detail and insight, and gives a real appreciation for the Second US President who is so often overshadowed by Washington and Jefferson.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 		 Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars I am completely blown away! Well done...
I should admit this has completely blown me away. Probably the best TV show in years. Great acting and story line. Wonderfully done. Paul Giammati is just great as John Adams. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Winston

3.0 out of 5 stars Um, Why?
This is a wonderfully crafted mini-series. The writing is superb, the acting is terrific. So, what's wrong with it. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Dave and Joe

Only search this product's reviews


Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject














i.e., each DVD must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.