I found this movie to be truly lovely and moving; the central character presents a difficult journey that ultimately fosters comprehension and compassion in the audience—at least, that was my experience. It’s now among my most cherished films, and I'm hoping for a Blu-Ray release someday, or at minimum an upgrade from the current UK DVD version, which has very poor picture quality. Frankly, I struggle to grasp why anyone would criticize it so severely; perhaps it’s simply resentment or a lack of appreciation.

Source on TMDB