This magnificently photographed Dalai Lama drama is strong on visual appeal and spiritual ambience, but makes one fatal error - the miscasting of Brad Pitt as real-life Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer, whose eventful life was capped by a lengthy stay in Tibet. The camera loves him, but his catalogue model looks and ropey Teutonic accent undermine the whole movie. David Thewlis, however, is excellent as his climbing partner, and director Jean-Jacques Annaud has a fine feeling for time and place. Despite unbelievable Brad and a few dramatic implausibilities (check out Harrer's PoW camp escape), this is still quite a journey.

Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer journeys to the Himalayas without his family to head an expedition in 1939. But when World War II breaks out, the arrogant Harrer falls into Allied forces' hands as a prisoner of war. He escapes with a fellow detainee and makes his way to Lhasa, Tibet, where he meets the 14-year-old Dalai Lama, whose friendship ultimately transforms his outlook on life.