The Beguiled

Sofia Coppola has always relied on emotion rather than historical epic, and this personal story of a woman's motivations and feelings is no different. The running time, the story, and the protagonists, dominated primarily by Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst, are in line with this. Colin Farrell's character has it all together in the middle of the film and then starts making incomprehensible and illogical (screenwriting) mistakes, which, given the leisurely build-up of the story, feels like a punch in the gut. Otherwise, the cinematography is great, as it should be in a historical drama, but one can't help feeling that some of the main characters' interactions feel like Coppola made this film with a nineteenth-century style. (10/01/2017)

With its short runtime, the film doesn't have much chance to bore, but it felt pretty standard to me. It's a one-off that I enjoyed for an hour and a half, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression. The star-studded cast is the main draw, making it worth a watch, but the story itself wasn’t all that gripping. There were a few surprising moments, but nothing that made the film exceptionally impactful. I get the point and the message of the story, but it wasn’t strong enough for me to take away more than the feeling of having watched a decent film that I don’t need to revisit. I’d rather watch Misery again. (10/08/2017)

An hour-long wait for a peak that definitely isn't worth an hour-long wait. Lots of stolen glances, genuine curiosity, and suppressed emotions do all the heavy lifting for plot development that struck me as belonging in a different, significantly less successful film. The answers to the questions that interested me the most remained hidden behind silent female characters. Sofia Coppola is definitely losing her uniqueness. (11/20/2017)

Sofia Coppola made a visually captivating film in which there is not much to criticize in terms of styling, costumes and sets, helped by the actors who played their parts well. I especially liked Kirsten, who I thought was beautiful in the background, although she almost seemed dumb, which doesn't feel right for her, but she played it well. However, I’m not the least bit surprised when it comes to Nicole. (10/05/2017)

I love the acting of both the excellent Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell, but even the young puppy Elle Fanning has something going for her. I was expecting a more steamy psychological and erotic experience which the last half hour politely encouraged, just a shame they ended it so quickly. It was watchable, but could have been better. 60% (10/01/2017)