SummaryPaltrow stars as legendary American author and poet Sylvia Plath, opposite Craig as British Poet Laureate Edward (Ted) Hughes. The film explores the source of creative genius, and love in all its passion. (Focus Features)
Directed By:Christine Jeffs
Written By:John Brownlow
Sylvia
Metascore
Mixed or Average
56
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.7
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
56
40% Positive
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
53% Mixed
21 Reviews
21 Reviews
8% Negative
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
91
This is the richest role Paltrow has had since ''Shakespeare in Love,'' and she rises to the challenge. She digs deep into Plath's mercurial nature, giving us a Sylvia who's fiercely independent and alive yet burdened with demons of insecurity that bubble up in a rage.
75
Sylvia the movie competently shows us how; but, as always, it's Sylvia the writer who brilliantly tells us why -- then, now and tomorrow, her foreboding words are her finest legacy.
63
Sylvia underwhelms.
60
A handsome, mostly tasteful production on par with 2001's Bayley-Murdoch impersonation "Iris."
50
It's a dreary movie about a dreary character, offering little insight into her poetry or the mental illness that ultimately conquered her.
40
Sylvia also makes it seem as though, even at her happiest, she never received much pleasure from life. This makes for a long, slow procession to the oven door -– so dark, somber, and lifeless is this well-intentioned biography.
30
Seems to avoid any kind of edgy, precedent-making attitude, some point of view that feels charged, divisive and consequently alive.
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.7
83% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
17% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Nov 26, 2021
7
This is quite a good film, with the 2 main performances done well by Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig. Its a sad story of course but I liked some of the prose spoken and its not too bad in terms of being a period piece. It isn't a film I'm likely to want to re-watch but it's a pretty good film otherwise - somewhat thought provoking I suppose. Yes, I would recommend it.
Production Company:
- BBC Film
- British Film Council
- Capitol Films
- Focus Features
- Ruby Films
Release Date:Oct 17, 2003
Duration:1 h 50 m
Rating:R
Tagline:Life was too small to contain her...
Awards
Australian Cinematographers Society
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
