SummaryAdapted from Ethan Canin's acclaimed short story "The Palace Thief," this film explores the turbulent relationship between a high school Classics professor (Kline) and one of his students (Hirsch).
Directed By:Michael Hoffman
Written By:Ethan Canin, Neil Tolkin
The Emperor's Club
Metascore
Mixed or Average
49
User score
Generally Favorable
6.1
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
49
44% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
41% Mixed
13 Reviews
13 Reviews
16% Negative
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
90
This isn't a stand up and cheer flick; it's a sit down and ponder affair. And thanks to Kline's superbly nuanced performance, that pondering is highly pleasurable.
75
A substantial examination of character, morality and destiny.
63
That uncertainty -- in the professor, in the audience -- is what drives Emperor's Club to a surprisingly thought-provoking, even disturbing conclusion.
50
It's well crafted by director Michael Hoffman, not painful to sit through, and even contains some 21st century plot twists -- But unless you have a predisposition toward this kind of thing, none of that is going to matter much.
50
But with a potentially fascinating study of ethics, of how cheating rich boys become cheating rich men while humble souls do more good in the world, The Emperor's Club doesn't take the audience anywhere smart.
40
Would be a much better film had it not relied so heavily on a bombastic soundtrack (by James Newton Howard) for its emotional impact and spared itself some of the more overdone images of campus life.
20
It's a simpering, ineffective ersatz-drama, so simple-minded and unrealistic and so full of fussy stupidity, it exiles you.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.1
56% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
22% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
22% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Jan 6, 2013
3
This movie is a aftershock of Dead Poet's Society and it goes down in flames due to it's predictable plot and uninteresting characters. The ending was unique but most of it was unnecessary. Costner has never been my favorite and he has proven again he is only a par actor.
Production Company:
- Universal Pictures
- Beacon Communications
- Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
- Longfellow Pictures
- LivePlanet
- Fine Line Features
- Horsepower Films
- SK Global
Release Date:Nov 22, 2002
Duration:1 h 48 m
Rating:PG-13
Tagline:In everyone's life there's that one person who makes all the difference.
Awards
Young Artist Awards
• 2 Nominations
