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urbanmagicApr 30, 2017

Here is an example of why not to trust critics. This movie is awful. The wonderful Cynthia Nixon and Jennifer Ehle must suffer through some of the most stilted and pretentious writing and directing I have seen in years. It would beHere is an example of why not to trust critics. This movie is awful. The wonderful Cynthia Nixon and Jennifer Ehle must suffer through some of the most stilted and pretentious writing and directing I have seen in years. It would be fascinating to actually see an informed and intelligent rendering of the life and work of this amazing poet, but you certainly will not find it here. Much of the most vibrant and complex parts of the poet's life are completely left out of the story, and it renders her a self absorbed and miserable prig, which she most certainly was not. It also portrays 19th century life in the most simple minded way. The characters don't so much speak to one another as take turns pontificating in a way no actual human being ever has. If you are tempted to see this terrible movie, I urge you instead, to head to the closest independent book store and buy a volume of Emily Dickinson's poems and letters. They are wonderful and full of a kind of beauty and emotional intelligence that is completely missing in A QUIET PASSION.… Expand

5 of 7 users found this helpful52

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2

everettMay 16, 2017

I was astonished that a script like this, where the dialogue is mostly an exchange of platitudes, would get made. The characters are mostly caricatures. Other than one young woman who's so unbearably smug she deserves a category of her own,I was astonished that a script like this, where the dialogue is mostly an exchange of platitudes, would get made. The characters are mostly caricatures. Other than one young woman who's so unbearably smug she deserves a category of her own, we have the stilted, on the one hand, and the pretentious, on the other, including Emily herself. Having a voiceover of her reading her poetry only added to the preciousness of this film; and the absence of a score adds to an airless, claustrophobic atmosphere that might have been deliberate, in order to demonstrate the repression of the times, but in the end deprived all of them - with one possible exception, the Jennifer Ehle sister - of their humanity. I can't understand the high critical rating. Instead of bringing poetry to life, it suffocates it, which is a real loss, considering the power of the work of this poet who managed to achieve a status as a writer rarely given to women of her time - or ours. Cynthia Nixon tries; if anyone could pull this off, it would be her. But not as written and directed. I can't imagine such a talented cast signing on to something like this. The movie is worse than a missed opportunity to introduce people to poetry; it's one that confirms why so many people hate it.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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9

GinaKMay 8, 2017

A riveting film that succeeds brilliantly in recreating the life and times of Emily Dickinson and her family – and linking it to her poetry. While creating a film that is both very witty and incredibly sad, the director elaborates on what weA riveting film that succeeds brilliantly in recreating the life and times of Emily Dickinson and her family – and linking it to her poetry. While creating a film that is both very witty and incredibly sad, the director elaborates on what we know of Dickinson’s life and we feel as if we are living with her family and friends, partly through fact and partly through surmise. Although most of the film takes place in the Dickinson family home, the actors create a larger world (that includes the Civil War) and are totally convincing. If you love Dickinson’s poetry as I do, this is a “must see” film. Cynthia Nixon is astonishing.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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10

binarygMay 7, 2017

Finally a film which gives Emily Dickinson her due. I've read reviews which complain that there are inaccuracies in the telling here but I've read several biographies and books about her poetry and I've read all 1,700 + poems and there areFinally a film which gives Emily Dickinson her due. I've read reviews which complain that there are inaccuracies in the telling here but I've read several biographies and books about her poetry and I've read all 1,700 + poems and there are more unknowns about her life and work than knowns. The film is beautifully shot and all of the actors, (especially Cynthia Nixon) are incredible. This one I will own as soon as it is released as a DVD. See it in the theater if it is possible.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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10

ProserMay 21, 2017

This is not a movie for everyone. It is not a piece of entertainment. It is not a piece of consolation. But it is an honest assessment of the life of one of our greatest poets. It is beautifully made, photographed, and brilliantly acted andThis is not a movie for everyone. It is not a piece of entertainment. It is not a piece of consolation. But it is an honest assessment of the life of one of our greatest poets. It is beautifully made, photographed, and brilliantly acted and directed. Yes, there is too much Wildian aphoristic repartee. Yes, it is unsparing; but it is also compassionate, feeling, and true. So if beauty is truth, and you are looking for both, this is your film. But if you don't like whole sentences, and long for flaming action, and don't want an uncensored vision of what life is, or what a life can be, stay away.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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3

TVJerryMay 24, 2017

Let me start by stating that I'm not a poetry fan (unless it's a naughty limerick), but even if I were a fierce devotee, this dreary biopic would have faded my fervor forever. It follows poet Emily Dickinson (Cynthia Nixon) from her earlyLet me start by stating that I'm not a poetry fan (unless it's a naughty limerick), but even if I were a fierce devotee, this dreary biopic would have faded my fervor forever. It follows poet Emily Dickinson (Cynthia Nixon) from her early years to her final reclusive, pain-racked days. This film is over 2 hours, but without the interminable pauses between EVERY line, it would run less than an hour. The pacing is dreadful, the stilted language borders on pretentious and the endless misery isn't mitigated by the occasional readings of her poems. There are some attractive costumes and the stark gentility of the period is interesting, but the incredible tedium that pervades the pacing drains any hope of redemption. The best thing about the movie is the clever way they morphed the family members from their teen versions to the adult actors.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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2

LynNov 28, 2017

Evidently poor Emily Dickinson came from a family of neurotic, sickly, pedantic sad sacks. It is amazing that she managed to write any poetry at all, let alone her huge collection of wry, clever, sometimes depressed but always clear-eyedEvidently poor Emily Dickinson came from a family of neurotic, sickly, pedantic sad sacks. It is amazing that she managed to write any poetry at all, let alone her huge collection of wry, clever, sometimes depressed but always clear-eyed verse. I don't doubt that life in her smothering family, during this time period, was rather grim. See also: the Brontes. But this tedious film really does not explore where all that wonderful poetry came from, probably because there are limits on what's known about Dickinson for sure. Worst of all, there isn't much of her poetry here! And a scene in which she spouts her "I'm nobody/Who are you?" verse to an infant nephew is just cringeworthy. Cynthia Nixon waxes hysterical, but who wouldn't? On the upside, it's always delightful to see Jennifer Ehle, in anything (playing E's sister).… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

SpangleMay 7, 2017

Distance, verbose, and complex, A Quiet Passion is the cinematic version of its subject's poetry. Elusive in definition due to both its complexity and a to-the-grave reliance upon a mental thesaurus, A Quiet Passion is a film that activelyDistance, verbose, and complex, A Quiet Passion is the cinematic version of its subject's poetry. Elusive in definition due to both its complexity and a to-the-grave reliance upon a mental thesaurus, A Quiet Passion is a film that actively rejects audience understanding in the name of honoring the brilliance of its protagonist. However, by never letting us in to understand her plight - one certainly driven out typical artist's plight, in which their work is never appreciated during their own life, to the point that they wonder if their life's passion was worthwhile or not - from her point of view, A Quiet Passion winds up being far too subtle and lacking in clarity with regard to how one should feel about Emily Dickinson (Cynthia Nixon) at the end of the film. On one hand, she is a brilliant writer, even if well beyond my own comprehension. Yet, on the other hand, she was certainly quite self-absorbed and assured that she was better than those around her, even if their supposed faults were also her own. By the end, A Quiet Passion is a handsomely crafted film that simply lacks enough clarity and comprehensibility to truly become an excellent film.

Verbosely written with the script relying heavily upon a bevy of SAT words, A Quiet Passion borders on pretension in how it consistently over-complicates its story with its reliance upon complex language. At times, the film can lose track of even itself with how many words it tries to pull out of the thesaurus, all in the name of communicating the extensive vocabulary possessed by Dickinson. Fortunately, Cynthia Nixon often brings this back to Earth in a terrific performance. Displaying Dickinson's sharp, if dry, wit and ability to tear down on an opponent in verbal combat, the film's writing uses the dictionary quite nicely in those moments, but can otherwise force the rest of the film into being quite the slog. No matter how hard I tried to understand it all, the film always seemed to be attempting to become more-and-more complicated to the detriment of the overall product. It defied understanding and actively sought to complicate its rather straight-forward adherence to biopic formula.

This adherence to biopic formula is further demonstrated in the film's brevity. Issues arise and quickly fall into the backdrop in the name of telling her entire story. Scenes of the aunt with the family play in isolation, the Civil War is thrown in with mention of various battles and their casualties, the parents come and go, Emily's illness is hinted at and then results in her death, but it never really all comes together into a cohesive product. It is quite pleasant to watch with how exquisitely shot it all is, but it feels more like a highlight reel of Dickinson's life than an honest attempt to teach us about her and her work. Compared to other recent biopics such as Jackie which pick a point in time or two to base its storytelling around and, as a result, are given the space to develop its central character and create a base level of understanding that person and their life as a whole, A Quiet Passion never really captures Dickinson. It just tosses in moments from her life with Davies exacerbates moments with long-takes in an attempt to try and express the unspoken depth of the film. In the end, it winds up just feeling rather hollow.

The film's storytelling prowess is only worsened by the awkward inclusion of Dickinson's poetry. Narrated by Nixon as Dickinson writes or simply as she does something, the moments never really flow into the rest of the film. Instead, it feels like an overall diversion that never really works. While the poetry is beautiful - even if similarly elusive as the film itself - it simply does not work into the film as smoothly as it could and, as a result, the film's abbreviated approach to her life is met with a fractured approach to storytelling that lacks flaw and is far rockier than one would have expected when opting to watch the film.

However, though Dickinson's characterization is increasingly elusive and distant, A Quiet Passion's moments of developing her are well-taken with Davies really shining a light on her, even if it not really positive. Born in a time where women were expected to be docile and unquestioning, she was a powerful feminist voice arguing for equality. Citing that as her reasoning for not wanting to marry - equality - Dickinson is mostly a recluse. As her sister Vinnie (Jennifer Ehle) warns her in beginning, we often become what we do not want to become. For Emily, she does not want to become enslaved to another, but mostly does not want to become her mother. Long suffering, prone to crying, and a hermit, her mother is somebody she loves, but wishes to never become. Unfortunately, by the end of the film, it is clear that her own pretension has relegated her to a life of isolation like that of her mother. For Vinnie, this means she must be a doting sister at the beck and call of her sister, out of love.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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7

LeZeeNov 29, 2017

Being a biopic, it justifies! But not everybody thinks that way!

I don't know what did everybody expected from it, but I thought it was good. It is a biopic and you can't anticipate a film to alter for your comfort. Not all the films basedBeing a biopic, it justifies! But not everybody thinks that way!

I don't know what did everybody expected from it, but I thought it was good. It is a biopic and you can't anticipate a film to alter for your comfort. Not all the films based on the real person are one hundred per cent exact depiction. Recreation is impossible, but getting somewhere close to it what this film did like many others. Because you won't able to cover thousands of hours of a person's life in just 120 minutes. The director did his part finely and so the actors.

Periodic flick means we expect fancy costumes. This film had started like one, but faded away quickly, once the story started to get serious. After graduating from the school, the young Emily Dickinson decides to write poetries and she succeeds too. But she's not a person of god as her family or the society she's living in. Then she meets another young woman like her. Soon everybody around her starts to get disappear as the phase of life moving on, so she loses all the company. How her rest of the life happens were revealed on the remaining part.

Despite both the versions of Emily were good, it also became the weakness of the film. They should have went for one actor with make- up option. I liked first half and the second half, but it looked two different films with two different actors. Setting in the 19th century, the struggles of women is what it highlighted. Most of the film took place in the Emily's house. Being a true story, it is worthy film. But not everybody would enjoy it. Because that's not how Emily Dickinson lived. I meant to get cheers from the today's audience for her film.

7/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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4

LaTijeraJan 1, 2018

Plays stiff and stuffy like an old black and white, almost as if it was shot to be some theater caricature. Review urbanmagic's zero score is a tad too low though; has a few decent moments but those often seem incongruous to neighboringPlays stiff and stuffy like an old black and white, almost as if it was shot to be some theater caricature. Review urbanmagic's zero score is a tad too low though; has a few decent moments but those often seem incongruous to neighboring scenes and even some characters within the very scene, as if they were cast into in completely different genres.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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