Jefferson in Paris
Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: March 31, 1995 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
45
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews
Positive:
3
Mixed:
15
Negative:
4
Watch Now
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
50
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
By the time [James Ivory and Ruth Prawer Jhabvala] get around to articulating a story, the inhibitions imposed by their "good taste" begin to seem more like gutlessness, and what initially promises to be an exposure of American liberal doublethink about slavery winds up as a querulous wimp out on a subject that the underrated "Mandingo" is better equipped to deal with. Read full review
50
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
The movie tells no clear story and has no clear ideas. Read full review
50
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Slow, beautifully filmed, Nolte's Jefferson implausible. Read full review
40
EmpirePhillip Thomas
Sadly, beyond the wigs, costumes and exquisite set design, its a vacant enterprise. Read full review
50
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Bereft of any flesh-and-blood honesty, the last half of the movie plays like a ludicrous PBS version of "Mandingo." Read full review
40
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
A wax-museum movie that is both bland and reverential despite its focus on the great man's love life, Jefferson is hampered by its disconnected protagonist. Read full review
50
Rolling StonePeter Travers
The team of producer Ismail Merchant, director James Ivory and writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala drops the ball with this droopy, snail-paced prigs-in-wigs movie. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
Jefferson in Paris is dull, sluggish and unfocused. Read full review
50
San Francisco ExaminerBarbara Shulgasser
This movie would have had a chance of being interesting had it been about Sally Hemmings. Read full review
60
The New York TimesJanet Maslin
Overshadowed by its own ambition and not-quite-ironic pageantry, Jefferson in Paris doesn't quite come to life. Read full review
50
TimeRichard Schickel
It's as if everyone was just a little too much in tasteful awe of its subject, who is played rather stolidly by Nick Nolte. Read full review
60
VarietyTodd McCarthy
This decorous look at the great man's five years as ambassador to France in the period leading up to the French Revolution touches upon much significant history, incident and emotion but, ironically, lacks the intrigue and drama of great fiction. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeJay Carr
But despite the vibrancy of its images and the exquisiteness of its craftsmanship, Jefferson in Paris doesn't often light a fire under its material. [07 Apr 1995]
58
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
It is long, mediocre and rather pointless. [07 Apr 1995]
50
Wall Street JournalAmy Gamerman
It's beautiful to watch, but it doesn't cover very much ground. Sumptuously appointed, meticulously detailed, the film sallies forth - and sags. [06 Apr 1995]
More From This Movie

45 Critic Reviews

5.8 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 77 Project Hail Mary
2 75 Send Help
3 73 Hoppers
4 72 The Sheep Detectives
5 68 Crime 101
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL