The Libertine

Name: The Libertine
Genre: Drama
Released: November 23, 2005
Duration: 114 min
Rating: 44
Cast: John Malkovich, Johnny Depp

2005

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Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 56 Ratings

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 56 Ratings

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The Libertine

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Movie Details & Credits

Weinstein Company, The | Release Date: November 23, 2005 | R

Starring: John Malkovich, Johnny Depp

Summary: The Libertine follows the adventures of John Wilmot (Depp), the second Earl of Rochester. Known for his scandalous ways, he lives life in pursuit of vice with little recourse. (The Weinstein Company)

Director: Laurence Dunmore

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 114 min

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Critic Reviews

Peter Travers

This one-of-a-kind spellbinder from first-time director Laurence Dunmore is not afraid to shock. Depp is a raunchy wonder, especially in a time-capsule-worthy opening monologue. Read full review

Roger Ebert

Depp accepts the character and all of its baggage, and works without a net. Read full review

Peter Rainer

As the depraved John Wilmot, the second Earl of Rochester, Johnny Depp adds yet another sly sleazoid to his burgeoning portrait gallery. Read full review

M. E. Russell

Unfortunately, the dialogue undermines the movie's promise. Read full review

Jack Mathews

Not since Philip Kaufman's 2000 "Quills," the story of the Marquis de Sade, have we had so debauched a literary and movie hero, and Johnny Depp plays him with the relish of an actor who has made odd-ball characters his specialty. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

What comes from the mouth of Johnny Depp...not the crucial spark of wit or insight that could encourage us to spend two hours with this cruel bore. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

The Libertine is such a torturous mess that it winds up doing something I hadn't thought possible: It renders Johnny Depp charmless. Read full review

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User Reviews

CathyW.

Mar 12, 2006

Extraordinary performance from Depp, Malkovich Morton and Pike. The restoration was not a pretty venue. History is history. And these performances are outstanding. The film may have some flaws. But overall it is a rivieting story and I am proud that Johnny did the movie.

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MayaB.

Aug 22, 2006

What a great surprise. I expected a big production movie full of moral lessons and naked wenches, but what I saw was a tale about the darkness of the human soul, and the impulse of self destruction in the face of hypocrisy and boredom.

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FilipeNeto

Feb 13, 2022

After a period of social and moral puritanism, inspired by the consolidation of the Church of England and a more austere political regime - the English Republic - the first decades of the return to the monarchy saw a reversal of this scenario, with society allowing itself to do more mundaneAfter a period of social and moral puritanism, inspired by the consolidation of the Church of England and a more austere political regime - the English Republic - the first decades of the return to the monarchy saw a reversal of this scenario, with society allowing itself to do more mundane customs and habits, especially in court life. It is in this context that appears John Wilmott, 2nd Earl of Rochester, whose father was a crucial figure in supporting the House of Stuart and to whom King Charles II himself owed gratitude.

This film approaches, in very generic lines and with a dose of fiction, the life of this controversial playwright and poet and his relationship, fluctuating and unstable, with his royal benefactor. Rochester married Elizabeth Mallet after kidnapping her, but it was not a happy marriage in the long run. As the film shows, he lived a dissolute existence, squandering his family fortune among the most infamous theaters, taverns and brothels in London and tarnishing his reputation with various scandals: in addition to the numerous mistresses, actresses and prostitutes with whom he involved, will have had dishonorable conduct in a situation that ended in the murder of one of his friends, in addition to being accused of quackery and illegal practice of medicine. Although the film prefers not to talk about it, Rochester got to know several European countries, where he left a good intellectual reputation, and was also notable for his bravery in the naval combats of the Anglo-Dutch War. After a life of sexual and alcoholic excesses, the poet ended up paying the bill at a young age, dying at 33, profoundly weakened by syphilis. For posterity would be his last words, in which he renounced atheism, and a work of poetry and erotic and satirical dramaturgy deeply caustic for the time and which is still considered quite adult and provocative today.

The film is quite good, and I think it just didn't receive more recognition and visibility due to the provocative and controversial nature of the character it focuses on. It is not, at all, a suitable movie to watch with grandparents or the parish priest. Laurence Dunmore directed with skill and talent, beautifully combining historical realism with the creative need that a film demands. The casting choice was smart, and Johnny Depp is the most suitable option to bring the libertine to life. The actor has a penchant for bizarre characters, and Rochester fits him like a glove. John Malkovich also did an excellent job, giving Charles II a good dose of realism, without exaggerated pomp. Samantha Morton also lived up to her character, an actress who wants to approach her career professionally and not just be an occasional hooker for wealthy patrons. Finally, a word of appreciation for the work of Rosamund Pike and Richard Coyle.

The film exudes realism in the way it exposes the environments of the restored court. Far from the luxury of European monarchies, the English court appears here in dark and almost violent tones, with an omnipresent humidity. London looks like a muddy and dirty sewer rather than a big capital. Nevertheless, the costumes and sets betray the luxury and sumptuousness of the environments and mansions of the aristocracy. I especially liked Rochester's clothes and the long wigs that pontificated in men's fashion at the time. The cinematography makes good use of these shadows and existing light to nuance the look, making the film as dark as its main character's personality. Finally, I cannot end without praising the skill and elegance of Michael Nyman's score.… Expand

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[Anonymous]

Sep 1, 2006

The painful choices of two women, wife and mistress, were as sensitively portrayed as was Johnny Depp

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KarenW.

Mar 16, 2006

An amazing performance by Depp. But I wish the direction had been better. Really a thought provoking film if you take the time to think about what you've seen.

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SarahB.

Aug 23, 2006

Good actors, really foul script. Even this Depp lover couldn't stay awake for the entirety of this snorefest.

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PrudenceK.

Nov 24, 2005

Trash. This film was trash. Awful. Depp gives one of the worst performances I have ever seen! It is beyond awful. Anyone who thought he could get an Oscar nod for this awful performance should seriously be tortured.

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