To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters
  • Network: PBS
  • Series Premiere Date: Mar 26, 2017
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
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Critic Reviews

  1. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: Dorothy Rabinowitz
    Mar 23, 2017
    80
    [A] darkly acerbic, and riveting, Masterpiece drama, written and directed by Sally Wainwright
  2. The Huffington Post
    Reviewed by: David Hinckley
    Mar 23, 2017
    80
    There’s a fair amount of darkness in this story, because the lives it chronicles were not easy. There’s also a fair amount of humor. Mostly there’s admiration for three women who in a very short time accomplished things their world saw no reason to think they could.
  3. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    Mar 23, 2017
    80
    There’s so much more to like here, not least of all the five strong Bronte performances, tight camera work that abets their intimacy, and writing and direction that refuse to romanticize these people and their circumstances. Wainwright never pushes us to interpret the Brontes’ story as one of nascent feminism; more valuably, she delivers the bleak tale with all its tragedy and redemption and lets us find the meaning on our own.
  5. Variety
    Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    Mar 23, 2017
    80
    Anne, Emily and Charlotte come vividly to life as they decide on their pseudonyms, engage with publishers via correspondence, and diligently crank out some of the works that eventually made them famous.
  6. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: David Wiegand
    Mar 23, 2017
    75
    The script is only one of the stars of the production. Wainwright weaves samples of the women’s writing, including poetry, into the dialogue, and creates distinct characters in each of the three sisters, not to mention their father and brother.
  7. The Atlantic
    Reviewed by: Sophie Gilbert
    Mar 27, 2017
    70
    The drama’s undeniable strength is its three female leads: Pirrie, Atkins, and Charlie Murphy as Anne Brontë, who find great depth in their three different characters, and their complex bonds. ... That the sisters are so intriguing is what makes To Walk Invisible’s heavy focus on Branwell so frustrating.
  8. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Mar 23, 2017
    70
    The sisters' own compelling story is the stuff of grand drama. [20 Mar - 2 Apr 2017, p.19]
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  9. St. Louis Post-Dispatch
    Reviewed by: Gail Pennington
    Mar 24, 2017
    40
    Wainwright’s treatment of the subject is eccentric, shifting from surreal childhood scenes to stifled adult life in the claustrophobic parsonage. The sisters--Finn Atkins as Charlotte, Charlie Murphy as Anne and Chloe Pirre as Emily--are cranky, chilly and generally unlikable. ... The Yorkshire accents are only the start of the problem. Low-talking and a loud music track conspire to make much of the dialogue unintelligible.

Awards & Rankings

86
#86 Best TV Season of 2017

User Reviews

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User Score
6.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 14
  3. Negative: 3 out of 14
  1. watching2much
    Oct 19, 2017
    10
    This deeply moving and non-maudlin biopic of the Bronte family is something I will watch again and again. The writer and director, SallyThis deeply moving and non-maudlin biopic of the Bronte family is something I will watch again and again. The writer and director, Sally Wainwright (Scott & Bailey, Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax), has created a masterpiece for Masterpiece. Besides the impeccable casting, The Yorkshire village of Haworth and the surrounding moors seep into every scene. The genius of Wainwright's writing and the performance of the cast strip away any feel of anachronism, that common trait in a lot of biopics to insert on-the-nose twenty-first century values into a script. No, Wainwright trusts the power of letting the Bronte sisters be the extraordinary women of their own time and place. Heartbreaking and uplifting all at once, this must-view two part television account of the Brontes transcends the biopic genre. It's the best thing I've watched in years.… Full Review »
  2. LeZee
    Jun 26, 2017
    9
    I was not excited to see it, because I have had no idea about whose biopic was this. I did not bother to know everything before giving it aI was not excited to see it, because I have had no idea about whose biopic was this. I did not bother to know everything before giving it a try. One of the reason was, I usually enjoy most of the BBC films. I knew it was a period drama and about some famous writers. So, when I saw the very first scene, as kids running around with flames on their heads, I thought it would be some kind of a fantasy film. That was that, in the next minute, it became a different film. For a tale like this, it was a great opening scene. A perfect clue for the viewers what's coming in the latter part of the story.

    Those four kids are the siblings and the story takes place in the mid 19th century England. Revolves around the Bronte family living in a small town, majorly focused on the three sisters in the span of three years, the most important years of their lives. Motherless children, grown to adulthood, they struggle to keep the family name honourly in the community. Their only hope is their brother who supposed to be a successful writer is now at worst as his doomed romance has taken him down with.

    As I know those eras were, particularly the women, it's about marrying at the young age and settling down with the husband. I don't know the actual reason why those sisters remained unmarried, but I have a couple of perspective in my mind, that might be inappropriate to say out, yet the film kind of breaks the stereotype of women of those times. I blame their father, as well as their brother, but still these sisters are one of the greatest historic figures I've come to learn about.

    It's the time the three sisters to make some quick decisions. At the beginning, it stumbles upon them, but very soon they overcome and takes the responsibility since they are very enthusiast in the literature work. At present, we're witnessing the rise of voice against the gender inequality in society all over the world in all the fields. Even the last week, Elizabeth Banks falsely accused the Steven Spielberg for the same reason. In this film, it was not exactly a fight or protest against such discrimination in society. Though their contribution, their achievement was the beginning of the new path for women of those eras and onwards.

    They took paper and pen, and began to express the reality of the society in words rather to focus on the trend in literature subjects. Then came the publication. Even newbie men would struggle on that phase. It was one of the best juncture in this storytelling. Their struggle is not merely to turn their work into a book, but the family, especially their brother who was drifting away from everything posed a great challenge to them to look after him. And so their aging father.

    When the film enters the third act, there are more twist and turns in the tale. Throughout, there were lots of ups and downs in the narration. Suddenly there comes an interesting scene and then for next 5-10 minutes falls back with a casual life event. Great screenplay and dialogues. The music was even better and suitable to the tale. The locations were beautiful, especially if you love chilly English weather and the countryside hilly views. One of the best depiction of the 19th century in a film. A special awards should be given to the set decoration. After watching the film, I browsed about that on the net and I stunned. The production quality was a genius, particularly for a television film.

    Amazing casting. I should praise the director who also wrote for it. He's originally a writer who worked with some great television shows, and now this is his first film directional debut. One of the scenes about the original identity at close to the end of the film was really a goosebump part. It all depends how you yourself dissolve in the narration. I thought it was too short, even though it ran for two hours. That's why I wished it should have been a television series, to I stay with it for a little longer.

    A perfect title, I loved everything about the film. The costumes were simple, but very good. And the film was very emotional at the end, to learn what happened to those three sisters. The filmmakers avoided that sentimental part, but I would have liked if they had covered them visually than the texts. Then it would have been one of the best tearjerker and then more family audiences would have jumped in to watch.

    Sometimes, it's very satisfying to learn about how those masterpieces were made than reading and watching those masterpiece books and films respectively. My only disappointment was, it should have been either a theatrical film or a television series. No offense, all the actors were so awesome in this film. Those three sisters stole the show. It was a powerful performance I've seen in the recent time. But a big screen film with popular stars would help reach the product widely.

    This is now one of my favourite films of all time. We watch films... INCOMPLETE REVIEW DUE TO LIMITED WORDS ALLOWED!    … Full Review »
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