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Luzhin Defence, The
EMAILPRINTSony Pictures Classics

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 26 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 1 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Romance
Written by:
Peter Berry
Vladimir Nabokov (novel)
Directed by: Marleen Gorris
Release Date:
Theatrical: April 20, 2001
DVD: September 18, 2001
Running Time: 108 minutes, Color
Origin: UK / France
Summary
RATING: PG-13 for some sensuality and thematic elements
Starring John Turturro, Emily Watson, Geraldine James, Stuart Wilson, and Christopher Thompson
Based on the Vladimir Nabokov novel of the same name, this film examines the effects of love and obsession, and how two passions could tear a man apart. (Sony Pictures Classics)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
I can't think of another movie that more fluently communicates the special agony and ecstasy of the game of chess.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Dana Stevens
Moves with fluidity and ease through brisk opening conventions to a perfectly poised and balanced endgame.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan
Carefully made, involving and old-fashioned, the superior work it's inspired gives it an impact that lingers even when the endgame is over.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan
Where it succeeds best is not in describing how Luzhin got broken but how love fixed him, albeit temporarily.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Jay Carr
Watson's character grows in importance until she eclipses the recessive Luzhin.
Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington
You'll find heartbreakingly star-crossed lovers, a heartless villain (Wilson) and a dazzling backdrop of aristocratic life before and after the Russian Revolution.
Read Full Review >New York Post Lou Lumenick
One of our best actors, Turturro surpasses his past fine work as Alexander Luzhin.
Film.com Peter Brunette
Gorris has beefed up the role of Natalia (Watson), with the end result that the film's emphasis is appropriately divided between the two characters in an emotionally satisfying way.
Read Full Review >Village Voice J. Hoberman
John Turturro, who, given the most romantic role of his career, fully inhabits the ungainly Luzhin.
Read Full Review >New York Magazine Peter Rainer
The stage is set for a wonderful movie, and yet The Luzhin Defence, based on the Vladimir Nabokov novel The Defense, never courts greatness.
Read Full Review >Variety Derek Elley
A smoothly made period romancer that's elevated by strong playing from its whole cast, led by John Turturro and Emily Watson as the starstruck lovers.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
The film is elegiac and sad, beautifully mounted, but not as compelling as it should be.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Desmond Ryan
Falls short of being totally absorbing and compelling.
New York Daily News Jack Mathews
Turturro's Luzhin is a cinematic soulmate of Dustin Hoffman's Rain Man and Geoffrey Rush's David Helfgott.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow
Handsome and well-acted, yet it can't hold a pawn to Nabokov's harrowing and moving character study.
Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern
An attractive, intelligent film that's intractably at odds with itself.
New Times (L.A.) Bill Gallo
In the end, it demonstrates all over again the virtual impossibility of doing Nabokov justice on film, because his work is so resolutely and brilliantly made of words.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle Bob Graham
When the film sticks with the eccentric comedy of a highborn woman attracted to a preoccupied genius, it works splendidly. When it strays into melodrama, it is as ill-equipped as Luzhin.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
The film's dark heart is Valentinov's mephistophelean scheming: He sets about sabotaging his former protégé's game for no apparent reason except sheer malice.
Read Full Review >Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy
Capable but not transporting, never unraveling the mystery of its hero's genius or, worse, making us care enough to look deeper.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum
Might be for you. Or you might be bored anyway.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten
It's one of those period dramas about upper-crust Europeans in vacation resorts, which at first we think we've seen a million times before.
Read Full Review >Mr. Showbiz Kevin Maynard
A punishing tragedy that could best be described as the anti-"Shine."
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 1 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Susan Q. gave it a 9:
I liked this movie a lot. The end bothered me a little because it seems like Hollywood can't make a movie without a nice little ending wrapped in a bow.
