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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Pavilion of Women

EMAILPRINTUniversal Focus

Pavilion of Women reviews
26
8.7 User Score:

Generally unfavorable reviews

Based on 14 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 7 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Romance

Written by: Pearl S. Buck (novel)
Yan Luo
Paul Collins

Directed by: Ho Yim

Release Date:
Theatrical: May 4, 2001
DVD: January 15, 2002

Running Time: 100 minutes, Color

Origin: China

Summary

RATING: R for sexuality and war images

Starring Willem Dafoe, John Cho, Amy Hill, and Yan Luo

Based upon the novel by Nobel Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck, this film, set in 1930's China, deals with the themes of spiritual freedom and finding true love. (Universal Focus)

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...

50

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

Introduces American audiences to Luo Yan, a charismatic Chinese-born actress now living in Los Angeles. She single-handedly nurtured this project to fruition, serving as producer, co-writer and star.

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50

USA Today Mike Clark

It saves its clunkiest scene for the finale. No fair telling, but the key words are "political," "propaganda," "outdoors" and "orphans."

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40

New Times (L.A.) Andy Klein

Has an awkwardness that defeats whatever emotional involvement it tries to achieve.

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40

LA Weekly Paul Malcolm

So many romantic cliches it's laughable.

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30

Village Voice Michael Atkinson

Yim's film is kneecapped by its soundtrack twice over.

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30

The New York Times Dana Stevens

It might have been a satisfying if not terribly original piece of historical melodrama, but its clumsiness turns it, against its best intentions, into half-baked operatic kitsch.

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30

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

The locations and production design are breathtakingly beautiful. But though cast largely with Chinese actors, it was shot in English, which no doubt made business sense but almost certainly accounts for many truly awful performances.

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30

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

Can never rise above the melodrama of a past era, despite a splendid, impassioned portrayal by Willem Dafoe and an affecting one by Luo Yan.

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30

Washington Post Mark Jenkins

A film that was made in China but has the soul of a '50s Hollywood melodrama.

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25

New York Post Lou Lumenick

It's loaded with -- scenery-chewing melodrama, cornball pidgin dialogue and syrupy music.

25

San Francisco Chronicle Wesley Morris

This version is a well-meant but corny distillation -- a whole lot of bombast and phony exaltation in the name of entertaining enrichment.

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20

Variety Robert Koehler

Fails to stir the emotions despite its heavily melodramatic drive.

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20

Washington Post Rita Kempley

Bland as a fortune cookie and as trite as the message inside.

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20

Mr. Showbiz Kevin Maynard

The backdrop of exotic pagodas and wartime woe isn't nearly potent enough to buoy the feeble drama that plays out in the foreground.

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Rita F. gave it an8:
I just happened on this movie quite accidentally on HBO. After watching it I decided to check the reviews even though it was made 6 years ago. First and foremost I must agree with what other users said. I did not agree with many of the critiques that I read and it makes me want to ask this question, did the critics see the same movie I saw? Yes it was a bit melodramatic but mostly it was a good story about love, independendence and acceptance. The performances were believeable. I would agree with the critics in one thing only, it should have been done in Chinese with sub titles, other than that I would recommend its viewing.

AiS gave it a9:
That's a stunning film. I enjoyed so much. It really deserves better ratings. Luo Yan performs great, she is really talented actress and I hope to see more of her works in future. Luo Yan go on and don't give up!

[Anonymous] gave it an8:
Totally misrated by the critics. Brings light to the problems that china had with families back then, and the suffering women had to endure. The critic probably blasted it because they spoke english instead of mandarin with english subtitles. That was weird, but otherwise, the film works.

Denis M. gave it a 9:
Much of my vote goes to Luo Yan for one of the finest performances I have seen in some time. I cannot understand why other critics have been so hard on the film. It is, after all, based on a Pearl Buck novel of the 1930s, so why complain if it has the characteristics of that period? What it really lacked was time to explore the smaller characters and some of the sub-plots. But it is depressing to think that so many critics failed to see the obvious: put Luo Yan in a room with Lopez, Diaz, Kidman, and most Hollywood starlets, and she would make them seem quite tawdry. That alone deserves praise.

Geoff R-C gave it a 9:
Really enjoyed it, found it gripping.

Mat G. gave it a 9:
Super!

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