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Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
THINKFilm

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 78 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
N/A out of 10
based on 16 reviews
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MPAA RATING: Not Rated

Starring Roman Polanski

Reopening a case that has inspired curiosity, controversy, and confusion for over three decades, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired is an extensive exploration of the circumstances that led up to – and the circus that followed – Polanski’s conviction for having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Zenovich had unprecedented access to several of the key players in the case, including the lawyers representing the case, the media covering it, and the unusually clear-eyed and candid victim. Unearthing a trove of telling footage from the past, and combining it with insightful interviews from today, she brings comprehension and clarity to events long clouded by myth and misconception. A thrilling examination of a case that became the prototype for innumerable Hollywood courtroom scandals to follow, the film becomes a brilliant discourse on the attraction/ repulsion that defines celebrity culture in contemporary America. (THINKFilm)


GENRE(S): Documentary  
WRITTEN BY: Marina Zenovich  
DIRECTED BY: Marina Zenovich  
RELEASE DATE: Theatrical: July 11, 2008 
RUNNING TIME: 99 minutes, Color 
ORIGIN: USA | UK 
LANGUAGE(S): English | French | German 

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...

100
Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
This is a superb picture, sharp, open-minded, wised-up and cinematically accomplished.
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91
Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer
As an anatomy not only of Polanski's psyche but also of the legal system he confronted, it's as baroquely compelling as "The Dark Knight."
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90
Variety Justin Chang
A mesmerizing portrait of the director as acclaimed artist and tortured human being.
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88
Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
The most significant fact of the film is that the prosecutor Gunson, a straight-laced Mormon, agrees with the defender Dalton that justice was not served.
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83
The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray
Falls short of being a great film because it lacks a certain ambition.
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80
The New York Times Manohla Dargis
Its one-week theatrical run will make it eligible for Academy Award consideration, though given that organization's often pitiful record when it comes to nonfiction film, it seems unlikely that a movie this subtly intelligent would make its short list.
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80
New York Daily News Joe Neumaier
It was a true media circus, and despite Polanski's work before and since, the film shows how it will forever be his first association in the public consciousness. In the U.S., at least.
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80
The Hollywood Reporter James Greenberg
Engrossing and well-researched documentary.
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80
Chicago Reader J.R. Jones
The mesmerizing narrative recounts a media circus of unrivaled malignance.
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75
Portland Oregonian M. E. Russell
I wish Zenovich wasn't forced to skate surfaces when it comes to Polanski's perspective -- his interviews are vague and archival -- but she skillfully works around him to craft a maddening look at one of Hollywood's most infamous trials.
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75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey
The phrase in the title "wanted and desired" is offered by a producer friend of Polanski's who describes him as "wanted" in the United States, but "desired" in Europe, where sexual behaviour is treated more honestly and artists' dark sides are celebrated.
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75
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker
The film walks a fine line between contempt for Polanski's crimes and sympathy for his trials and his screwed-up psyche, and it manages both while showing us why he fled the U.S. rather than face the corrupted judicial circus.
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70
Film Threat Jeremy Mathews
The film is most remarkable when it exposes the ease with which the press and a self-obsessed judge can pervert the country's justice system.
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63
Boston Globe Matthew Gilbert
If you go into "Wanted and Desired" with preconceptions, prepare to feel them challenged and altered, even if they are ultimately confirmed. The facts speak loudly.
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50
Village Voice Ella Taylor
Lively, exasperating documentary.
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50
San Francisco Chronicle David Wiegand
With a subject like Roman Polanski, you don't really need to do much to capture audience interest. But maybe that's the reason Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired doesn't live up to its promise.
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What Our Users Said

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