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Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 16 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 2 votes
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Documentary
Written by: Marina Zenovich
Directed by: Marina Zenovich
Release Date:
Theatrical: July 11, 2008
DVD: January 27, 2009
Running Time: 99 minutes, Color
Origin: USA | UK
Language(s): English | French | German
Summary
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)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database
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...
Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
This is a superb picture, sharp, open-minded, wised-up and cinematically accomplished.
Read Full Review >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."
Read Full Review >Variety Justin Chang
A mesmerizing portrait of the director as acclaimed artist and tortured human being.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray
Falls short of being a great film because it lacks a certain ambition.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >The Hollywood Reporter James Greenberg
Engrossing and well-researched documentary.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader J.R. Jones
The mesmerizing narrative recounts a media circus of unrivaled malignance.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 2 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Ben D gave it a10:
A masterpiece of the documentary genre.
