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Elegy
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Metascore
66 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 50 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Penélope Cruz
  • Summary: Elegy charts the passionate relationship between a celebrated college professor and a young woman whose beauty both ravishes and destabilizes the professor. As their intimate connection transforms them--more than either could imagine--a charged sexual contest evolves into an indelible love story. With humanistic warmth, wry wit, and erotic intensity, Elegy explores the power of beauty to blind, reveal, and transform. (Samuel Goldwyn Films)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 32
  3. Negative: 1 out of 32
  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Ruthe Stein
    100
    A richly textured and compelling film.
  2. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Ray Bennett
    50
    Cruz's performance deserves to be seen widely, and it should place her again in line for prizes, but the story's pretensions and downbeat mood will not endear the film to audiences.
  3. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Linda Stasi
    38
    A windbaggy film of Phillip Roth's novella "The Dying Animal."

See all 32 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 21
  3. Negative: 3 out of 21
  1. ElizabethK
    10
    What a sad and beautiful film set in pure simplicity. It's such an honest film. Excellent acting by both leads. Finally! A film not only worth seeing, but seeing again. It makes you think, cry, wonder, question who you are and your own life. Now I need to read the book!… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. Lyn
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm fond of talky movies like this -- and of Ben Kingsley -- but was distracted by the contrast between his timeworn hedonist and Penelope Cruz's earnest young beauty. You look from his countenance to hers and you think . . . "Um . . . really???" Also disliked the corny developments of the denouement. While all the performances were excellent, I did love the supporting work of Dennis Hopper and Patricia Clarkson. The professor's relationships with those characters actually were more interesting than his obsession with the student with the great face and bod.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. CharlesS.
    2
    Turned it off. Pretentious.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 21 User Reviews

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