Gosford Park was not a murder mystery, as advertised. It was not a comedy, as advertised. It was a study in social inequities in 1930's England, and nothing more. Yes, it's an "intelligent" movie in that you have to keep track of a thousand characters and sub-plots, and you have to listen closely to catch all the droll situations and dialogue. Overall though, the movie was dreadful. It was RUBBISH! Anyone who loved this movie is simply infatuated with Altman, or with England, or with English accents, or with anything that looks "English highbrow." If this same movie had been directed by a "nobody," and if it had been set in California, the critics would have trashed Gosford Park into oblivion. Kudos to Richard Shickel at Time for being the lone critic who tells it like it is! Gosford Park is "tedium," and "endless."… Expand

Marvellous, beautifully crafted and acted film, created in such a way that the audience feels involved in the action. An absolute classic.

I wonder if we all watch the same movie when we sit in the dark together. A disingenuous statement, of course: our attitudes, expectations, distractions, taste, intelligence, knowledge, biases, and the state of our bladders after consuming pails of Coke all ensure we see something different. With Gosford Park I read of tedium, familiar territory, tiresomeness, boredom. What I saw in my several viewings was an embracing yet acerbic melange of genres polished to a single piece through a screenplay larded with wit, superb filming, and masterful performances. I think that as an indictment and acknowledgement of a period at its end and its denizens, it is as fine a movie as The Rules of the Game. Olympian.… Expand

The crtics raved and the public gets fleeced. Terribly boring overrated piece of trash without any feelings. You need a scorecard to know who the cast of characters are. Don't even waste your time.

Charming, funny, nasty, and technically superb -- but VERY MUCH NOT for every moviegoer, and not merely because the script is too intelligent for the average moviegoer. Robert Altman imitates Jean Renoir, but he lacks the Mozartean philanthropy to make you like and sympathize with even the slightest character that made Rules of the Game a supreme masterpiece. Altman's characters are nearly all caricatures, and his magnificent cast has a dandy time playing them, but if you actually approve of, or feel sorry for, more than three of them, I'd be very surprised. Altman takes too much pleasure in despising them all. Great fun, but leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.… Expand

Heaven forbid! A film that you don't necessarily understand the first time around! While you could much more easily be watching a movie about hip-hop idiots running rampant in an extremely unsettling rendition of an ivy league school, why not instead take in a picture that you go home wondering about? That you know you didn't catch everything in? That was almost as rich as a novel, but in a mere 2.25 hours? Gosford Park is one of those that you won't stop thinking about, unless you are unable to start thinking in the first place. You might also learn something about history.… Expand

Just plain sucks.

The kind of film you love simply to impress your snobby cultured in-laws. It wasn't necessarily a bad film, but it requires a certain tolerance for tedium. The acting and cinematography were superb and I can still recall a few scenes in the film in vivid detail. However, I found myself admiring the paint job on the walls - particularly the super-high gloss paint on the servant's doors - or the other envrionmental details rather than the dialogue, which was regularly mumbled, though I don't know if that is a real problem because the phrases that did ring clear often added up to a level of triteness that made you wonder if the movie, er, film, was playing off of a real script or shot off-the-cuff at some snooty Brit tea party. By the time the movie was over I determined that this was the sort of thing that sends critics raving and most moviegoers scratching their heads. But it still doesn't hold a candle to the King of Tedium, The English Patient...one of those nasty "cultured" films where the trailers show some action and plot development but the real McCoy is filled with over 2 hours of some guy dying. Ugh.… Expand

I just think this is one of the most overrated movies ever. I used to like Altman, but lately he seems like a pretentious snob.

This movie was tedious, thanks to Altman's style. I was frequently unable to understand dialogue, thanks to dropped phrases, dense British accents, interruptions and background noise, thereby quite confusing. Who was who a problem.

Altman's only masterpiece is 'Short Cuts'. Wished he took those to words to heart - 'Gosford Park' is one dreadful yawn.

The ensemble cast is great and it is very well done, but a lot of the dialog is hard to understand. If only it was in a language that I could understand..I can't wait for the DVD with English subtitles. A fun film to see.

Excellent film; even better the second time (the first time, there is so much quickly spoken dialogue and subtle detail that you miss half the film and it strikes you like an impressionist painting).

Gosford Park gives "Mulholland Drive" and "Amores Perros" a hard run for best film of 2001, although it is as different from those two films as they are from each other. It also dispels the foul taste left by Altman's last film, "Dr. T. and the Women" - no mean feat. The previews make this sound like a murder mystery a la Agatha Christie, but the murder, when it does come halfway through the film, is almost an afterthought. There are other mysteries, about unexpected connections among the characters, and there are brilliant social and emotional observations on a way of life, upstairs and downstairs, that would soon come to an end. And there is acting, by a constellation of British talent, that puts the average blockbuster to shame. Everyone is amazing, but highlights include Helen Mirren as the perfect housekeeper, Eileen Atkins as her nemesis the cook, Michael Gambon as the amoral self-made millionaire whose vitality isn't quite stifled by upper-crust convention, Kristin Scott Thomas as his weary, philandering wife, Camilla Rutherford as their awkward daughter, Emily Watson as a wised-up housemaid, Kelly McDonald as her naive protegée, Alan Bates as a starchy butler with a not-so-secret drinking problem, Clive Owen as a brooding valet who is Gable-icious in a screen kiss that had me swooning, and a deliciously bitchy Maggie Smith as the snobbish Countess of Trentham. One subplot revolves around a British actor played by Jeremy Northam, who brings a phone-obsessed Hollywood producer and his strange valet along for the weekend. The mutual exploitation between the Hollywood players and the English country-house set is fascinating to behold. The only slight drawback is the fair-to-poor sound quality, which means that some lines that are crucial to the complex plot get lost. But this just gives you an excuse to see the film again, and it only gets better the more you see it.… Expand

It got a '1' only because of the great acting jobs...Like Jere said, it was hard to follow and the characters hard to understand. After an hour and a half, I got up and walked around in the lobby and then came back in. I like to read Ebert's reviews after watching a movie....this morn, I STILL didn't have a clue who half of those people were and didn't really care. If I want intelligence, give me a Woody Allen movie any day (I LOVED 'Scorpion')...btw, my Girlfriend was confused too...we talked for about 20 min trying to figure it out afterwards... and the small audience that endured it with us seemed to be sitting in stunned silence with few laffs and chuckles. I heard one girl turn to her boyfriend and seriously ask "Did this come with CliffNotes"? That got the biggest laff of the nite! A '95"??? No way!… Expand

I saw this alone, and know that if my husband had been with me we surely would have left within the first 1/2 hour. Stunning performances and lush setting aside, this movie bored me 'to sobs'. The critics are far too eager to lick Altman's boots. I had to read their reviews to see what I missed in the way of character relationships and plot.

Beautiful scenery! Did I mention beautiful scenery? As for the characters, I needed a scorecard to know was who? After watching this film I really do not care! Pure an simple -just a bad movie!

Not everyone will like this movie. I did. I laughed a great deal, but I definitely was one of the few people in the theater who was. It's high comedy, a comedy of manners, and that's not interesting for everyone. It's also paced fairly slowly, and the murder really isn't center of the movie, which might make it feel disjointed. But I really enjoyed it. Kudos to Altman, the cast, and the writer, especially.… Expand

I fell asleep. This move just sucked!

It's well acted and written and looks good but ultimately this picture never really finds something to be about. It isn't funny enough to be a comedy. But neither does it make you care about the characters or what happens to them. The mystery has no impact because you aren't even interested enough to make a guess at who might have done it. Everyone is so duplicitous that you can't identify with any one of them.… Expand

Brilliant movie. The best of movie of the year.

This is honestly one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Boring, SLOW! It's a murder mistery where the murder takes place an hour and 20 minutes into the feature. There are dozens of characters of which I never cared about. Its not funny, although it was on the comedy shelf. I dont understand anyone who enjoyed this movie. Awful Awful Awful.

Beautiful, clever dialogue by a superb cast. Not at all tedious if you understand the dialogue and follow the moderately complex storyline. It is necessary to watch this film more that once to comprehend all of the character connections and relationships in order to fully appreciate the film.

Classic, engaging and utmost professionalism.

Just plain boring Victoriam era movie.

What grabbed about this film was the fly on the wall approach in a 1930's setting. I was transported back in time and was able to suspend all disbelief. This was wonderful. I particular liked the drawing room scene in which everyone was talking at the same time - so real! After about 45 minutes of letting myself mentally wonder about in the 1930's, I realised there was a plot line. To be frank, this wasn't that hot and if people watched it for the mystery it wouldn't score that highly.… Expand

Wonderfully sly, subtle and rich, this movie is a miracle and destined to be considered a classic wherever there are people who would rather not be led by the hand through a storyline. Those who come to the closing credits wondering what it was all about are many. Those who watch it over and over to catch just one more little bit that adds to their understanding of the plot are just as many. Yet, this is not a movie that encourages viewers to make up their own interpretation, but rather, hides all the answers in plain sight in a delightful puzzle. Perhaps Altman's use of multiple small stories woven together, yet told simultaneously, has put many people off. They are certainly difficult to follow at first. But the construct is elegant and well-worth a second look for anyone interested in movie-making of the highest caliber.… Expand

Let's hope Robert Altman lives to see his 100th birthday and still making movies. "Gosford Park" is a wonderful entertainment but hardly perfect. See it a second time so the opening scenes resonate better, having the benefit of a scorecard. Maggie Smith kicks ass.

I never seen a movie that had so many characters that I didn't like it...until this one. All the people on the top floor of this mansion were too many for me to keep track of, let alone the bottom. At first, I didn't want to finish it, but the plot was intriguing so I stayed with it. What came out was a movie with a clever murder plot, not to mention some hilarious remarks by Maggie Smith, that presented itself too slowly to be as interesting as it could have been. It wasn't bad, but it needed to pick up the pace and lose some characters.… Expand

I don't care what the critics said-- this movie is just plain TIRESOME!

So rich and lush in cinematography, design and direction that they lose all hold on the story. It's a tedious, weak and always uninteresting "I'd-rather-be-sleeping" kind of a movie.

Outstanding individual performances, especially by Hellen Mirren & Kristin Scott Thomas. The story, which is a very simple one, really creeps up on you.

A movie that anyone with a high IQ can enjoy. Some may find it boring but those are the same people who think "Lord Of The Rings" is a great movie.

Spectacularly boring with too many characters whom you care nothing about. Absolutely unbelievable that this movie received the critical acclaim it did. It makes the "Royal Tennenbaums" look like the Best Film of the Year and that film made me want to puke. Avoid at all costs.

By the time this movie concluded, I couldn't help but feel cheated. It is an intertwining of far too many superficial storylines (the intended charm of the film)and lacks in depth, intelligence, and especially amusement. Was there even a point to this film? Let me know, please.

Just got around to watching this trash. What was all the hoopla about. The characters were so boring and busy that I could care less.

Best cure for insomnia. Tedious, boring, pretentious, and these were the most postive things I've got to say about the film. Please Mr Altman stay in England and keep this dribble 1,500 miles away from us.

This movie is just straight up trash. Infact it adds another word to the dictionary with the synonym of crap. This is not a funny movie, there is no humor involved with it. Probably the only thing that was funny about it is the writer was probably getting "high as a kite" and watching Clue on Comedy Central over and over agian. Bottom Line, don't watch this movie.

This movie could have been better if you were able to care for any of its characters. Unfortunately you can't. There are too many characters and the movie fails to connect the viewer with any one central character. This is a definite flaw. Instead of understanding each character's drive and intent we are only given a glimpse, or should I say a caricature, of each. The movie starts off well in setting up the situation but when the owner of the country house is killed, the movie falls into much disarray. Instead of building up tension, the movie falls apart and leave little to be desired in the latter half of the move. If it wasn't for the decent acting and the splendid cinematography, this movie would be fodder for pigs. The story leaves a lot to be desired. In the end I was not satisfied. I tried hard to like this movie, but it just didn't give me a chance to like it.… Expand

I cried i was so bored. If u want to see a movie about a bunch of british people having tea time for two hours than this is the film for u.

Extraordinary, -this- is why I watch movies, for the few rare films of this calibre. Obviously, as can be seen by the user ratings, this is a film too subtle to be appreciated by the typical Richard Gere/Robin Williams loving American crowd. Truly astounding acting, and as one reviewer said, so many currents and little whirlpools that a discriminating viewer will never find himself bored. The cinematography was engrossing, I found myself fascinated with the scenes, some of which had the beauty of a classic work of art. The homely kitchen maids scattered on the stairs listening to what music drifted down from the sitting room, for example. It had the composition of a work of art. Some viewers have complained that no one character stood up or drew them in. That is part of the magic of this film. It holds true to it's subject matter, a large group of people, all wrapped up in themselves, all with their priavte lives hidden from view. It's like you're there, seeing what any objective view might see, like a ghost in the house.… Expand

This was a film, not a movie. I'll grant it that. But I resent the notion, propogated by "Ariana," that one is a typical American moviegoer if one does not love this film. While Gosford Park was artistically well done, and the screenplay was good, it just didn't flow very well. The plot was all over the place, and the fantastic acting talent was wasted, in my opinion. With thousands of intricate personal tragedies and scandals to keep track of, and the only underlying theme being social injustice, this film did not live up to what it promised: a murder mystery. I didn't expect Clue, mind you, but I did expect some trace of the intended genre. And this was not delivered one bit. The acting was good, the ambiance was fantastic, but the plot left a lot to be desired.… Expand

Could have been cut in half and would have been bearable. If you aren't going to take the time to develop any characters, why waste the viewers time subjecting them to trite and meaningless dinner conversation and typical cowardly gossip? A true waste of time and money.

The truly sad fact is this. You don't need a high IQ to truly appreciate this film. Being a college professor I would like to think that I have at least an average IQ. You do however need to be either an artsy snob with no real connection to the real world, or a run of the mill cubicle worker that likes to infuse themselves with "psuedo-culture" in the form of trendy foreign films instead of actually reading or attending any event that requires real donation of thought and time. If you are applauding this film for requiring a high IQ you are simply attempting to raise your own by latching on to the incoherent and claiming everyone else is just too stupid to understand.… Expand

Yes, it's as bad as all the other real viewers say but what stunned me is that the plot left so many holes and loose-ends hanging around at the unsatisfying end. Great actors given nothing to do = a poor film. This one proves to me that professional critics have lost all touch with what a good movie actually is - and I'm not some thirteen year-old who thought Spiderman was the best movie ever. I like these kinds of movies, this one is just a terrible example of the breed. Just look at all the real viewer ratings here (from folks who paid $8+ to this film). To us it doesn't matter what else Altman has done, or that he's got a great cast that evokes memories of other great movies, or even that he's got a pretentious premise and lots of English accents. None of it matters, the film is just plain awful and critics shouldn't be swayed by who's on the screen or who's behind the camera. All that counts is whether or not it's a film worth watching, and this one isn't!… Expand

Truly brilliant. This film must be seen at least twice to be fully appreciated. For those with the DVD, watch it with English subtitles and you'll pick up clues - subtle asides in the background - that add to the richness of this soon-to-be classic.

I loved this movie. It seems, once again, that alot of you people just didn't quite "get" what the movie was all about. It's REALLY not supposed to be a movie all about a murder mystery. That was basically a background event to round out the movie. This movie is basically a study on culture, and characters of British high society. Robert ALtman's vision is so brillantly protrayed here. At the beginning of the movie, the audience is led to believe that the movie is going to take place "upstairs" with the party-goers, but instead follows the servants. I loved how the movie is portrayed through their eyes, it makes the experience very interesting and entertaining. The acting is brillant, many scenes feature many conversations taking place at once, where Altman deftly tracks around the room and captures the best dialogue. Just a masterful film!!! The rest of you can go watch "Charlie's Angels" again...… Expand

I thought this was going to be an Agatha Christie kind of movie, WRONG. It is boring, confusing and tedious. Not recommended

So many comments that miss the point completely. Yoon Min C, if you didn't care, it's your problem, not Robert Altman's. He's not supposed to make you care, it's not what he does. He makes you an interloper rather than a guest. This camera-as-eavesdropper style of his takes some getting used to - I recommend watching Short Cuts or Nashville first to get an idea of the rhythm - but once it's got you, it's got you for good. Oh, and who cares if it's "tired"? All that means is that Altman's done it before, and that's a big "so what" from me, because he's done it so astonishingly WELL before. Brilliant acting from approximately 75% of Equity (highlights include Dame Maggie as a sort of relaxed Lady Bracknell, and the estimable Stephen Fry as the worst police inspector in the world) and a pitch-perfect script by the great Julian Fellowes only adds to the greatness of the enterprise. To those who cite "too many characters", ah, stop complaining. You're not supposed to keep up with all of them at once, but to unravel them bit by bit. I can tell you this: I knew roughly who everyone was by the time the murder is committed, not because Altman introduced them in turn, but because he left them there for me to discover. Nor are you supposed to like them all particularly: they certainly don't all like each other, and yet they're at the same party as you are. Also, many of the criticisms here cite the fact that the plot barely exists. Once more with the point missing, unfortunately: it takes a sod of a long time for anyone to die, and the solution sort of traipses into view rather than being focused on, but that's okay because the murder's not the point of the exercise; the people are. The plot is essentially its own McGuffin. Once more from the top: it's Robert Altman. If you can't get your head around Altman's style, then first of all I feel genuinely sorry for you, and second of all, don't go blaming Altman. Were it not for Short Cuts, Nashville, MASH and The Player, it would be a towering achievement. As it is, it's just one masterpiece to add to the Altman Retrospective box set. This is a truly brilliant film that anyone who gives a damn about cinema should see. Twice. But, alas, here's a masterpiece getting 5.5 from Meta users, whereas Black Knight gets 8.9. I despair. I really do. Though I haven't a snobbish bone in my body...… Expand

This movie conveys deep and powerful realities about the interdependence of parents and children, notably when they are unnaturally separated. It's conclusion is terse and compelling, but it begins vague, inviting inattention and drowsiness. Worth struggling with until you catch the drift. A gem of a movie that could have used a little more polish at the get-go.

I fail to see why some many swear by Robert Altman, and this film does nothing to change that. It flirts with being interesting but never gets there, and then falls apart as the end nears, presenting at once a mystery too easily solved and a mystery never addressed. All the glorious scenrery in the world and even Maggie Smith's delightful performance cannot save this. Also, I needed to turn on the English subtitles to watch it on DVD, so bad was the characteristic English mumbling.… Expand

An excellent cast doing a very good job in depicting the English upper class society from an age gone by.

Boring. A film that attempts to be sophisticated but instead comes off as pretentious and soulless.

By now tired ensemble acting exercise directed by Altman. I didn't care who was who or what was what but it has something to do with unfairness of British class system and how the master got to bag some servant ladies.

Although the whodunit component may be already solved, the story and the character development make it a true winner!

This is the worst movie EVER!!! I am stunned that this movie has a high rating. I like movies that have a witty story line but in reality this movie feels like its made for those that are in their late 60's. Extremely Boring, I almost fell asleep several times. Worst Movie EVER!

This is the problem with movie watchers these days, it is all about 'self gratification', not stories. All about 'direct and to the point', not 'involved and make you think'. All about mono-sylabic plots, not seamlessly woven complex plots. As for the people that couldn't follow the humor, it is called wit, something that is too hard for our soceity to grasp these day. You probably just need more swearing to make you laugh...... Excellent plot, excellent cast, excellent movie.… Expand

This film is a period drama billed as a murder mystery. The murder event is almost incidental to the rest of the film. The plot is, as stated by others, difficult to follow thanks to Altman's wandering camera and microphone and the characters' thick accents. There were memorable performances, by Maggie Smith in particular, but this film has very limited appeal for the average moviegoer.

A quick scroll through the user comments and you'll find there's little middle ground in assessing this film. Most people loved it or hated it. I'm in the "loved it" camp. I saw it in theaters and I own the DVD which I recently watched three times - once by itself and two more times listening to different commentaries. It is a beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted, witty satire about upper and lower class with delightful music as well. And while I enjoyed this in theaters, I also like watching on DVD so I can turn on the captions -- that way I can catch all of the dialogue that goes on in this film which is made in a way that the viewer seems to be eavesdropping on household happenings.… Expand

Altman is a one of a kind filmmaker and this film only comfirms that he should continue to be revered as a cinematic treasure. The story was well written, the actors/actresses gave brilliant performances and Altman directed everything that went into this film flawlessly. I was most impressed by how he could show us a few actors in the foreground of a shot during any given scene while the background was filled with still more actors who too were furthering the plot (ratyher than merely taling up space), even though they were not the main focus of the camera shot. The effect of which was as close to real life perception as I have ever seen in a movie. Altman is more than aware that just because you can't necessarily hear what someone is saying, it doesn't mean that what they are saying isn't important, or that it doesn't have an impact on what's going on in your life. … Expand

As everyone knows, an English country house mystery/comedy featuring a dozen Great Actors directed by Robert Altman with a walk on by a chief inspector straight out of Monty Python and a floridly melodramic denoument that actually seems to be played straight really needs to be lighter than air. Unfortunately, according to my calculations, Gosford Park comes in at exactly the same weight as air, and consequently fails to take flight. But Maggie Smith is spectacular, and ever since Kristen Scott Thomas prevented my ability to feel pleasure from being obliterated by The English Patient I've felt obligated to praise her. She's good here, too.… Expand

I thought this movie was fantastic. Although the movie is slightly longer than it needed to be, the performances were perfection. Maggie Smith was brilliant and very funny which makes the films length bearable for me. I personally could sit through a bad story with talented actors, rather than a good story with people who can't act. I don't think it is for snobs, wannabes, or intellectuals as I consider myself pretty average in most respects. All in all a good film, I recommend it to fans of Maggie Smith, she stole every scene she was in.… Expand

Reply to Mark M. I too am a University professor. I fear that your IQ is definitely below par.

Not a bad film, but over-hyped by critics. It's occasionally confusing here and there. Very slowly paced, some of the characters are ANNOYING, (those snobby ones especially). And the film goes on far too long. And the murder mystery conclusion isn't great either. But the film is actually quite good, but it's so hyped i gave it a 5.

Gosford Park, filled with fine actors and appealing portrayals and a lush beguiling English-country-house atmosphere, is terribly disappointing because it is so frequently impossible to follow and thus vexing and frustrating. Often the talking is inaudible. As if the accents weren't enough of a challenge, half the movie seems to consist of whispering -- appropriately for the plot, inaudible nevertheless. Many of the characters and their relationships with each other and to each other are impossible to get straight. Two people I know disagreed as to whether the Kristin Scott Thomas character was the old man's wife or his daughter. If there was a clue to make it clear, it was lost in the breathless incessant buzzing ambience of the camera. Altman seems just to want to show off and be unorthodox, rather than to reward his viewers.… Expand

It is so boring.

You need a scorecard and a program to follow the ensemble of character actors that the genius Robert Altman throws at us. Quite frankly twenty minutes into the film my eyes got very heavy. Boring film not worthy of your time.

If PBS had an unlimited budget, this is the version of "Upstairs/Downstairs" it might have made. Best scene: Jeremy Northam's entertainment, appreciated by the servants and virtually ignored by the rich folk. A better cast you couldn't ask for.

This movie is magnificent!!! One of the most entertaining I ever saw!!! Very good actors , story and plot! Everybody who doesn't like it is just a rattlebrain (airhead)!!! It takes a high IQ, snobbishness, and an intellectual sense of humour as a matter of course to fully appreciate this outstanding motion picture!

Oh My God!! F...ing YAWN!!I'd rather stab myself in the neck with a blunt knife than watch this again....I can't believe I sat through the whole thing, what a waste of my life, and my life is f..king pathetic!!!

Had to watch it with English subtitles on to understand all the accents and mumbled statements, but it really helped understand the characters. The murder was great fun and in the end, it was lovely. And I wouldn't call myself an Anglophile, just love great films and surprising stories.

Hard to understand behind the confusing story line.

Truly excellent - a real showcase for a great cast, great cinematographer, excellent dialogue...thoroughly enjoyable throughout.

Wonderful movie!

The people who dislike this film are just dumb. Not every movie is like a Will Ferrell comedy!!! Gosford Park is a smart film with intricate plots abound. It's pretty easy to understand if you are not stupid.

Fantastic ensemble cast--best film I've enjoyed in years.

I enjoyed neither the murder, of which one barely takes notice, nor Professor Mark M's grammar (below), which one can hardly ignore.

No character is boring or souless out of the plethora of them. However, not a single character was exciting and thats exactlly what this movie lacked. Afterwards you will have a lot to rumminate on, but getting through a majority of it can be tedious.

Billed as an elaborate murder-mystery, Gosford Park is not so much that (the murder doesn't occur until well over halfway through the film) but rather a dense societal study, as would be expected of Altman. In this endeavor he succeeds, creating a web of characters in which every passing interaction solidifies the whole ensemble. However, it fails to strike any dramatical nerve, and the unveiling of the mystery is delivered as more of a necessary exposition rather than a turning point.… Expand

I won't blame you for turning this movie off after the first hour. It has the LONGEST set up I have ever seen in a movie. Once the murder FINALLY happens is it all worth it? absolutely. It's intelligent and very well acted, with awesome twists and turns. The setting is also perfectly executed with scenery and costumes that are flawless. But the fact that I was, well, completely bored for the first portion of the movie means I simply cannot give this higher than an 8/10. See it and judge for yourself. Tedious start and a truly mesmerizing second half… Expand

No doubt GOSFORD PARK is Robert Altman’s pinnacle and one of my apple-of-the-eye for all-time, so this has been my third time watched it, after a roughly 5-year-interval, and it prompts to me how miraculously ample the characters are, each time, for me, as though I was watching a pristine one. (It seems that I must pick up DOWNTOWN ABBEY now, I have a sweet tooth for period English dramas, I guess). The kaleidoscopic potpourri of characters upstairs and downstairs in a 1930’s British villa assemble an impeccable imagery of a disgraced bourgeois shallowness, which is also suffered under the lash for its snobbism and in lack of artistic appreciation. The film is incisive in every possible way to functions a systematic and absorbing participation for its devotees to immerse in its 140 minutes running time and refreshingly procure something new with recurrent viewings without feeling a shade insipid. The cast is overpoweringly excellent, both individually or collectively (the prowess of Altman to rein the hodgepodge dramatic personae is without peer), my personal favorites are Mirren, Watson, Smith, Gambon, Macdonald and Bates (ranking according to my preference and all in my current year top 10 list). I also love the idea of putting the murder case into a secondary priority, since it is far from any Agatha Christie’s detective story, every character hides their respective secrets inside and it is for the fun of audience to be prudent and fascinating by the story itself , which I consider is the paramount achievement any director and his team could ever offer. I cannot admit myself to be an utter zealot of Altman’s work, for example, MASH (1970) I really cannot enjoy (a 5/10), but I make a promise to watch the film for a fourth time, I’m not sure when, maybe another couple of years, anyway, the film is in the top rank of my guilty pleasure list.… Expand