1999
R
Lionsgate Films
1 h 45 m

1999
R
Lionsgate Films
1 h 45 m

Summary Based on the novel by Julian Barnes, Chris (Bale) starts recalling his bohemian Parisian life in the late 1960s after his old friend Toni comes for a surprise visit. It makes him question everything about his life even if he should have married his wife Marion (Watson) and settled down in the suburbs of London.

Directed By: Philip Saville

Written By: Julian Barnes, Adrian Hodges

1999
R
Lionsgate Films
1 h 45 m

1999
R
Lionsgate Films
1 h 45 m

Metroland

Name: Metroland
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 1999-04-09
Duration: 1 min 45 s
Rating: 53
Cast: Christian Bale, Lee Ross, Emily Watson, Elsa Zylberstein, John Wood

Metascore Mixed or Average Based on 24 Critic Reviews

User Score Universal Acclaim Based on 12 User Ratings

8.2

My Score

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Where to Watch

Directed By: Philip Saville

Written By: Julian Barnes, Adrian Hodges

Where to Watch

Critic Reviews

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Metascore

Mixed or Average Based on 24 Critic Reviews

54% Positive
13 Reviews

38% Mixed
9 Reviews

8% Negative
2 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

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Metascore

Mixed or Average Based on 24 Critic Reviews

54% Positive
13 Reviews

38% Mixed
9 Reviews

8% Negative
2 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

Entertainment Weekly

It's the rare portrait of a happy marriage that is honest about the complex currents of desire, and the drama is beautifully played by Bale, who gawks with soulful sweetness, and Watson, who does her most piercing work since "Breaking the Waves."

By Owen Gleiberman FULL REVIEW

Washington Post

It's a thoughtfully constructed story, with nuanced performances all around and even a mild surprise thrown in, but the whole thing feels ever so slightly enervated, like a game of chess between codgers in the park.

By Michael O'Sullivan FULL REVIEW

Slate

While it's true that you can't pack as much psychological detail into a movie as you can into a novel, director Philip Saville and screenwriter Adrian Hodges bring out the yeasty subtext of even the most brittle encounters.

By David Edelstein FULL REVIEW

ReelViews

Director Philip Saville, working from a script by Adrian Hodges (which, in turn, is based on the novel by Julian Barnes), has crafted a competent, character-based tale, but the issues examined are stale, and Saville is unable to find a way to take the story to a newer, more interesting level

By James Berardinelli FULL REVIEW

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Conceptually, the film is unique - it's a kind of nostalgia movie within a nostalgia movie. [16 Apr 1999]

By William Arnold FULL REVIEW

USA Today

Bale tends to be overwrought and self-conscious as he wrestles with his demons, here in both '60s flashbacks (the liveliest segment) and in the 1977 present, in which punk clubs and easy women represent temptation. [09 Apr 1999]

By Susan Wloszczyna FULL REVIEW

Wall Street Journal

Metroland, which is adapted from a novel by Julian Barnes, is an oddly unpleasant variation on the theme of "The Way We Were." [09 Apr 1999]

By Joe Morgenstern FULL REVIEW

See All 24 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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User Score

Universal Acclaim Based on 12 User Ratings

8.2

75% Positive
9 Ratings

17% Mixed
2 Ratings

8% Negative
1 Rating

User Reviews

View All

User Score

Universal Acclaim Based on 12 User Ratings

8.2

75% Positive
9 Ratings

17% Mixed
2 Ratings

8% Negative
1 Rating

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

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Production Company Arts Council of England, Blue Horizon Productions, Eurimages, European Co-production Fund, Filmanía S.L., MACT Productions

Release Date Apr 9, 1999

Duration 1 h 45 m

Rating R

Genres

Tagline Metroland is not a location - it is a state of mind.

Metroland

Where to Watch

Where to Watch

Top Cast

Christian Bale

Chris

Lee Ross

Toni

Emily Watson

Marion

Elsa Zylberstein

Annick

John Wood

The Retired Commuter

Rufus

Henri

Amanda Ryan

Joanna

Jonathan Aris

Dave

Ifan Meredith

Mickey

Boris Terral

Jacques

Lucy Speed

Punk Girl

Bill Thomas

Middle-Aged Commuter

Bethan Fairbairn

Amy

Daisy Fairbairn

Amy

Del Bartle

One of The Subverts

Gareth Batson

One of The Subverts

Danny De Matos

One of The Subverts

Brad Waissman

One of The Subverts

Kerry Burton

Secretary

Mark Chapman

Tennis player

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

User Reviews

User Reviews

User Reviews

User Reviews

Details

Details

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