Advanced Search Beta »
Basic Search Fields
The Princess of Montpensier
The Princess of Montpensier Image
See the trailer
Metascore
78 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
Rate this:
  • Summary: In The Princess of Montpensier, acclaimed filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier directs a spectacular cast in a riveting, lush romantic drama set in the high courts of 16th Century France. Against the backdrop of the savage Catholic/Protestant wars, Marie de Mézières, a beautiful young aristocrat, finds herself married to a young prince she does not love, haunted by a rakish suitor Gaspard Ulliel from her childhood, and advised by an aging nobleman Lambert Wilson, harboring his own forbidden desire for her. The Princess of Montpensier must struggle passionately to stay alive in the intrigue of this corrupt political and romantic web of duty, passion, religion and war. (IFC Films)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kenneth Turan
    Apr 16, 2011
    100
    Epic and intimate, historical and contemporary, moving and thought-provoking, the impressive The Princess of Montpensier has something for all and sundry but especially for those who like to believe that films can be as boldly intelligent as they are entertaining.
  2. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Nick Pinkerton
    Apr 12, 2011
    90
    The finest Western you'll see this year is set in aristocratic 16th-century France, in the heat of Counter-Reformation.
  3. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: David Fear
    Apr 12, 2011
    60
    The filmmaker provides intellectual rigor to spare, yet precious little narrative focus (you virtually wander into plot strands) and there's a stiffness to the proceedings that neither Wilson's charisma nor Ulliel and Thierry's screen-ready beauty can remedy.

See all 20 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. MarthaP
    9
    Excellent, original film -- sort of a 16th century French western. It’s about religious wars, power, the relation of marriage and love and, most boldly of all, dares to be about a woman. She is the woman so beautiful that all the men are in love with her and yet, because she is treated as high class property in the culture, it avails her very little. But she is also scholarly and intelligent, suggesting her potential. This story is told with conviction and grace. The battles are hand-to-hand and sword-to-horse and very effective, up close, and stunning. I didn’t sense a bit of CGI. The actors are inspired and the characters are always defying clichées. Well done!… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. frani
    7
    I have already submitted a review and just wish to amend my score from a 10 to a 7 OOPS. Now it make senseI am long time admirer of Bertrand Tavernier's and so really wanted to like this film. It certainly is gorgeous and captures an interesting period in French history. It also raise intriguing and timely questions some of which get answered. However the title character, the princess is not much of a femme fatale especially a french femme fatale. You know they set the bar kind of high. She is vacuous which we could forgive if she had some other quality but alas she does not. She is pretty enough though again by french standards not a knock out her face has no soul behind it. Really is a shame as the rest of the cast is superb especially Lambert Wilson so cerebral and sensitive. Still it is sumptuous to look at and the sword fights are balanced between pure ballet and bloody slug fests. Collapse… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. MarcDoyle
    4
    There are times during this film in which I thought I was watching a parody. The sword fighting scenes were straight out of a high school production. The acting is decent, but nothing in the film ever seems to be consummated. There aren't enough dramatic turning points, and I'm afraid to say that I was little bored by it. And yes, it's over-long.… Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes

Trailers