Critic Reviews
| 90 |
Los Angeles Times
Boldly distinctive in its depiction of individuals caught up in a veritable infernal machine designed solely to give pleasure to a monarch, Vatel is a timeless tale of love and sacrifice in a world as opulent as it is cruel.
|
| 70 |
LA Weekly
While the filmmakers are not above corset-drama bed-hopping and back-stabbing, it's delicious when the beds and backs belong to Uma Thurman, Tim Roth and Julian Sands.
|
| 70 |
TV Guide
You could hardly ask for more from a historical spectacle: Silly wigs, plunging décolletage, lavish banquets in ornate halls, a stirring score from Ennio Morricone and witty dialogue by Tom Stoppard.
|
| 63 |
USA Today
The satire is surprisingly tepid.
|
| 50 |
The New York Times
The movie wants desperately to function as a romantic tragedy, with passions glancing off the thoughtless pursuit of satisfaction. But Vatel can't really define the differences between the two; it settles into a period funk, as shallow as the court popinjays it seeks to expose.
|
| 50 |
New York Daily News
Too much chaos, not enough heart. Bad for the digestion.
|
| 50 |
Village Voice
Vatel is dull and silly, but the holiday season doesn't offer a better sets-and-costumes workshop.
|
| 50 |
Christian Science Monitor
Depardieu gives the story a firm center of gravity, aided by Joffé's eye for colorful settings and period detail.
|
| 50 |
New York Post
Although Vatel is trying to say something about freedom and gilded cages, it feels more like a behind-the-scenes look at the high-end catering business.
|
| 40 |
Variety
David Statton
Vatel, a no-expense-spared costumer, is further proof that all the money and technical expertise in the world are no substitutes for a good screenplay and creative direction.
|
| 32 |
Mr. Showbiz
Joffe's latest is a formless, inanimate lump.
|
| 30 |
Film.com
David D'Arcy
Vatel is really about production design, so if you're not absolutely passionate about 18th century table-settings, wigs and bodices, you might as well just stay at home and watch the Food Channel.
|
| 10 |
Rolling Stone
This putrid dish marks a new low for director Roland Joffe.
|
|
