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De-Lovely

2004

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews

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53

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

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7.0

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7.0	Your Score
7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

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De-Lovely

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De-Lovely

Movie Details & Credits

MGM Distribution | Release Date: July 2, 2004 | PG-13

Starring: Ashley Judd, Jonathan Pryce, Kevin Kline

Summary: De-lovely is an original musical portrait of American composer Cole Porter filled with his own unforgettable songs. A sparkling celebration of Porter's music as well as a stirring exploration of the artist's journey and the undying power of love. (MGM)

Director: Irwin Winkler

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Romance, Music, Musical

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 125 min

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Metascore

Critic Reviews

100

Christian Science Monitor

David Sterritt

The movie is remarkably touching and engrossing, with Kline's spot-on acting and realistically second-rate singing balancing Judd's one-note performance as his wife. Read full review

75

Boston Globe

Ty Burr

Turns out to be thoughtful, creative, and generally worthy of its subject, with sins that are more of ambition and miscalculation than of execution. Read full review

75

Rolling Stone

Peter Travers

At its best, De-Lovely evokes a time, a place and a sound with stylish wit and sophistication. Read full review

50

Charlotte Observer

Lawrence Toppman

De-Lovely gets hold of a few long-obscured facts but utterly loses the sense of life between the two world wars. I suppose that's progress, of a sort. Read full review

50

The A.V. Club

Scott Tobias

If Porter's songs are so timeless, why does the movie sound like something that might have played on VH1 five years ago? Read full review

50

San Francisco Chronicle

Ruthe Stein

A mishmash of a musical. The movie never gels -- despite Kline's nuanced performance, the stars' exquisite period clothes, designed by Armani, and, of course, Porter's great songs. Read full review

20

Wall Street Journal

Joe Morgenstern

A limited movie that can't animate its subject amid all the tricks and glitz. De-Lovely is devoid of life.

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User Reviews

10

BrittanyM.

Nov 28, 2005

I loved this movie. I love Cole Porter and his shows, so this movie is on the top of my list. I loved all the different stars that were brought in to sing his songs.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

10

NormanF.

Jan 8, 2006

De-lovely embodied the powerful impact that Cole Porter had on a culture. De-lovely embodies a piece of the cresting American culture and what it would offer the world.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

10

JeffS.

Dec 16, 2006

I anticipate that De-Lovely will become one of the most highly regarded films of the past fifty years. Mr. Winkler's team has fashioned a daring concept with poignance, wit, great music, design and fully nuanced and realized performances by Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd and Jonathan Pryce. I anticipate that De-Lovely will become one of the most highly regarded films of the past fifty years. Mr. Winkler's team has fashioned a daring concept with poignance, wit, great music, design and fully nuanced and realized performances by Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd and Jonathan Pryce. The engagedment of current pop standard, rock and jazz singers and stylings seemlessly provides the story with resonance for present times and injects the account of Cole Porter's life with appropriate irony and insight. Thanks to DVD distribution, De-Lovely" will outlive its critics and, as more discover it, be considered a classic. This may be Irwin Winkler's greatest film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

9

TonyB

Oct 23, 2005

Criminally underappreciated by both the critics and the public, this is a gem of a biography with an interesting structure. Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd are superb; the supporting cast is excellent; the musical numbers are superbly designed and executed...what more can anyone want?

0 of 0 users found this helpful

8

FrankO.

Jan 25, 2006

Better than I expected, beyond the music which I already knew, I learned lots about the man Cole Porter, great cinematography going back and forth with blk/white..current day life to reliving past...Kevin Kline was outstanding.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

5

chrish

Oct 6, 2005

I thought the movie had an interesting way of presenting the story but I was totally turned off by all the smoking- even Ashley Judd who was obviously not a smoker when the movie started got the hang of it by the end. Surely we can tell the story of a great songwirter without everyone I thought the movie had an interesting way of presenting the story but I was totally turned off by all the smoking- even Ashley Judd who was obviously not a smoker when the movie started got the hang of it by the end. Surely we can tell the story of a great songwirter without everyone puffing on cigarettes in every frame...it did not lend anything to the movie except that Linda Poretr died on lung cancer but even then no one stopped.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

5

JeanM.

Nov 23, 2006

This movie has good music, but good music does not make a good movie. The people behind De-Lovely are obviously very professional, and the narration idea IS interesting, but the movie remains, however, incredibly boring. The viewer comes out of the film having finally learned very little This movie has good music, but good music does not make a good movie. The people behind De-Lovely are obviously very professional, and the narration idea IS interesting, but the movie remains, however, incredibly boring. The viewer comes out of the film having finally learned very little about Cole Porter, which is a shame considering the movie is about him... In fact, the most fun to be had in this film is identifying the myriad of current pop stars who guest star in the film (Robbie Williams, Diana Krall, Lemar, Sheryl Crow, etc..), and while guest stars are sure fun in any film, they should never be the point of one. Simply put, the bottom line is, De-Lovely isn't horrible...but it certainly isn't good. There is much, much better cinema to be seen out there. If you wish to see a good biopic about a famous musician, check out the amazing Walk The Line (about Johnny Cash), one of the best movies in my opinion. Ray, though overrated, is still a lot better than De-Lovely. And finally I haven't seen the Bobby Darin biopic Beyond The Sea, but it seems pretty good as well.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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