Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool

Name: Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
Released: December 29, 2017
Duration: 105 min
Rating: 65
Cast: Annette Bening, Frances Barber, Gumuliauskas Vaclovas, Isabella Laughland, James Bloor

2017

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Ratings

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Ratings

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Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: December 29, 2017 | R

Starring: Annette Bening, Frances Barber, Gumuliauskas Vaclovas, Isabella Laughland, James Bloor, Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Kenneth Cranham, Leanne Best, Peter Turner, Stephen Graham, Tom Brittney, Vanessa Redgrave

Summary: A romance sparks between a young actor and a Hollywood leading lady.

Director: Paul McGuigan

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 105 min

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Critic Reviews

Stephen Farber

There is no denying the emotional force that this film develops, and for that, we can credit talented filmmakers and two stars working at the height of their powers. Read full review

Jeannette Catsoulis

Dec 27, 2017

Landing lightly on the loneliness of fame and the ravages of aging, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool is a fond farewell to a distinctive talent. Yet I couldn’t help wishing it had spent less time anticipating Grahame’s death and a little more illuminating her life. Read full review

Moira Macdonald

Feb 14, 2018

The film, directed by Paul McGuigan, is basically a weepie, and it doesn’t do quite enough to show contemporary audiences why Grahame was special. But its performances make it a pleasure to watch. Read full review

Peter Debruge

Over-production-designed as the film is, Bening and Bell manage to hold their own within it. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Susan Wloszczyna

Dec 29, 2017

It is somewhat refreshing to witness a May-December romance from an older female perspective and both leads pour their hearts into their roles. Read full review

Katie Rife

Dec 21, 2017

While Bening does a studied impression of Grahame’s supple body language, she uses a light touch when recreating her Betty Boop-esque voice, letting Grahame’s seductiveness ooze from her gorgeously refined pores. Read full review

IndieWire David Ehrlich

Eventually so generic that it might as well be about anyone, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool creates a foul tension between the paint-by-numbers quality of its approach and the uniqueness of its affair. Read full review

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User Reviews

ledaumas

Feb 3, 2018

I made my boyfriend watch this movie with me as I am an old movies fan and he is not. He became very intrigued with Gloria Grahame and hadn’t realized that this was pretty much a true story. That a famous Oscar winning actress asks a close-knit family if she can stay with them while she’s inI made my boyfriend watch this movie with me as I am an old movies fan and he is not. He became very intrigued with Gloria Grahame and hadn’t realized that this was pretty much a true story. That a famous Oscar winning actress asks a close-knit family if she can stay with them while she’s in denial about her terminal illness, and they treat her like a member of their family as they try to figure out what to do. Who could have thought up such a plot? Gloria and Peter are hard roles to make credible. I’m surprised Annette and Jamie didn’t get Oscar nominations. It was so good to watch such a unique story with such wonderful characters!… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Brent_Marchant

Jan 14, 2018

A vastly underrated gem that definitely deserves wider attention -- and more recognition -- than it has received thus far. With what is arguably Annette Bening's best screen performance, coupled with a fine counterpart lead portrayal by Jamie Bell, this heartfelt romantic tearjerkerA vastly underrated gem that definitely deserves wider attention -- and more recognition -- than it has received thus far. With what is arguably Annette Bening's best screen performance, coupled with a fine counterpart lead portrayal by Jamie Bell, this heartfelt romantic tearjerker justifiably earns every bit of emotion it evokes from audiences. Don't listen to the cynics; if you enjoy good old-fashioned love stories, go see this one, but keep the tissues handy.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

JLuis_001

Apr 5, 2018

Although I'm not someone who focuses on awards and I must admit this film doesn't have a sublime performance, one way or another I'm still annoyed that Annette Benning still doesn't have an Oscar, it's just criminal. She carries the full weight of this film and although I said it's not aAlthough I'm not someone who focuses on awards and I must admit this film doesn't have a sublime performance, one way or another I'm still annoyed that Annette Benning still doesn't have an Oscar, it's just criminal. She carries the full weight of this film and although I said it's not a sublime performance, it's still a great performance that shows the enormous consistency this great actress has had in her career, consistency she continues to maintain.

The film is pretty good but her work is the best reason to watch it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

PeteOppel

May 5, 2018

Bening and Walters are superb in an otherwide depressing account of the last two years in the life of Academy Award-winning actress Gloria Grahame. The film glosses over the more unsavory aspects of Grahame's life, particularly her marriage to her stepson whom she first went to bed with whenBening and Walters are superb in an otherwide depressing account of the last two years in the life of Academy Award-winning actress Gloria Grahame. The film glosses over the more unsavory aspects of Grahame's life, particularly her marriage to her stepson whom she first went to bed with when he was 13 and she was still married to his father as well as one of my favorite bits of Grahame trivia -- she held the record for the briefest amount of screen time for any Oscar-winning role until Beatrice Straight broke it almost a quarter of a century later. There's not a lot here to compel someone to seek out this film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Mauro_Lanari

Oct 22, 2019

(Mauro Lanari)
Biopic about a love story between two who compete in immaturity. I was not enticed to document myself on them despite the performance of the pair of protagonists and the attempt at ennoblement through the Bard. Cute soundtrack.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GreatMartin

Feb 9, 2018

One of my favorite behind the scenes in Hollywood is the film "The Bad and the Beautiful" for which Gloria Graham won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. In "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool"we see the last 3 years of her life when she was having an affair with a man 28 years youngerOne of my favorite behind the scenes in Hollywood is the film "The Bad and the Beautiful" for which Gloria Graham won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. In "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool"we see the last 3 years of her life when she was having an affair with a man 28 years younger than her. The film takes place mainly in California and England with scenes melding into each other and going back and forth between the years and places superbly edited by Nick Emerson. Gloria, married 4 times, is way past her movie career prime and is acting on the stage in England and while playing Sadie Thompson in "Rain" she meets Peter Turner who wrote a book about them and which this movie is based on, the screenplay written by Matt Greenhalgh.

Both Annette Bening as Gloria and Jamie Bell as Peter Turner make their relationship believable and create a chemistry that makes you forget the age difference except when she brings it up but even they can't make this just another picture that can't be saved by top performances though they do give the film whatever power they can find in it!

With Kenneth Cranham and Julie Walters as Peter's parents and Vanessa Redgrave, in a too short scene, as Gloria's mother with Frances Barber as Gloria's very jealous sister the director Paul McGuigon does what he can to elevate the love story but doesn't quite succeed and it could be a story about any two lovers with a large age difference.

As huge a fan as I am of Annette Bening, and admirer of Jamie Bell for his role in "Billy Elliot, along with always glad to see Redgrave and Walters in a movie I just can't recommend this film. Instead, if you aren't familiar with Gloria Graham see her in "The Bad and the Beautiful", "The Greatest Show on Earth", "It's A Wonderful Life" or/and "Crossfire".

By the way, the whole audience was over 50 and they were shocked at two exchanges that I thought everyone knew!… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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