Mr. Turner

Name: Mr. Turner
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Released: December 19, 2014
Duration: 150 min
Rating: 94
Cast: Amy Dawson, Dorothy Atkinson, Karl Johnson, Lesley Manville, Marion Bailey

2014

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 44 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 156 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 156 Ratings

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Mr. Turner

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: December 19, 2014 | R

Starring: Amy Dawson, Dorothy Atkinson, Karl Johnson, Lesley Manville, Marion Bailey, Paul Jesson, Ruth Sheen, Sandy Foster, Timothy Spall

Summary: Mr. Turner explores the last quarter century of the life of the great if eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner (Timothy Spall). Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by a housekeeper he takes for granted and occasionally exploits sexually, he forms a close relationship with a seaside landlady with whom he eventually livesMr. Turner explores the last quarter century of the life of the great if eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner (Timothy Spall). Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by a housekeeper he takes for granted and occasionally exploits sexually, he forms a close relationship with a seaside landlady with whom he eventually lives incognito in Chelsea, where he dies. Throughout this, he travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits brothels, is a popular if anarchic member of the Royal Academy of Arts, has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty.… Expand

Director: Mike Leigh

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, History

Rating: R

Runtime: 150 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Joe Morgenstern

Dec 18, 2014

When we peruse this movie, we see a superb evocation of Turner’s latter years, during the first half of the 19th century, and a performance that’s symphonic in the sweep of its eccentricities, vivid in the spectrum of its passions. Read full review

100

Ann Hornaday

Dec 23, 2014

Through it all, Spall is equally enigmatic and transfixing: With his guttural croaks and barks, his Turner is often difficult to understand, but, thanks to Spall’s amazing physical performance and Leigh’s sensitive, information-laden direction, he’s never incomprehensible. Read full review

100

Jeff Baker

Jul 14, 2015

A movie as bold and deep as a Turner landscape, as sharp as light on water. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

Mar 1, 2015

Relaxed editing and well-researched set and costumes give us a firm feeling of the period, and Dick Pope (who has worked with Leigh 10 times) excels. It’s a cliche to say a cinematographer does painterly work, but Pope suffuses the screen with light in the way Turner did his canvases. Read full review

Keith Phipps

Dec 17, 2014

Leigh’s generous approach to capturing the fullness of Turner’s life, through unhurried rhythms and scenes, makes Mr. Turner memorable. Read full review

Peter Travers

Dec 17, 2014

Leigh embraces the contradictions in Turner. And in tandem with cinematographer Dick Pope, a master of light, he shows us the world as Turner sees it. The effect is harsh and ravishing. Leigh's beauty of a movie touches the heart not by sentimental gush but by the amplitude of its art. Read full review

Rex Reed

Dec 17, 2014

Mr. Spall, winner of the Cannes and New York Film Critics Circle best-actor awards, does his best to bring an unpleasant character to life — grunting and snorting like a boar ready to charge, spitting on his canvases and dragging around with a constant wince like a fat baby with colic. With all due respect, he’s too repulsive to watch for 150 minutes. Read full review

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User Reviews

riaan_radiohead

Jan 8, 2015

Mr. Turner could be Mike Leigh's (71) most accomplished work in a remarkable career where every film from Secrets & Lies, Vera Drake to Another Year have been staggering humanist masterpieces.
Visually Mr Turner is Leigh's most gorgeous film, filling the screen with scenic beauty and humanMr. Turner could be Mike Leigh's (71) most accomplished work in a remarkable career where every film from Secrets & Lies, Vera Drake to Another Year have been staggering humanist masterpieces.
Visually Mr Turner is Leigh's most gorgeous film, filling the screen with scenic beauty and human warmth.
Mr. Turner also contains some of Leigh's best tightly controlled and masterfully executed drama.
Timothy Spall too as Turner is simply a magnificent dominating screen presence, bringing years and years of acting experience to a role that lends such philosophical and emotional weight.
Awards season beckons!… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

TheDavo

Feb 8, 2015

Surely has to be one of the best films of the year with one of the best film performances of the year as well. Not a movie for someone who needs a Hollywood movie with a nonsensical story and name stars. The acting, the story, the cinematography, the sets and the settings are to die for.Surely has to be one of the best films of the year with one of the best film performances of the year as well. Not a movie for someone who needs a Hollywood movie with a nonsensical story and name stars. The acting, the story, the cinematography, the sets and the settings are to die for. Mike Leigh has hit this one out of the park on every level. Can't believe how good it was.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

EpicLadySponge

Feb 25, 2016

I'll cut right to the chase. Mr. Turner is outrageously and righteously fun to watch... making the other Turners look completely underrated. Don't trust the users here. They look so incredibly weak when reviewing this movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Mar 19, 2015

Although this biopic is about British painter J.M.W. Turner, it's more about his peculiar personality and unconventional life than his art. He spends lots of time observing nature and painting it, but he also visits important patrons, storms thru the Royal Academy and has time to sexuallyAlthough this biopic is about British painter J.M.W. Turner, it's more about his peculiar personality and unconventional life than his art. He spends lots of time observing nature and painting it, but he also visits important patrons, storms thru the Royal Academy and has time to sexually use one woman and fall for another. Timothy Spall gives a bravura performance in the title role, gruffly grunting his way thru all of his encounters. It's a fascinating portrait with plenty of eccentric supporting characters (as is common with director Mike Leigh). Cinematographer Dick Pope has infused every shot, including the lovely landscapes, with a soft palette and lustrous glow. At 150 minutes, I was rooting for him to die before it was over, but other than the extended length, the film presents a fascinating portrayal of an important artist.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

pepeu

May 24, 2015

Mike Leigh have delivered some great movies during his career, and some not so great. I'm afraid this fall into the latter category. Sure, great acting, marvelous scenery and from what I have read, a big dose of authenticity. Timothy Spall is excellent in the leading part. So are many otherMike Leigh have delivered some great movies during his career, and some not so great. I'm afraid this fall into the latter category. Sure, great acting, marvelous scenery and from what I have read, a big dose of authenticity. Timothy Spall is excellent in the leading part. So are many other colorful characters, Dorothy Atkinson as Hannah for instance. Brilliant! She alone moves this from a 5 to a 6.

If only they could have cut away one hour, this would have been an amazing piece you'd remember and cherish. There are so many scenes that didn't really add to the story telling. So many that I can't even recall them all. It didn't give more depth and layers to its narrative. They were just meh on repeat. All the grunting and snorting from Turner - which would make Karl Childers in Sling Blade... grunt in awe - gets a bit tiresome after two and a half weeks. Sorry, hours. To paraphrase from the movie; Mr. Turner, you are exceedingly tiresome.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

rahjuwow

Dec 28, 2014

A beautifully crafted,dismal, degrading and hugely disappointing descent into a narrow depiction of a small slice of Turner's life. The film hardly relates to his painting process or what it meant and felt to him at all, in fact it gives the impression that his art was just something he didA beautifully crafted,dismal, degrading and hugely disappointing descent into a narrow depiction of a small slice of Turner's life. The film hardly relates to his painting process or what it meant and felt to him at all, in fact it gives the impression that his art was just something he did as an occupation and something wholly inconsequential. Instead it focused entirely on every bit of negativity of his life and character, spiced with a couple of well known incidents handled in a halfhearted manner in an effort at convincing us that this is still the man we came to see. The non-existing story line rambles on at the later part of his life and is more a socio-cultural portrait of the environment he lived in, filled with sickly, ugly pathological men and women, living in stuffy repressed times, stumbling on to their shabby graves. The film does not touch upon his childhood or background, his growth and passion for art, the technicalities and extraordinary development of his work, and the undoubtedly ecstatic states he must have derived from the fulfilling moments of his efforts. Absolutely nothing to show us and touch us about what drove and inspired the man. Nothing about the flight, the journey, the adventure. Given that he was such a profound artist and his visual understanding was a century before his time, it is mind boggling that everything that truly matters about him has been sidelined and that instead we are served a mean and mediocre extract of the least interesting little parts of this genius's life and personality. What a let down, no wonder the 'top critics' love it. The filming, lighting, ambiance and visuals are flawless and duly equaled by a wonderful cast of great actors... What a wasted opportunity! What a perverse disappointment.… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

financialwar

Apr 5, 2015

One of the worst "best" movie I ever watched, boring, long, weird English accent and fancy vocabularies that no one understands, even with subs I can hardly understand the movie.

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

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