The Goldfinch

Name: The Goldfinch
Genre: Drama
Released: September 13, 2019
Duration: 149 min
Rating: 40
Cast: Aneurin Barnard, Ansel Elgort, Ashleigh Cummings, Denis O'Hare, Finn Wolfhard

2019

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 41 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 87 Ratings

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6.8

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6.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 87 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: September 13, 2019 | R

Starring: Aneurin Barnard, Ansel Elgort, Ashleigh Cummings, Denis O'Hare, Finn Wolfhard, Jeffrey Wright, Joey Slotnick, Luke Kleintank, Luke Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Oakes Fegley, Peter Jacobsen, Sarah Paulson, Willa Fitzgerald

Summary: Theodore “Theo” Decker (Ansel Elgort) was 13 years old when his mother was killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The tragedy changes the course of his life, sending him on a stirring odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption, and even love. Through it all, he holds on to one tangible piece of hope from thatTheodore “Theo” Decker (Ansel Elgort) was 13 years old when his mother was killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The tragedy changes the course of his life, sending him on a stirring odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption, and even love. Through it all, he holds on to one tangible piece of hope from that terrible day...a painting of a tiny bird chained to its perch. The Goldfinch.… Expand

Director: John Crowley

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 149 min

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Critic Reviews

Kenneth Turan

Sep 12, 2019

While the result is not flawless, this is a polished, impressive attempt that pays off in the end. It may take awhile to get there, but its themes of loss, longing, heartache and betrayal, not to mention the nature and value of beautiful objects, do ultimately move us. Read full review

Chris Barsanti

Sep 10, 2019

Enough of the individual moments pulled from the rag-and-bone shop of Donna Tartt’s sprawling mystery narrative make an emotional impact that the story’s structural issues fail to register as much at first. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Sep 12, 2019

It is an ambitious, dreamlike, beautifully shot movie (with cinematography by the legendary Roger Deakins) that aims for the fences again and again in the course of 149 minutes — but nearly every one of those mighty cuts is a swing and a miss. Read full review

Steve Pond

Sep 18, 2019

The Goldfinch, the novel, was a testament to the power of The Goldfinch, the painting – but The Goldfinch, the movie, can’t be more than a footnote to the mysteries and the grace of the works that inspired it. Read full review

Empire Nick de Semlyen

Sep 23, 2019

An earnest stab at crunching a brilliant breezeblock of a novel down to film-size, but one that fails to pay off. Frankly, you might have more fun watching a pigeon for 149 minutes. Read full review

Barry Hertz

Sep 10, 2019

Crowley knows his way from adaptations thanks to 2015′s Brooklyn, but as this 149-minute mess proves, The Goldfinch should have never flown away from its literary perch. Read full review

Peter Travers

Sep 12, 2019

The only achievement in transferring The Goldfinch from page to screen is that it’s a botch job for the ages. Read full review

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User Reviews

ILovemoviesbro

Oct 6, 2022

This movie is so beautiful, the acting and the scenes are amazing. The characters feel genuine and the emotions in this movie are so AHHHHHHHH ❤️ 10/10 definitely recommend

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

movieViewer325

Sep 20, 2019

This move is a touching expression of childhood bonds and experiences actualized in adult life. After watching this you may have a better understanding of you own unconscious mind without needing to attend years of therapy, but maybe not. I'm so glad I didn't miss this thrilling adaptationThis move is a touching expression of childhood bonds and experiences actualized in adult life. After watching this you may have a better understanding of you own unconscious mind without needing to attend years of therapy, but maybe not. I'm so glad I didn't miss this thrilling adaptation of a great novel and I don't read novels. Hard to believe the professional reviewers dissed this gem as I was thinking it should sweep the oscars.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Nado97

Sep 14, 2019

SHAME ON YOU CRITICS! We will never get these “prestige” films made by Hollywood. Attacking the film like this is pathetic; childish and down-right selfish. This shows again how vestigial you guys are and actually calling death to well made films. Re-think about the ambitions and dreams ofSHAME ON YOU CRITICS! We will never get these “prestige” films made by Hollywood. Attacking the film like this is pathetic; childish and down-right selfish. This shows again how vestigial you guys are and actually calling death to well made films. Re-think about the ambitions and dreams of the people who worked tirelessly to make the film; then post your ill-advised and hopeless reviews online.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

gym33019

Sep 16, 2019

Critics are being way to harsh on this movie! This is my favorite book. Furthermore, the audiobook is over 30hrs of narrative perfection. A tall order to live up to when adapting for screen. They did an excellent job! Follows the book pretty exactly. Sequencing is different, but worksCritics are being way to harsh on this movie! This is my favorite book. Furthermore, the audiobook is over 30hrs of narrative perfection. A tall order to live up to when adapting for screen. They did an excellent job! Follows the book pretty exactly. Sequencing is different, but works well for the screen. I can't imagine that if you like the book, you would be disappointed in the movie. Like any adaptation from book to film, there is a lot more detail in the book, which is very long. However, they did a great job keeping the story together while compressing some scenes fit in the 2.5 hour time frame. A friend went with me to see this, having no knowledge of the book or story....had not even seen a trailer. We were obviously watching from 2 different perspectives. At the end, he said "I LOVED THAT", one of the best movies I've seen.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Dan_B

Dec 25, 2020

(Español / English)

Un necesariamente fragmentario drama de personajes con aliento novelístico A necessarily fragmentary character drama with a novelistic breath En una habitación de hotel el joven Theodor (Ansel Elgort) pasa revista a parte de su vida a partir del momento traumático en(Español / English)

Un necesariamente fragmentario drama de personajes con aliento novelístico

A necessarily fragmentary character drama with a novelistic breath

En una habitación de hotel el joven Theodor (Ansel Elgort) pasa revista a parte de su vida a partir del momento traumático en que con 13 años sobrevive a un atentado en el Metropolitan Museum de Nueva York en el que pierde a su madre.

Basada en una novela de Donna Tartt, y por ser bastante bastante fiel a ella, la película de John Crowley quizás resulte demasiado ambiciosa y algo dispersa. Esto puede ser, en parte, por su estructura temporal, que alterna entre el Theo adulto y sucesos de cuando contaba 13 años (a cargo de Oakes Fegley), por el carácter trunco de ciertos episodios, por la variedad de tópicos tratados y por cierta desconexión entre ellos. Pero este carácter fragmentario resulta coherente con la situación que vive el protagonista en el hotel y por el carácter de los sucesos en una vida para nada lineal y con bastante mala suerte. De golpe, Theo, a los 13 años, debe elegir y tomar decisiones a un edad en que es fácil equivocarse y en que son los adultos los que en definitiva deciden. Elecciones y decisiones que tienen que ver con quiénes se desea y elige estar, el valor de los objetos, el mundo del arte, el cuidado de sí mismo y la búsqueda de contención.

Con algún momento de acción, la película sale adelante sin embargo porque es un drama de personajes bien construidos, por su aliento novelístico y por las interpretaciones, comenzando por las notables actuaciones de Fegley y Elgort, con quienes es imposible no empatizar. Los acompaña un gran elenco, comenzando por la infalible Nicole Kidman (componiendo otra de las interesantes madres que ya le ha dado al cine) y siguiendo con Jeffrey Wright, Luke Wilson, una Sarah Paulson más sexy que nunca y un avasallante Finn Wolfhart como su amigo de la adolescencia.

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Fragments of a life in a character drama

In a hotel room, the young Theodor (Ansel Elgort) reviews part of his life from the traumatic moment when, at the age of 13, he survives an attack at the Metropolitan Museum in New York in which he loses his mother.

Based on a novel by Donna Tartt, and being quite faithful to it, John Crowley's film may be too ambitious and somewhat scattered. This may be, in part, due to its temporal structure, which alternates between the adult Theo and events from when he was 13 years old (by Oakes Fegley), due to the truncated nature of certain episodes, due to the variety of topics covered and due to certain disconnection between them. But this fragmentary character is consistent with the situation that the protagonist lives in the hotel and because of the nature of the events in a life that is not linear at all and with quite bad luck. Suddenly, Theo, at age 13, must choose and make decisions at an age when it is easy to make mistakes and when it is the adults who ultimately decide. Choices and decisions that have to do with who you want and choose to be, the value of objects, the world of art, taking care of yourself and the search for containment.

With some moment of action, the film goes ahead however because it is a drama of well-constructed characters, for its novelistic breath and because of the interpretations, starting with the remarkable performances of Fegley and Elgort, with whom it is impossible not to empathize. They are accompanied by a great cast, starting with the infallible Nicole Kidman (composing another of the interesting mothers that he has already given to the cinema) and continuing with Jeffrey Wright, Luke Wilson, a Sarah Paulson sexier than ever and an overwhelming Finn Wolfhart as his friend in adolescence.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LamontRaymond

Sep 18, 2019

It's certainly not a terrible movie, but it's just big and bloated. Tough to know what to take away from this film other than the eternal power of art and beauty. What I will say is this: the film's use of "Your Silent Face" by New Order was better than any other film or TV show inIt's certainly not a terrible movie, but it's just big and bloated. Tough to know what to take away from this film other than the eternal power of art and beauty. What I will say is this: the film's use of "Your Silent Face" by New Order was better than any other film or TV show in history. And that's one incredible song. Lastly, I don't think that they needed Nicole Kidman in that role - she's so austere - any number of actresses cold have done that. It dind't play to her strengths.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

Escapology

Nov 12, 2020

It was a disgusting movie! Worst movie of 2019 and one of the worst movies in my life!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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