The Piano

Name: The Piano
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: November 1, 1993
Duration: 121 min
Rating: 89
Cast: Harvey Keitel, Holly Hunter, Sam Neill

1993

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 20 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 132 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 132 Ratings

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The Piano

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Movie Details & Credits

Miramax Films | Release Date: November 1, 1993 | R

Starring: Harvey Keitel, Holly Hunter, Sam Neill

Summary: A seemingly mute woman (Hunter) is sent to New Zealand together with her daughter and her beloved piano, for an arranged marriage.

Director: Jane Campion

Genre(s): Drama, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 121 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Mike Clark

Campion's script is very well received, but the film finally makes it on cinematics: bleakly beautiful photography, haunting score, and good acting. [12 Nov 1993]

100

Michael Wilmington

In Jan Campion's The Piano, the emotions are deep, fierce, primordial. Sexuality overwhelms the film's characters like ocean waves blasting against a cliffside. [19 Nov 1993]

100

Julie Salamon

With its breathtaking visual style and careful attention to sound and movement, the movie provokes contemplation about the ways people communicate – through words, through music, through sex, and, most significantly, through touch. [14 Dec 1993, p.A14(E)]

100

Desson Thomson

The Piano plays itself with such contrapuntal richness, it resonates in you forever. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

It takes exceptional acting to enable a story like this to take hold, and Campion has gotten it here. [19 Nov 1993]

Marjorie Baumgarten

The wonder of The Piano is that such an outwardly simple story could emerge into such a complex swirl of lingering memories. Read full review

Stanley Kauffmann

An overwrought, hollowly symbolic glob of glutinous nonsense... I haven't seen a sillier film about a woman and a piano since John Huston's "The Unforgiven" (1960), a Western in which Lillian Gish had her piano carried out into the front yard so she could play Mozart to pacify attacking Indians. [13 Dec 1993]

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User Reviews

neezyk.

Jul 29, 2007

Perfect!

1 of 1 users found this helpful

Sindri

Feb 24, 2011

Innovating and influential masterpiece - Jane Campion's third feature film after her feature film debut "Sweetie" (1989) and "An Angel at my Table" (1990) tells the story of Ada McGrath and her daughter Flora who once upon a time in the 1850s moves from Nelson, Australia to New ZealandInnovating and influential masterpiece - Jane Campion's third feature film after her feature film debut "Sweetie" (1989) and "An Angel at my Table" (1990) tells the story of Ada McGrath and her daughter Flora who once upon a time in the 1850s moves from Nelson, Australia to New Zealand where they are to start a new life with Ada's predetermined husband, a landowner called Alistair Stewart. Jane Campion's Palme d'Or winner from 1993 is a versatile character study seen from the main characters point of view and told through her wordless though definite expressions. With acute and subtle camera movements, long takes and picturesque close ups, New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion compassionately examines the complexities in the relationship between man and woman and creates a mysterious, erotic and imaginative period drama about a woman's affectionate relation to her piano and her contradicting strive for independence while being captured in an arranged marriage.

This international co-production between New Zealand, Australia and France which was exclusively shoot in New Zealand and produced by Australian Jan Chapman is an innovating and influential masterpiece formed by the mythical milieu depictions, the weighty and various moods, the linear narrative, Jane Campion's emphatic screenplay, Stuart Dryburgh's majestic photography, Janet Patterson's noticeable costume design, Andrew McAlpine's production design and Michael Nyman's sterling score, which acutely conveys the main characters passionate inner life. Sam Neill, Harvey Keitel and Anna Paquin delivers memorable performances in this poetic and romantic fairytale lead by Holly Hunter who's internal and gesticulating interpretation of a mute character is one of the most outstanding performances in modern cinema.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

krogar

Jan 30, 2012

Beautiful, moving, original, visually poignant, excellent music, fantastic acting performances. One of my favourite movies. I am puzzled by the negative reviews, perhaps it might not suit someone with very conservative tastes, expecting a tame story of a piano student, etc.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

EpicLadySponge

Apr 5, 2016

The Piano will forever be dramatically enjoyable no matter how many opinions can hold up a great movie. So much for a muted piano player and her daughter.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

RegOz

Apr 6, 2012

Although I know it is now a classic; I was never able to see it as a great film; yet it is not because there are not the elements for it to be a masterpiece but somehow, to me, little by litthe the movie loses its initial attractiveness. It is not that I lack aeshetic sensibility; on theAlthough I know it is now a classic; I was never able to see it as a great film; yet it is not because there are not the elements for it to be a masterpiece but somehow, to me, little by litthe the movie loses its initial attractiveness. It is not that I lack aeshetic sensibility; on the opposite; it is just that overall, this movie didn't transmit enough for it. Its strenght, in my opinion, does not always reside in the storyline. The performances were fantastic, the photography luscious! I am glad I watched it...not sure if I would do it again...probably I will one day for I am curious to know how I experience it this time.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

royalguy07

Mar 15, 2023

Just didn't get all the way there with this. Definitely featured one of the best child performances ever. The dynamics and love triangle were a little messy and confusing.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Broyax

Dec 27, 2017

Film se déroulant au 19ème siècle qui suit une névropathe mutique et cul serré qui part chez les Papous à l'autre bout du monde -à moins que ce ne soit chez les All Blacks me souffle-t-on- pour se marier à un colon anglais déjà sur place.

Elle fait chier tout le monde avec son gros pianoFilm se déroulant au 19ème siècle qui suit une névropathe mutique et cul serré qui part chez les Papous à l'autre bout du monde -à moins que ce ne soit chez les All Blacks me souffle-t-on- pour se marier à un colon anglais déjà sur place.

Elle fait chier tout le monde avec son gros piano parce qu'à l'époque, trimbaler un piano, je te raconte pas, ça fait bien chier quand même, y compris dans la barque ou dans la jungle. Mais elle ne peut se libérer de son TOC, alors éventuellement elle conclut un "arrangement" avec l'un des indigènes joué par la brute Harvey Keitel, premier demi de mêlée. Et pendant ce temps, son mari très officiel joué par le sympathique Sam Neill se la met sous le bras.

Holly Hunter est une actrice estimable mais je ne pensais certes pas qu'elle était aussi bien gaulée que ça, aussi est-ce une heureuse surprise qu'elle montre un peu son petit cul ici même si ça reste hélas bien trop rare durant les deux plombes que dure cette grosse merde intello échappée de l'asile du festival de Cannes. Deux heures qui en paraissent au moins dix -moins 5 minutes de fesses- au vu du scénario qui branlotte du vide et bien sûr de la mise en scène de limace fatiguée.

Je suppose que ce suppositoire de deux heures a dû recevoir une palme ou moult prix ou au moins une récompense Télérama, car côté prétention et courant d'air, la Jane Campion a l'air de s'y connaître. Putain, quelle purge !… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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