The Pillow Book

Name: The Pillow Book
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: June 6, 1997
Duration: 126 min
Rating: 64
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Vivian Wu

1997

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Ratings

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The Pillow Book

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Movie Details & Credits

Cinépix Film Properties (CFP) | Release Date: June 6, 1997 | NC-17

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Vivian Wu

Summary: Three experiences make an indelible impression in a young girl's childhood: her father's tender calligraphy on her face and neck, the text of a noblewoman's sensual diary (or pillow book), and the discovery that her father is being blackmailed. These three images become a single obsession when the girl becomes a woman (Vivian Wu of The JoyThree experiences make an indelible impression in a young girl's childhood: her father's tender calligraphy on her face and neck, the text of a noblewoman's sensual diary (or pillow book), and the discovery that her father is being blackmailed. These three images become a single obsession when the girl becomes a woman (Vivian Wu of The Joy Luck Club) and meets a man (Trainspotting's Ewan McGregor) who offers his body to her, both as a blank page to write upon and as a weapon of revenge. (Columbia TriStar)… Expand

Director: Peter Greenaway

Genre(s): Drama, Romance

Rating: NC-17

Runtime: 126 min

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Critic Reviews

Richard Corliss

Wu is a fine, supple tabula rasa; McGregor (Trainspotting) shows again that he is one of the boldest, most charming young actors. Read full review

Gene Siskel

Greenaway is a unique filmmaker in that he layers images upon one another in a single frame and doesn't require dialogue to make his films arresting. [18 Jul 1997]

Roger Ebert

The Pillow Book, starring Vivian Wu, is a seductive and elegant story. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

With its attractive cast, beguiling score and relatively straightforward narrative, this dark fable of letters and lust is one of Greenaway's most accessible works. Read full review

Tim Appelo

Greenaway's latest, The Pillow Book, might disappoint purists because it is relatively intelligible. [27 Jun 1997]

Ruthe Stein

The Pillow Book sometimes seems like three different movies, each one an eyeful but together too much of a good thing. Read full review

J. Hoberman

The Pillow Book's pretentions are boundless, for all its desperate fashion and layered imagery, it's a staggering bore-as vacantly petulant as Kate Moss's stare. [10 Jun 1997]

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54	#54 Best Movie of 1997
99	#99 Most Shared Movie of 1997