X
  • 2019
  • Not Rated
  • Vertical Entertainment
  • 2 h 4 m
  • 2019
  • Not Rated
  • Vertical Entertainment
  • 2 h 4 m

Summary In a film based on Simon Winchester's best-seller, Professor James Murray (Mel Gibson) begins work compiling words for the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary in the mid 19th century, and receives over 10,000 entries from a patient at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Dr. William Minor (Sean Penn).

Directed By: Farhad Safinia

Written By: Todd Komarnicki, Simon Winchester, Farhad Safinia

  • 2019
  • Not Rated
  • Vertical Entertainment
  • 2 h 4 m
  • 2019
  • Not Rated
  • Vertical Entertainment
  • 2 h 4 m

The Professor and the Madman

Metascore Generally Unfavorable Based on 5 Critic Reviews
27
User Score Generally Favorable Based on 52 User Ratings
7.3
My Score
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Where to Watch

Summary In a film based on Simon Winchester's best-seller, Professor James Murray (Mel Gibson) begins work compiling words for the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary in the mid 19th century, and receives over 10,000 entries from a patient at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Dr. William Minor (Sean Penn).

Directed By: Farhad Safinia

Written By: Todd Komarnicki, Simon Winchester, Farhad Safinia

Where to Watch

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Generally Unfavorable Based on 5 Critic Reviews
27
0% Positive
0 Reviews
20% Mixed
1 Review
80% Negative
4 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Generally Unfavorable Based on 5 Critic Reviews
27
0% Positive
0 Reviews
20% Mixed
1 Review
80% Negative
4 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
50
Dec 31, 2020
As “unfilmmable” as a movie about men lost in words, attempting to write a dictionary might seem, there is a better picture in this subject, based on journalist/history buff Simon Winchester’s best selling book. Limiting its scope, beefing up the connection between the “consanguineous” correspondents, their letters and their meetings, giving the two men competing agendas (acceptance by academia vs “redemption”) rather than shoehorning both of them into one and losing the “love story” would have been a start.
By Roger Moore FULL REVIEW
38
May 10, 2019
It’s the presence of Gibson and his co-star Sean Penn, who give the project a stuffy sanctimoniousness, as it so transparently yearns to be the definition of “powerhouse acting.”
By Nick Allen FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 52 User Ratings
7.3
71% Positive
37 Ratings
29% Mixed
15 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 52 User Ratings
7.3
71% Positive
37 Ratings
29% Mixed
15 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
10
jstovar
Jan 22, 2020
This is an excellent movie. This is one of the best I've seen lately. Strongly disagree with critics.
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10
bchatmon
Jun 13, 2019
Moving! Great acting! Memorable Story! Awesome! The story is an unknown history lesson. The lead actors and the supporting cast is simply great.
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37
May 12, 2019
What a superficial and tedious motion picture, never quite bad enough to be campy, never remotely good enough to justify watching it instead of reading the book’s Wikipedia page.
By William Bibbiani FULL REVIEW
30
Apr 12, 2019
For those that have been anticipating this curious, much-delayed oddity, the good news is that Gibson is fine; it’s everything else that doesn’t work.
By Jay Weissberg FULL REVIEW
20
May 27, 2019
The film’s only real draws are Gibson and Penn, who come at the material from opposite ends of the acting philosophy spectrum...It's simply confounding, much like the rest of the movie.
By Elizabeth Kerr FULL REVIEW
See All 5 Critic Reviews
10
Allanbaxter
May 18, 2019
I don't agree with the professional critics giving this film such a low score. I thought Mel Gibson did a fine job as well as Sean Penn. The story keeps moving at a nice clip and is interesting.
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9
dcdellwo
Jan 2, 2021
This movie engulfed me. Its music, lyrical writing and the ensemble cast brought to life a story of a redemptive nature we sorely need today. It answers the question; If love .... Then what? Well worth the time. High praise indeed!
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5
bataguila
Aug 23, 2019
tienes escenas muy shockeantes innecesarias, la historia esta mal contada, y la viuda se ve que es la razon por la cula aceptaron estas estrellas.
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4
DawdlingPoet
Dec 30, 2021
The plot I'd read of this film sounded interesting and the cast seemed decent enough (I like Sean Penn, certainly), so I thought I'd give this a go. At first it was interesting but I lost interest in it after a while - I couldn't entirely follow some of the sub plots and its rather sombre. I certainly didn't find it gripping or anything. I wouldn't recommend this, no.
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4
imthenoob
Jul 17, 2020
Gibson and Penn give brilliant performances that are sadly brought down by the slow pacing and the terrible second half. I can see why Gibson and the director disavowed this film.
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Details

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Production Company Voltage Pictures, Fábrica de Cine, Definition Films, 22h22, Zik Zak Filmworks, Caviar Antwerp NV, Fastnet Films, Asia Production Fund One, Soundford
Release Date May 10, 2019
Duration 2 h 4 m
Rating Not Rated
Genres
Tagline The Incredible True Story That Defined Our World.
Website https://hakase-kyojin.jp/
View All Details

Awards

International Film Music Critics Award (IFMCA)
• 1 Nomination

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