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Brief Encounter

Play trailer Poster for Brief Encounter Released Aug 24, 1946 1h 26m Romance Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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93% Tomatometer 46 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Returning home from a shopping trip to a nearby town, bored suburban housewife Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) is thrown by happenstance into an acquaintance with virtuous doctor Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard). Their casual friendship soon develops during their weekly visits into something more emotionally fulfilling than either expected, and they must wrestle with the potential havoc their deepening relationship would have on their lives and the lives of those they love.

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Brief Encounter

Brief Encounter

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Critics Consensus

Brief Encounter adds a small but valuable gem to the Lean filmography, depicting a doomed couple's illicit connection with affecting sensitivity and a pair of powerful performance.

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Critics Reviews

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Zadie Smith Daily Telegraph (UK) Lean's sad, buttoned-up account of unconsummated love is about all of us and our cautious natures. Jan 17, 2018 Full Review Sophie Monks Kaufman Little White Lies Romance and goodness are evoked with equal power and from these conflicting impulses, voluptuous demons spring eternal. Rated: 5/5 Nov 9, 2015 Full Review Kate Muir Times (UK) One of cinema's classic love stories. Rated: 5/5 Nov 5, 2015 Full Review Ruth Maramis FlixChatter Film Blog One of the greatest classic romances, beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. This timeless cinematic gem is just as memorable as David Lean's big, epic films. Rated: 4.5/5 Feb 16, 2024 Full Review Kat Halstead Common Sense Media For a movie where it appears that very little happens, this classic 1940s British romantic drama packs an almighty emotional punch. Rated: 4/5 Apr 6, 2021 Full Review Film Daily Staff The Film Daily Rate this offering as one of the better British films. Feb 1, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephanie Brief Encounter was excellent. The cinematic elements of the film deserved an Oscar! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Lars N Well acted and directed, sweet and melancholic. A beautiful arch type for the-one-that-got-away natives. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/24/24 Full Review David H Good story, interesting characters. I especially enjoyed the scenes of 1940s England. I hadn't realized Boots was originally a bookstore. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/13/24 Full Review Normal D Brief Encounter is a film that utilizes sure handed direction and perfect performances to engagingly animate a dark and dryly hilarious script. Melodramatic, intriguing, charged with chemistry and propelled forward by immaculate editing, the film is an immensely entertaining look at the complexities of romantic love, from a woman's point of view. Our heroin, or perhaps anti-heroine, is fascinatingly rendered, and her relatable motivations and failures play out against a cast of equally fascinating side characters, who's parts are very beautifully written and performed. The film is able to, with a very small and simple story, elicit thoughts about society, monogamy, ethics, morals, lust, manipulation, and trust. Beautiful to look at, with a pitch perfect score, Brief Encounter is the kind of film that made me lean forward in my chair while watching, and cackle and slap my lap, and then feel really sad. It's a ride. I liked it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/07/23 Full Review Iain M Has to be in the top 3 British movies of all time. The story is a masterpiece in emotional supression, what might have been, what they really wanted to say and do. Both main roles are superbly underplayed by Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard respectively, but you know I think the real hero of the story is Fred - watch it and perhaps you will catch my drift. Incidentally, the action takes place around a railway station platform cafe, which is actually Carnforth Railway Station, and there is now a cafe and museum there where you can re-live the film. (They also do an excellent bacon and egg roll.) Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/01/23 Full Review Jeremy S An absolute classic. Makes me nostalgic for a time before my time. Very British, when British was still a thing. Stoic characters, atmospheric railway stations, romantic without gushing, moving , engrossing and quietly brilliant . Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/29/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Returning home from a shopping trip to a nearby town, bored suburban housewife Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) is thrown by happenstance into an acquaintance with virtuous doctor Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard). Their casual friendship soon develops during their weekly visits into something more emotionally fulfilling than either expected, and they must wrestle with the potential havoc their deepening relationship would have on their lives and the lives of those they love.
Director
David Lean
Producer
Noël Coward, Anthony Havelock-Allan, Ronald Neame
Screenwriter
Noël Coward, Anthony Havelock-Allan, David Lean, Ronald Neame
Distributor
Samuel Goldwyn Company, Paramount Pictures, Criterion Collection, Universal Pictures
Production Co
The Rank Organization [gb], G.C.F., Cineguild
Genre
Romance, Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 24, 1946, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 18, 2016
Runtime
1h 26m
Sound Mix
Mono
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