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Easy Virtue

Play trailer Poster for Easy Virtue PG-13 Released May 22, 2009 1h 36m Romance Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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52% Tomatometer 125 Reviews 47% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
After she wins an auto race in Monaco, vivacious American Larita (Jessica Biel) impulsively marries John Whittaker (Ben Barnes), the son of British aristocrats. Though John's father (Colin Firth) welcomes Larita, Mrs. Whittaker (Kristin Scott Thomas) and her daughters make it their mission to drive her away from the family fold.
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Easy Virtue

Easy Virtue

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Critics Consensus

A lightweight and pithy Noel Coward adaptation with plenty of sparkle and fizz.

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Critics Reviews

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Moira MacDonald Seattle Times Echoing the words of the great Porter song, Easy Virtue deliciously misbehaves. Rated: 3/4 Jun 19, 2009 Full Review Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle Biel is not completely miscast in this role of the Other in the drawing-room midst, but she exudes a thoroughly contemporary air that never jibes with the Twenties tenor of the English manor-born in the decade after the Great War. Rated: 2/5 Jun 19, 2009 Full Review Tom Long Detroit News These are good actors telling a good story, so the virtue is indeed easy to grasp, and a fine time should be had by all. Rated: B Jun 12, 2009 Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Brings alive Noel Coward's stage play and finds a comfortable place on film. Rated: 3.0/4.0 Sep 7, 2020 Full Review Peter Canavese Groucho Reviews A period piece that may play well with those who hate period pieces. [Blu-ray] Rated: 3/4 Sep 23, 2009 Full Review James Plath Movie Metropolis Easy Virtue makes subtle comedy look easy. The ensemble is brilliant, and Noel Coward's play-brought-to-film is just good enough . . . . Rated: 7/10 Sep 11, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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William F The best thing I can find to say about this film is that it explores the shock waves in British society following WWI. Comedy? Hardly, but the Noel Coward original may have been. The mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) is unbelievably - and unjustifiably - nasty to her daughter-in-law (Jessica Biel). If we're going to have intrigue in a country mansion among the aristocracy give me Downton Abbey style any day. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/19/24 Full Review Marcus T Dark comedy? If this was a comedy, I didn't get it. It was a romance gone wrong, except with a nice twist at the end. Jessica Biel looked gorgeous through most scenes. Kirsten Scott Thomas's character was unbearable, but it was made up for by Colin Firth. A lot of difficult scenes on the home front in the wake of WWI as the aristocracy's world came crashing down. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/29/23 Full Review AM H Beautifully filmed, great acting, Noel Cowards time had passed so script was off, out of time. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/10/23 Full Review Elena C The movie is excellent for a family night in and culture studies. Fantastic actors, realistic backdrops, care for details, real emotions, hilarious situations, and a dog! So English! The script is elegant, sometimes funny, sometimes sad. Worth watching. Pick up some prosecco and nibbles. Great time! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/25/23 Full Review steve d Jessica Biel is especially good but the story is just so unpleasant and it is rarely if ever darkly funny. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review ashley h Easy Virtue is a decent film. It is about a young Englishman who marries a glamorous American. Jessica Biel and Ben Barnes give good performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Stephan Elliott did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the romance. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Easy Virtue

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Cast & Crew

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Stephan Elliott

Director

Jessica Biel

Larita Whittaker

Colin Firth

Jim Whittaker

Kristin Scott Thomas

Mrs. Whittaker

Ben Barnes

John Whittaker

Kimberley Nixon

Hilda Whittaker

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Easy Virtue

Easy Virtue (2008) Easy Virtue (2008) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After she wins an auto race in Monaco, vivacious American Larita (Jessica Biel) impulsively marries John Whittaker (Ben Barnes), the son of British aristocrats. Though John's father (Colin Firth) welcomes Larita, Mrs. Whittaker (Kristin Scott Thomas) and her daughters make it their mission to drive her away from the family fold.
Director
Stephan Elliott
Producer
Joseph Abrams, Barnaby Thompson, James D. Stern
Screenwriter
Noël Coward, Stephan Elliott, Sheridan Jobbins
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
Fragile Films
Rating
PG-13 (Sexual Content|Brief Partial Nudity|Smoking)
Genre
Romance, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 22, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.7M
Runtime
1h 36m
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