Rotten Tomatoes

Movies / TV

    Celebrity

      No Results Found

       View All       Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

      8 1/2 Women

      R Released May 22, 1999 2 hr. 0 min. Comedy Drama List
      42% 38 Reviews Tomatometer 55% 2,500+ Ratings Audience Score After his wife dies, 55-year-old businessman Philip Emmenthal, at the prompting of his playboy son Storey, populates his Geneva villa with eight and a half concubines. Three are from Kyoto, where Storey manages Pachinco palaces. Each has a distinctive personality: a nun, a child bearer, a gambler, a student of Kabuki, a horsewoman with a pet pig, a maid. After about a year, the women begin to assert their own power. Read More Read Less
      8 1/2 Women

      What to Know

      Critics Consensus

      Peter Greenaway's exploration of sexual exploitation exhibits his fondness for breaking taboos, but this seedy exercise's ideas never come together into a satisfying whole.

      Read Critics Reviews

      Audience Reviews

      View All (82) audience reviews
      Audience Member It this film had been made by new director I would give it a bit higher rating for daring to be so odd. Unfortunately this uninspired bit of perversity comes from the mind of an artist far more talented than what he gives. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member One of the weirdest film i have ever seen...i'm still wondering what the hell it is about...watch it if you want then come explain me this challenging film. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member A weathy businessman and his son hire 9 women to participate in their private bordello. But why they do so, or what exactly is happening is unclear and seems just strange rather than interesting in any way Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member It's not that bad, Another bizzare movie by a Director/Painter with some hilarious moments, I really missed Michael Nyman's beautiful soundtracks in this one Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member It's bizarre but this is a more commonly acceptable compare to Greenaway's other works. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member Only worth 1/2 a star because of Toni Collette's minor involvement, this one-dimensional prententious waste of time displays little wit and even less insight into male sexual fantasy. The writing is not inspired at all, the direction is weak at best and the acting is so stilted and without nuance that you wind up falling asleep (and I did for about 15 minutes) and you don't miss anything. Give it a miss and catch up on your sleep instead. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

      Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

      More Like This

      View All Best Movies to Stream at Home
      72% 72% The Merchant of Venice 41% 31% Hotel 90% 89% Together 46% 47% Holy Smoke 24% 67% Plunkett & Macleane Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

      Photos

      View All 8 1/2 Women photos

      8 1/2 Women

      8 1/2 Women (1999) 8 1/2 Women (1999) 8 1/2 Women (1999) 8 1/2 Women (1999) 8 1/2 Women (1999) 8 1/2 Women (1999) 8 1/2 Women (1999) 8 1/2 Women (1999) View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (38) Critics Reviews
      Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: C- Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Globe and Mail Rated: 2/4 Jun 14, 2003 Full Review Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle Rated: 2/5 Mar 10, 2003 Full Review Christopher Kelly Out Magazine Greenaway remains one of cinema's most innovative and witty visual compositionists, and the film's appealingly breezy tone makes this his least pretentious work in years. May 25, 2022 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 3/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Brian Juergens Freeze Dried Movies Rated: 4/5 Sep 16, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis After his wife dies, 55-year-old businessman Philip Emmenthal, at the prompting of his playboy son Storey, populates his Geneva villa with eight and a half concubines. Three are from Kyoto, where Storey manages Pachinco palaces. Each has a distinctive personality: a nun, a child bearer, a gambler, a student of Kabuki, a horsewoman with a pet pig, a maid. After about a year, the women begin to assert their own power.
      Director
      Peter Greenaway
      Executive Producer
      Terry Glinwood, Bob Hubar, Denis Wigman
      Screenwriter
      Peter Greenaway
      Distributor
      Lionsgate Films
      Production Co
      Woodline Productions, Delux Productions, Movie Masters, Continental Films
      Rating
      R (Strong Sexual Dialogue|Strong Sexual Content|Pervasive Nudity)
      Genre
      Comedy, Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      May 22, 1999, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Mar 13, 2017
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $417.5K
      Sound Mix
      SDDS, Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo