8 1/2 Women

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8 1/2 Women

R

Released May 22, 1999

2h 0m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

42%

Tomatometer

38 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

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.

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.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

One possible approach to 8 1/2 Women, I think, is to view it as a slowed-down, mannered, tongue-in-cheek silent comedy, skewed by Greenaway's anger and desire to manipulate.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

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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

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Film Threat

Rated: 3/5

Dec 6, 2005

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Brian Juergens

Freeze Dried Movies

Rated: 4/5

Sep 16, 2005

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Jul 14, 2005

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Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

The headscratching weirdness doesn't gel into a discernible emotional point.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jul 11, 2005

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Peter Greenaway

Director

John Standing

Philip Emmenthal

Matthew Delamere

Storey Emmenthal

Vivian Wu

Kito

Shizuka Inoh

Simato

Barbara Sarafian

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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
Producer: Kees Kasander
Screenwriter: Peter Greenaway
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Woodline Productions, Movie Masters, Delux Productions, 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
Runtime: 2h 0m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo