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The Burning Plain

Play trailer Poster for The Burning Plain R Released Sep 18, 2009 1h 46m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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38% Tomatometer 80 Reviews 56% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In the present, Sylvia (Charlize Theron) appears to lead a confident life as a restaurant manager but she cleverly hides her promiscuity, self-mutilation, and suicidal impulses. In the past a young girl named Mariana (Jennifer Lawrence) tries to figure out why her mother (Kim Basinger) began an affair as she enters into a relationship with the son of her mother's lover. The threads of these dysfunctional lives are increasingly tied into a potent knot.
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The Burning Plain

The Burning Plain

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Critics Consensus

This heavily symbolic, melodramatic multi-narrative drama lacks emotional resonance.

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Critics Reviews

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Melissa Anderson Film Comment Magazine What's that smell? The plain isn't the only thing that's charred in screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga's directorial debut; subtlety goes up in flames too. Nov 17, 2013 Full Review Perri Nemiroff CinemaBlend Arriaga's multi-narrative format got the best of him. Rather than deliver a sense of shock and awe, it's swallowed up by complexity, leaving you to wonder, "This is it?" Rated: 3/5 Aug 12, 2010 Full Review David Stratton The Australian When so many cinema releases are instantly forgettable, The Burning Plain clings to the memory... Rated: 4/4 Apr 26, 2010 Full Review Jason Best Movie Talk The Burning Plain has individual scenes that are powerful and moving, but in the end the whole is considerably less than the sum of its parts. Nov 21, 2020 Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens A calculated intensity. High polish. Exquisite cinematography. An interesting story with an extremely well done interlacing of "chapters" and characters. Nov 7, 2019 Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row Both uninspired and languorous, a bland and anonymous concoction. Rated: 2/4 Aug 5, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (526) audience reviews
Jerod S Charlize, Lawrence and Basinger are in it for the family drama. The problem with this flick is it's all one big conflict...no resolution...just a bunch of adultery. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/29/24 Full Review Erin R I love this movie. It's heavy and evocative, but the three main storylines build and coalesce in a rich and unpredictable way, and the acting is excellent. It's a remarkable movie when you see tragedies unfold, but you have empathy for everyone. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/25/23 Full Review Linda i Very hard to follow but dysfunctional from the description of the movie pretty much covers every aspect. It takes too much time to figure out who is who and who is screwing who. Great cast but not impressed with the screenplay. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/01/23 Full Review osvaldo v Nice story and solid acting, especially by the leading ladies. The non linear, shuffle directing style requires some patience but it's quite easy to follow the story. Overall I'd recommend it. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review steve d Melodramatic but effective. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Il racconto su più linee temporali di un personaggio rotto, a causa di un trauma da lui stesso procurato; riesce in parte a scorrere soprattutto quando arrivano quegli avvenimenti che ne modificano la trama, mentre è molto meno riuscito quando sono i dialoghi a farla da padrona. Si ha la costante sensazione però che tutti i personaggi siano intrappolati in una realtà che non li soddisfa, stretti dall'apatia della quotidianità non riescono a modificare in nessun modo il loro modo di essere. Non noioso ma nemmeno entusiasmante, questo dramma troppo spesso si adagia sull'espressività delle sue protagoniste femminili che ne elevano le interpretazioni ma che abbassano il ritmo oltremodo. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Burning Plain

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Movie Info

Synopsis In the present, Sylvia (Charlize Theron) appears to lead a confident life as a restaurant manager but she cleverly hides her promiscuity, self-mutilation, and suicidal impulses. In the past a young girl named Mariana (Jennifer Lawrence) tries to figure out why her mother (Kim Basinger) began an affair as she enters into a relationship with the son of her mother's lover. The threads of these dysfunctional lives are increasingly tied into a potent knot.
Director
Guillermo Arriaga
Producer
Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald
Screenwriter
Guillermo Arriaga
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Production Co
Parkes/MacDonald
Rating
R (Nudity|Language|Sexuality)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 18, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 13, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$200.4K
Runtime
1h 46m
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