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      The Burning Plain

      R Released Sep 18, 2009 1 hr. 46 min. Drama List
      38% 80 Reviews Tomatometer 56% 5,000+ Ratings Audience Score 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. Read More Read Less Watch on Peacock Stream Now

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      The Burning Plain

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      The Burning Plain

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      Critics Consensus

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

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      Audience Reviews

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      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 Marc Z I am not sure how I never heard of this movie. The cast is stellar- Kim Basinger, Jennifer Lawrence, Charles Theron, John Corbett, Robin Tunney, and more. It is a strange and interesting tale. The story surrounds the complex affair and death of two lovers, and the impact of their infidelity and death on their families. The story weaves past and present, until the characters and stories converge. It is intelligent and thoughtful. The story is complex. The acting is very good by some very good actors; however, there is something missing. There is an underlying lack of depth by the characters' performances, except Basinger and Joaquim de Almeida. There is a solid disconnect between Jennifer Lawrence's performance and Theron's that makes it hard to believe they are the same character. While the story is set up to be complex, I think it is more predictable than was planned. I think it is odd, but not so memorable. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/06/23 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 Post a rating

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      Critics Consensus: Jennifer’s Body Is Hot, But The Movie Isn’t

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      The Burning Plain

      Kim Basinger as Gina and John Corbett as John in "The Burning Plain." Charlize Theron as Sylvia in "The Burning Plain." (L-R) Kim Basinger as Gina and Joaquim de Almeida as Nick in "The Burning Plain." (L-R) Jennifer Lawrence as Mariana and J.D. Pardo as Young Santiago in "The Burning Plain." Kim Basinger as Gina in "The Burning Plain." Director Guillermo Arriaga on the set of the film "The Burning Plain." Tessa Ia as Maria in "The Burning Plain." The Burning Plain (2008) The Burning Plain (2008) View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (80) Critics Reviews
      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

      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
      Executive Producer
      Todd Wagner, Mark Cuban, Marc Butan, Charlize Theron, Alisa Tager, Ray Angelic
      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
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