Chaplin

Play trailer

Chaplin

PG-13

Released Jan 8, 1993

2h 24m

Biography

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

62%

Tomatometer

52 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Re-creation of the life of comic genius Charlie Chaplin, from his humble beginnings in south London through his early days in British vaudeville, his silent movie career in America and his late masterpieces. His turbulent personal life saw four marriages and an enforced exile from the US - though he returned to receive an honorary Oscar in 1972.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Chaplin boasts a terrific performance from Robert Downey, Jr. in the title role, but it isn't enough to overcome a formulaic biopic that pales in comparison to its subject's classic films.

Read Critics Reviews

Anthony Lane

Independent on Sunday

Downey has a perfect ear for the Chaplin accent, the way it climbed from Cockney to minced posh, and a perfect boot and fist for the slapstick; the one thing he doesn't have is an eye on his own brilliance.

Jan 3, 2018

Full Review

Angie Errigo

Empire Magazine

For all the movie's undisputed competence, grand and inspired moments are thin on the ground.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 27, 2008

Full Review

Duane Byrge

The Hollywood Reporter

With this reverential biopic, director Richard Attenborough has cranked out a many-reel, talky talkie.

Feb 27, 2008

Full Review

Thom Geier

AARP Movies for Grownups

Richard Attenborough’s biopic can be formulaic, but Downey nails Chaplin’s all-over-London accent (sometimes Cockney, sometimes posh) and his gift for sidesplitting slapstick.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 29, 2024

Full Review

Steve Warren

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

Personalities fly by, mostly in cameos, to heighten the sense that you're getting a lot of dish, but Chaplin feels more like a lesson than an entertainment; yet it doesn't teach us much. If you want to understand Charlie Chaplin, watch his movies.

May 9, 2023

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a fairly standard biopic that remains wholly unable to capture (and sustain) the viewer’s interest...

Rated: 2/4

Jan 24, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Buck M

The movie was clearly made with a lot of love, and it has one deciding factor that sells it: Robert Downey Jr.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/09/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, o filme mostra como é a vida de charlie Chaplin, o filme tem cenas de fracas, a atuação do robert Downey jr é bacana mas nao faz o o filme ser bom, o elenco é bom e mas ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, e a história é fraca, e faltou várias cenas para melhorar o filme.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/21/25

Full Review

Maarit L

I loved the film in the 90’s but in the 2025 it seems kind of old fashioned in the wrong way…

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/24/25

Full Review

Alexandra H

Wonderful movie! I particularly loved seeing at the end the series of short clips of Chaplin's greatest hits. And seeing, after the end of the movie, what happened to all the people in Chaplin's life. Chaplin gave us a unique and wonderful treasure chest of comedy and also led an amazing life. He was a great gift to us Earth people.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/03/24

Full Review

Tyler S

Did not know anything about Charlie Chaplin's life. This film painted everything really nicely. I loved the way the story was told throughout the film. I also loved Robert Downey Jr's performance as Chaplin. How he did not win the Oscar is pretty shocking.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/22/24

Full Review

Louise C

I enjoyed this film. Robert Downey Jnr really did emulate Charlie Chaplin well. His grandaughter, Geraldine Chaplin, said that it seemed as though Charlie had entered Robert's body and taken it over for the movie. How's that for a great compliment on the performance!? For older audiences, I highly recommend this.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/30/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Richard Attenborough

Director

Robert Downey Jr.

Charles Chaplin

Dan Aykroyd

Mack Sennett

Geraldine Chaplin

Hannah Chaplin

Kevin Dunn

J. Edgar Hoover

Anthony Hopkins

George Hayden

Christopher Columbus: The Discovery

7%

17%

Christopher Columbus: The Discovery

Watchlist

Vincent and Theo

89%

72%

Vincent and Theo

Watchlist

Wyatt Earp

31%

61%

Wyatt Earp

Watchlist

Romero

80%

80%

Romero

Watchlist

Tom & Viv

36%

60%

Tom & Viv

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Re-creation of the life of comic genius Charlie Chaplin, from his humble beginnings in south London through his early days in British vaudeville, his silent movie career in America and his late masterpieces. His turbulent personal life saw four marriages and an enforced exile from the US - though he returned to receive an honorary Oscar in 1972.

Director: Richard Attenborough
Producer: Richard Attenborough, Mario Kassar
Screenwriter: William Boyd, Bryan Forbes, William Goldman
Distributor: Columbia Tristar
Production Co: Canal+, Carolco Pictures Inc.
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 8, 1993, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.3M
Runtime: 2h 24m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

Most Popular at Home Now