Chaplin

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Chaplin

PG-13

1993

2h 24m

Biography

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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.

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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.

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Anthony Lane

Independent on Sunday

01/03/2018

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.

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Angie Errigo

Empire Magazine

02/27/2008

3/5

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

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Duane Byrge

The Hollywood Reporter

02/27/2008

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

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Thom Geier

AARP Movies for Grownups

03/29/2024

4/5

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.

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Steve Warren

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

05/09/2023

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.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

01/24/2023

2/4

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

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Buck M

@ThomH Jul 9

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

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Mar 21

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.

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Maarit L

@Komedienne Jan 24

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

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Alexandra H

04/03/2024

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.

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Tyler S

@tylerking24 03/22/2024

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.

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Louise C

07/30/2023

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.

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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

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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

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