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Effie Gray

Play trailer Poster for Effie Gray PG-13 Released Apr 3, 2015 1h 48m Biography History Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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44% Tomatometer 85 Reviews 41% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
In Victorian England, the virginal wife (Dakota Fanning) of critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise) seeks an annulment of their marriage so that she can marry his protege, Everett Millais (Tom Sturridge).
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Effie Gray

Effie Gray

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Critics Consensus

Effie Gray benefits from its strong cast, elevating a period drama that doesn't strike quite as many narrative sparks as it could.

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Critics Reviews

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Ed Potton The Times (UK) It feels like lockdown in 19th-century fancy dress. Rated: 1/5 Apr 19, 2021 Full Review Wesley Morris Grantland It's deadly dull, clogged with all kinds of string and piano music and sunk by a perplexingly lifeless performance by Dakota Fanning as Gray. Apr 9, 2015 Full Review Bilge Ebiri New York Magazine/Vulture Fanning's controlled presence is ideal for a tale of Victorian repression. But as the film becomes one of quiet liberation, it needs more than her cool reserve. Apr 5, 2015 Full Review Rich Cline Shadows on the Wall With churning performances and a terrific recreation of the period, the film is a startling story of a woman caught in an impossible situation. So it's a shame that it's rather muted. Rated: 3.5/5 Apr 30, 2021 Full Review Katie Hogan FILMHOUNDS Magazine Despite the excellent cast, they cannot make this fascinating story interesting to watch. Rated: 2/5 Apr 23, 2021 Full Review Jennie Kermode Eye for Film This is a beautifully rendered film with oodles of character. Rated: 3.5/5 Apr 15, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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liz R Atmospheric and brooding drama telling the true story of Effie Gray's marriage to John Ruskin. Amazing cast and thought-provoking story. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/27/24 Full Review Bonnie M Very depressing and really thought Effie and Everett would get together. Didn't like the ending, Wasted movie night. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/25/23 Full Review Kim H I don't understand the very low ratings and comments about how boring and slow the movie is. My guess is that these reviewers watch fast-paced movies that focus on action and constant scene changes rather than the story. This movie tells a story. Viewers need to pay attention, listen to the dialogue, and think. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/08/22 Full Review shelly l This movie was VERY slow moving. The worst part about it is that after all of that long drawn out waiting, the ending leaves you completely unsatisfied. The acting was good. It was just that the script moved too slow and the storyline needed a lot of work to be interesting. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Going by the synopsis of Effie Gray, it hyped up the movie more than what it actually ended up being...boring! Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Spoilers: Love both Fanning sisters, though Elle's talent and skill have outstripped those of Dakota. We could call Dakota's take in this period, 19th-century piece understated, but that might just be cover for quiet, even dull. Her pretty face doesn't tell us much throughout. And how does a female from Scotland avoid that thick brogue and sound British? It takes us a long time to get from a weird top-notch art historian and critic who waxes eloquent in prose about his angelic bride, to hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, enough to revamp the law on marriage and get a legal annulment, which should have feminists cheering. Her lawyer said he had never heard of this before, a woman still a virgin after years and years of marriage, as most men can hardly get out of the wedding to get their hands on their wives, as it should be. But this talented and family-rich Londoner Ruskin seems to have liked young girls, yes girls, but once they budded into women, not so much. We see no evidence of him smooching, etc. with girls or even men, but the odd person out surely is Effie, whom Ruskin, as this is based on a real story, not just ignores Effie, but beats her up verbally. She eventually falls for a painter friend of her husband. At a time when she couldn't just say f--k you and go get a job, we can feel her frustration, but she seems to take the ordeal not that badly, though it wears on her health, as she even loses hair over it. Luminous Emma Thompson becomes a sympathetic ally, and she even wrote this script. When Effie finally is unmarried, she marries the painter, who seems to touch her, as they have kids. The enormity of the accomplishment of leaving the security a rich house, where Ruskin's parents dote on their son all his life and where he works, away from Effie, is the story, but it seems to get short shrift in the movie. Times were tough, as Euphemia's Scottish family had a dozen or so kids and most died very young. Who calls a kid Euphemia, nicked to Phemy or Effie? Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Effie Gray

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Movie Info

Synopsis In Victorian England, the virginal wife (Dakota Fanning) of critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise) seeks an annulment of their marriage so that she can marry his protege, Everett Millais (Tom Sturridge).
Director
Richard Laxton
Producer
Andreas Roald, Donald Rosenfeld
Screenwriter
Emma Thompson
Distributor
Adopt Films
Rating
PG-13 (Thematic and Sexual Content|Some Nudity)
Genre
Biography, History, Drama, Romance
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 3, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 19, 2016
Runtime
1h 48m
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