Effie Gray

Play trailer

Effie Gray

PG-13

Released Apr 3, 2015

1h 48m

Biography

History

Drama

Romance

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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).

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Ed Potton

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

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

Michelle S

The article The Guardian wrote explaining the background of this sad legal drama honestly had a better plot than the actual movie.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Noellynn S

It's a very melancholy piece overall, but has a lot of atmosphere. I do wish that they would have done a better job at explaining some of the characters' motivations, like why John Ruskin wanted to marry a girl he met as a child and refuses to consumate the marriage even after 6 years, but it's not bad overall and I enjoyed it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Richard Laxton

Director

Emma Thompson

Lady Eastlake

Dakota Fanning

Euphemia "Effie" Gray

Julie Walters

Margaret Cox Ruskin

Tom Sturridge

Everett Millais

David Suchet

Mr. Ruskin

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Mary Shelley

41%

48%

Mary Shelley

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Mary Shelley

Maudie

89%

89%

Maudie

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Maudie

A United Kingdom

83%

77%

A United Kingdom

Watchlist

TRAILER

for A United Kingdom

Breathe

67%

72%

Breathe

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Breathe

Hitchcock

59%

60%

Hitchcock

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Critics Consensus: Furious 7 Is Certified Fresh

View more photos

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

Most Popular at Home Now