Enduring Love

R

Released Oct 29, 2004

1 hr. 37 min.

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

List

59%

99 Reviews

Tomatometer

60%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A man (Rhys Ifans) obsesses over a science professor (Daniel Craig) who helped him save a boy in a runaway hot-air balloon.

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Critics Consensus

While it strains credibility and isn't ultimately as profound as it might first appear, Enduring Love is still an intriguing thriller fueled by strong performances from Rhys Ifans and Daniel Craig.

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dave s

Don't shy away from Enduring Love based on its precious title, thinking that it's a posh romance with swelling violins and romantic candlelit scenes. Based on Ian McEwan's brilliant novel, it is a story of obsession fueled by mental illness and the guilt that results from a tragic death. While picnicking in the English countryside, Joe (Daniel Craig) and Claire (Samantha Morton) witness a hot air balloon accident, a young boy trapped in the basket as the balloon begins to ascend. After the attempted rescue and a gruesome death, one of the rescuers, Jed (Rhys Ifans), develops an obsession with Joe, an imaginary relationship that shatters the lives of all three main characters. The three leads are fantastic, the direction (especially in the last half) is creative, and the suspense is palpable throughout as the relationship between the two men escalates from casual annoyance to horrifying confrontation as the story progresses.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

ronald h

The reviews are pretty evenly split on this film. Everyone agrees, of course, that the opening sequence is amazing. But many critics say that the film goes downhill from there. I disagree. Yes, it slows down somewhat in the middle, but the final outcome is pretty surprising. Of course, there is one gaping hole: Why doesn't Joe call the cops and report the stalker? But then, of course, the story requires that he doesn't. It's a formidable and challenging film, well worth a watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

samuel l

Some of Daniel Craig's outbursts were comedy gold, and the beginning was unexpected and entertaining, but that's about it. The boy should have climbed out of the balloon considering he had plenty of time, and the man hanging on should have at least attempted to climb. After the balloon incident, the narrative thinned out and became poorly paced. The main character was constantly smoking, drinking, and losing his mind, and and he didn't react appropriately to the stalker on multiple occasions. The characters weren't developed sufficiently, believable, or likeable, and the romance that faltered never really felt like it was there to begin with. The ending was also inevitable considering nothing was properly done about the lunatic. Then the weird 'was he having an affair?' subplot was unnecessary padding. With that said, the acting was solid, especially from Daniel Craig, the cinematography and visual effects were fine, the sets were interesting, and the soundtrack was memorable.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

david f

Doesn't really live up to the book, sad to say.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Overthinking things is bad bruh. Daniel Craig is excellent here in this psychological thriller.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

charlie l

A solid thriller with perhaps one of the most intense opening sequences in cinema.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Roger Michell

Director

Daniel Craig

Joe

Rhys Ifans

Jed

Samantha Morton

Claire

Bill Nighy

Robin

Susan Lynch

Rachel

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Empire Magazine

Rated: 3/5

Apr 1, 2006

Full Review

Independent (UK)

Rated: 2/5

Mar 7, 2005

Full Review

Roger Moore

Orlando Sentinel

It's a genuinely intriguing thriller and a mystery with a most rewarding conclusion.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 17, 2004

Full Review

PJ Nabarro

Patrick Nabarro

Michell finds a way of filming the balloon accident in such an unnerving manner that it hints at the psychological torrents that will ripple through the narrative from thereon

Rated: 3/5

Jun 3, 2020

Full Review

Mark Steyn

The Spectator

The whole film ... is not thrilling or moving; it is interesting, which is fine by me but will not make it a huge success.

Feb 3, 2018

Full Review

Kam Williams

Sly Fox

If you don't have the range to play anything other than the same sort of comedic role as an over-the-top human oddity, maybe you shouldn't try to ply your trade as a dramatic actor.

Rated: 1/4

Aug 1, 2007

Full Review

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Synopsis

A man (Rhys Ifans) obsesses over a science professor (Daniel Craig) who helped him save a boy in a runaway hot-air balloon.

Director: Roger Michell
Screenwriter: Ian McEwan, Joe Penhall
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Pathé Cinéma, Ridgeway Entertainment, Free Range Films
Rating: R (Language|Disturbing Images|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 29, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $358.3K
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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