Impromptu

PG-13

Released Apr 12, 1991

1 hr. 49 min.

Comedy

Drama

List

74%

19 Reviews

Tomatometer

71%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Composer Frédéric Chopin (Hugh Grant) is living in France, and his health is slowly deteriorating. Author Baroness Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin (Judy Davis), who writes under the name George Sand, admires Chopin from afar and makes plans to meet the composer. After being advised to stay away from Chopin, Sand shows up at a party he is attending and observes his fragile health. While Chopin tries to resist Sand, he is intrigued by a love letter written by an unknown admirer.

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Blu B

A Hidden Gem Romance. This is suprisingly well made all around. There are a lot of characters in this in the first half that don't really have to be there and it can be a bit jumpy and hard to follow during this period. however, the acting is solid especially Thompson & Patinkin who are really good along with suprisingly good humor as well which kind of carries it through even if you don't know what is going on at times. The setting is memorable and the characters are interesting. When it does settle down and focus on the core romance with Grant and Davis it becomes more focused and a more traditional romance than anything. It's not necessarily my cup of tea but it's still done well. Anyone who is a fan of any actors in this, the director, or classical romance period subjects like Jane Austin novels will likes this alot.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Great cast, but the movie is slow, slower, slowest. It took forever to get going, and I could not care less about the characters's trivial problems.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Perfection in period piece as well as fabulous casting. Hilarious & dear.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An impromptu, Chopin-aptly played by a young Hugh Grant, holding his own in the overpowering presence of the Judy Davis as the scandalous but fierce George Sand-should conceal its careful clockwork artistry so as to appear utterly spontaneous, unpredictable, and lively. It's a shame, then, that IMPROMPTU feels so often so forced, so rarely alive with the genius the film is filled with, more like a meticulous and thoughtful exercise for nimble fingers than a performance stoked by a spark of genius. The elements and personages are here for something much more passionate and moving, truly great painters (Delacroix) and writers (Sand/Alfred du Musset) and composers (Chopin/Liszt) populating every scene, but the film too easily uses their talent to dress up its love story rather than dwelling on their art, their creativity, their aesthetic struggle in any significant way. The movie is rather explicit that only Chopin's work matters here, even as the frail pianist himself is secondary to Sand, her own novels quickly cast aside and her renegade habiliments and habits neutered. So while this is a story that belongs to Sand-a life likely more interesting than any of the rest of her circle-it is Chopin who, by virtue of his immortal genius, becomes the star: A strange sort of cinematic fugue that unfortunately runs counter to the simplicity and clarity of Chopin's actual musicality.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

paul d

The cast, premise and setting could have combined for a great movie, but the direction and story let them down. There are sone excellent scenes, but the whole is less than the some of its parts. It is tedious to watch at times, particularly in the beginning, This would have been more effective as a stage play.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

s r

Interesting, but contrived.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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James Lapine

Director

Judy Davis

George Sand

Hugh Grant

Frederic Chopin

Mandy Patinkin

Alfred De Musset

Bernadette Peters

Marie D'Agoult

Julian Sands

Franz Liszt

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Impromptu: Official Clip - Liszt Performs

2:15

Impromptu: Official Clip - A Duel at Dinner

2:13

Impromptu: Official Clip - Fainting at a Duel

1:43

Impromptu: Official Clip - A Game of Sabotage

1:42

Impromptu: Official Clip - The Horse Is a Critic

2:09

Impromptu: Official Clip - Art Does Not Apologize!

3:05

Impromptu: Official Clip - How Does a Man Pursue a Woman?

1:50

Impromptu: Official Clip - Kissing Chopin

2:45

Impromptu: Official Clip - Don't Stop!

2:09

Impromptu: Official Clip - A Gang of Parasites

1:57

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: D

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: 3/5

Nov 1, 2003

Full Review

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Anna Massey, who appears fleetingly as Sand's mother, offers a demonstration of how to make an overpoweringly fine impression in only a few minutes' time.

May 20, 2003

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Impromptu is such an absurd film, so costly and very obviously destined for complete failure... [Full review in Spanish]

Aug 4, 2023

Full Review

Terry Francis

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

Pure pleasure.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 9, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Creative Loafing

Most of the hearty laughs are packed into the first half, but the more focused second part maintains interest as it cannily explores the topic of role reversals.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 4, 2015

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Composer Frédéric Chopin (Hugh Grant) is living in France, and his health is slowly deteriorating. Author Baroness Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin (Judy Davis), who writes under the name George Sand, admires Chopin from afar and makes plans to meet the composer. After being advised to stay away from Chopin, Sand shows up at a party he is attending and observes his fragile health. While Chopin tries to resist Sand, he is intrigued by a love letter written by an unknown admirer.

Director: James Lapine
Executive Producer: Jean Nachbaur
Screenwriter: Sarah Kernochan
Production Co: Les Films Ariane
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 12, 1991, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 13, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $128.6K
Sound Mix: Surround

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