Love Is the Devil: Study of a Portrait of Francis Bacon

Released Sep 16, 1998

1 hr. 31 min.

Biography

LGBTQ+

List

67%

21 Reviews

Tomatometer

61%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A biopic of noted painter Francis Bacon (Derek Jacobi), this film focuses on the artist's unlikely and tumultuous relationship with erstwhile thief George Dyer (Daniel Craig), who became Bacon's lover after a botched break-in. After the unique beginning to their love affair, the well-connected and volatile artist assimilates Dyer into his circle of eccentric and often cold friends, including the caustic Muriel Belcher (Tilda Swinton), as Dyer's struggle with addiction strains their bond.

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Audience Member

Love is the Devil - very sophisticated, art film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

True artists are crazy as hell.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A film bio of painter Francis Bacon (Derek Jacobi) focusing primarily on his relationship with George Dyer (Daniel Craig). Dyer broke into Bacon's apartment looking to steal stuff, and was caught by Bacon who got him into bed. They stayed together for several years through a very stormy relationship defined by Dyer being from a much lower class than Bacon, and Bacon being an emotionally distant, abusive and unfaithful partner. The film is extremely influenced by Derek Jarman's work, having a style very reminiscent of his and even co-starring Tilda Swinton in a small role as one of Bacon's friends. It's not an easy film to warm up to, and has little to say about Bacon beyond this relationship, but if you admire Jarman, this should be in your wheelhouse.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Jacobi is brilliant as the detached, amoral genius Bacon; but perhaps a little one-note as I've heard this film is more of a sketch than the full artwork, as it were. Daniel Craig also here shows his acting chops as the suitably tortured George Dyer. The direction and cinematography are Baconesque, one might say, but also perhaps a little too stylised and banging you over the head with their message e.g. the distorted reflection introduction to Bacon's circle to establish them as being rather horrific blah blah. But for all its faults it's still an interesting work, worth seeing for Jacobi and Craig alone; and no doubt will lead more people to look beyond the art and into the life of the artist as I'm sure it will me.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Rent/download the movie (if you can) and then take yourself off to the Francis Bacon exhibition at the NSW Art Galllery (until Mar 13).

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Beautiful depiction of a messed-up affair between artist and hustler. Trippy visuals reflective of Bacon's dark, sinister artwork.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

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John Maybury

Director

Derek Jacobi

Francis Bacon

Daniel Craig

George Dyer

Tilda Swinton

Muriel Belcher

Anne Lambton

Isabel Rawsthorne

Adrian Scarborough

Daniel Farson

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Anthony Lane

New Yorker

A short but suitably warped account of the love affair between the painter Francis Bacon (Derek Jacobi) and a small-time criminal named George Dyer (Daniel Craig), who would model for some of Bacon's most convulsive works.

Jun 1, 2021

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 3/4

Apr 12, 2002

Full Review

James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Jan Stuart

The Advocate

For all its visual élan, this is yet one more take on the heartless artist and his neglected muse.

Apr 5, 2022

Full Review

Anton Bitel

Film4

a celluloid portrait every bit as grimly disturbing as anything that Bacon himself produced, and far too darkly imaginative to be tarred with the 'biopic' brush.

Jun 15, 2007

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 4/5

Dec 6, 2005

Full Review

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Synopsis

A biopic of noted painter Francis Bacon (Derek Jacobi), this film focuses on the artist's unlikely and tumultuous relationship with erstwhile thief George Dyer (Daniel Craig), who became Bacon's lover after a botched break-in. After the unique beginning to their love affair, the well-connected and volatile artist assimilates Dyer into his circle of eccentric and often cold friends, including the caustic Muriel Belcher (Tilda Swinton), as Dyer's struggle with addiction strains their bond.

Director: John Maybury
Executive Producer: Takashi Asai, Ben Gibson, Patrice Haddad, Frances-Anne Solomon
Screenwriter: John Maybury
Distributor: Strand Releasing
Genre: Biography, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 16, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 20, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $343.0K
Sound Mix: Surround

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