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Madame Bovary

Play trailer Poster for Madame Bovary R Released Jun 12, 2015 1h 58m Romance History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
43% Tomatometer 68 Reviews 27% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Trapped in a loveless marriage and desperate for excitement, a doctor's wife (Mia Wasikowska) seeks love and fulfillment outside the bonds of matrimony.
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Madame Bovary

Madame Bovary

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Critics Consensus

Over the years, Flaubert's Madame Bovary has proven an exceedingly difficult novel to film -- and this version adds another disappointing entry to the list.

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Critics Reviews

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Robert Everett-Green Globe and Mail Barthes feels the need to improve on Flaubert, adding and dropping scenes and inventing social metaphors - mainly spiderwebs and corsets. Rated: 2/4 Jul 3, 2015 Full Review Linda Barnard Toronto Star For a film about passion, it feels oddly flat and often passionless. Rated: 2.5/4 Jul 2, 2015 Full Review J. R. Jones Chicago Reader With her thousand-mile frown, Mia Wasikowska was born to play Victorian heroines, though she's a little too intelligent and self-aware for Flaubert's Emma Bovary. Jun 18, 2015 Full Review Joanne Laurier World Socialist Web Site It is Rhys Ifans playing the merchant of fancy goods that fuel Emma Bovary's relentless desires, who brings much needed energy and vitality to the movie. Aug 13, 2020 Full Review Sarah Marrs Lainey Gossip There is a lot to admire about Barthes' production values, but little to actually enjoy in the storytelling. Oct 16, 2017 Full Review Jay Kuehner Cinema Scope Most crucially and delectably, it is language-Flaubert's mots précises-that sways with seductive power and portent, which Barthes taps for all its symbolic suggestion. Oct 10, 2017 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jelisije J A movie that failed to adapt from its source material that left a husk of what should have been adapted. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 04/07/24 Full Review Vander A Wow these reviews are really surprising. But if you are a Flaubert fan, and if you have indeed read the book, and you know Flaubert's realistic message about life in all his work, you will have a much greater opinion of this movie than some of these negative reviews. This is an excellent adaptation and Mia W., whose quiet beauty perfectly casts her as the naive heroine, discovering her passions unfortunately too late to save her from a marriage devoid of equal passions for lust and life. The only negative I thought was the usually great Paul Giametti ill, and under, used in a small part. But the movie is overall excellent. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/21/23 Full Review Audience Member The characters were not developed enough at all. She is "in love" but you never see them anywhere outside of bed really. When she feels for the black haired guy, then next thing is in bed with brown haired guy, I was like, "Did I miss something here????"" I felt nothing for her, she was greedy, selfish and while women were poor and working and walking by her, she had on RICH clothing. Did not care for the movie. Very empty. I am going to watch the 1949 one and hope for more! I must say, as others, I loved the scenery and the music. That saved it for me. But very very underdeveloped characters that one feels nothing for. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member Beautiful period adaptation of Flaubert's novel that deals with its complicated heroine! I feel that in this version, Flaubert's book main message is being respected. It is mostly about a woman wanting to experience all the pleasures of life and not being able to do it. Because of herself as well as because of her environment. I thought the actors and actresses were perfect in their role. In the end, Madame Bovary finds herself without friends and solutions. She understands how naive she has been with men and has no woman friend. Her whole world has collapsed. The cinematography and the costumes are simply gorgeous, but they're more than eye-candy, they are integrally connected to the emotional changes in Emma and the times in which she lived. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Audience Member I have not read much of the book so I can't speak for how well it follows, but I really liked the movie. The acting was excellent and there was barely any swearing or nudity. It was the first time I'd ever gotten jealous over a character's wardrobe. Emma Bovary's clothes were absolutely gorgeous. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member Hard to make this subject work. Unlike able characters in print don't usually make pleasant viewing. Still enjoyable enough for 4 stars from me. Credit to Altus/ prescience films funding it Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Madame Bovary

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Movie Info

Synopsis Trapped in a loveless marriage and desperate for excitement, a doctor's wife (Mia Wasikowska) seeks love and fulfillment outside the bonds of matrimony.
Director
Sophie Barthes
Producer
Sophie Barthes, Felipe Marino, Jaime Mateus-Tique, Joe Neurauter
Screenwriter
Sophie Barthes, Felipe Marino
Distributor
Alchemy
Production Co
A-Company Filmproduktion, Scope Pictures, Left Field Ventures
Rating
R (Some Sexuality/Nudity)
Genre
Romance, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 12, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 12, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$44.2K
Runtime
1h 58m
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