Mr. Burton

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Mr. Burton

Mar 2026

2h 4m

Biography

Drama

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Popcornmeter

92%

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36 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Mr. Burton tells the true story of the relationship between Port Talbot schoolmaster Philip Burton and a wild young schoolboy called Richard Jenkins, the son of a wayward drunk. Richard dreamed of becoming an actor, but his ambitions were in danger of being derailed by a combination of family trouble, the pressure of war, and his own lack of discipline. Mr. Burton recognized the raw talent in his pupil, becoming his tutor, strict taskmaster and eventually his adoptive father.

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Critics Consensus

A thoroughly evocative exploration of artistry and mentorship, Mr. Burton is vividly brought to life by the absorbing dynamic between stars Toby Jones and Harry Lawtey.

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Stephen Farber

The Hollywood Reporter

Mar 20

The subject of mentorship is not treated frequently onscreen, but Mr. Burton may be remembered as one of the definitive explorations of the theme.

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Guy Lodge

Variety

Mar 19

It’s a little disappointing that “Mr. Burton” remains so coy around Philip’s inner life and yearnings, though Jones’s graceful, precise performance in nuanced in its unspoken implications.

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

Aug 14

3.5/5

In essence, it’s a great story, yet the final scenes, which take us out of Wales to London and Stratford, don’t quite work

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Todd Jorgenson

Cinemalogue

5d

More of a tribute to the mentor than the protégé, the film is given emotional weight by the richly textured performances, resulting in an insightful if uneven probe of artistic inspiration and the creative process.

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Jordon Searle

Loud and Clear Reviews

5d

3.5

A quintessentially British piece of cinema.

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Rob Thomas

Not That Rob Thomas (Substack)

6d

3/4

I was still touched by this quiet, empathetic movie about a quiet, empathetic man. Without his eye for talent and heart for a lonely boy, 20th-century culture would have never been the same.

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bob C

@RT46426964 Feb 25

Interesting but the lead isn’t up to it. Worth watching, but

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David H

@RT75968152 Jan 17

Not entirely convinced by the Harry Lawtey casting but then how do you find a young Welsh actor capable of providing the sheer power and self destructive genius of Richard Burton? An intelligent and well meaning film.

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Robert C

@RT61302063 Nov 15

I thought Toby Jones excellent in his part, but at 29, Harry Lawtey was at least 10 years too old to be taken seriously as a 17/18 yo Richard Burton. The AI genererated background images of an industrial Port Talbot were similarly unconvincing. If the producers cannot afford the real thing, stick to tight shots. I found all the obviously false scenic shots a distraction. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the movie, but it could have been so much better.

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Stephen D

@sjhdearden Nov 12

A conscientious but slow film portraying Richard Burton's formative years in Port Talbot. Lawtey does not quite catch Burtons unique timbre in the final Stratford scenes. ( A minor quibble - not much 'black out' in war time Port Talbot.)

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Runa R

@runa.r Oct 16

It’s very interesting to learn the story behind such a famous actor, and how a teacher completely changed his life. I believe Richard Burton wouldn’t have got where he did without that push from his teacher and friend. The film shows us everything clearly.

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Niki M

@RT49538820 Sep 8

An interesting film that ends up being just as compelling but flawed as its subject matter. I knew little about Richard Burton's life and so the story was revelatory. Toby Jones was reliably solid, along with most of the cast. However, Harry Lawtey (despite a creditable performance) did not quite catch the strange mixture of charisma and gravitas that made Burton so iconic... it is difficult to think that anyone could. The film was also uneven in tone and structure, and ultimately unsatisfying.

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Marc Evans

Director

Toby Jones

Mr. Burton

Harry Lawtey

Rich

Lesley Manville

Ma Smith

Aimee-Ffion Edwards

Cis

Aneurin Barnard

Elfed

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Synopsis

Mr. Burton tells the true story of the relationship between Port Talbot schoolmaster Philip Burton and a wild young schoolboy called Richard Jenkins, the son of a wayward drunk. Richard dreamed of becoming an actor, but his ambitions were in danger of being derailed by a combination of family trouble, the pressure of war, and his own lack of discipline. Mr. Burton recognized the raw talent in his pupil, becoming his tutor, strict taskmaster and eventually his adoptive father.

Director: Marc Evans
Producer: Ed Talfan, Hannah Thomas, Josh Hyams, Trevor Matthews
Screenwriter: Tom Bullough, Josh Hyams
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Production Co: BBC Wales
Genre: Biography, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 20, 2026
Runtime: 2h 4m

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