Mr. Burton

Audience Reviews

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Jane J I loved this film so much I joined Rotten Tomatoes so I could write to tell you all how good it was, I left the cinema feeling as though my emotions had been through the wringer. Excellent acting by the under appreciated Toby Jones and excellent too by Harry Lawtey and Lesley Manville who played their parts to perfection. Well done and thank you all involved. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/01/25 Full Review Frank M Very well done. If you had any idea of who you thought Richard Burton was this movie will dispel everything. A true story and a very human one. Great film and excellent acting especially by Mr Burton! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/31/25 Full Review Tom M Nice little film. Nicely acted nicely shot. No idea how true this all is but it works well. Saw it in a small village hall which was apt. Old school. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/29/25 Full Review Wendy N ‘Mr Burton’ is a form of movie biopic focused upon the early life of Welsh actor Richard Burton - rich in subterranean themes, including class prejudice & homophobia. Harry Lawtley does a valiant job as Burton the fledgling star, while Toby Jones is challenged to capture the repressed complexity of ‘theatre person/come school teacher’ Philip Burton. Intrigue about Richard Burton himself, encourages the audience to overlook any production flaws to appreciate the fragile truths that unfurl to reveal the all but miraculous emergence of Richard Burton, the charismatic movie star who thwarted his social destiny to become trapped down a Welsh mine. An overriding theme of male vulnerability converges with the horror of small town social sanction to underline a contemporary need to exercise zero tolerance when it comes to dealing with class prejudice & homophobia. ‘Mr Burton’ is an excellent vehicle to convey these truths - truths that Richard himself would surely extoll. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/28/25 Full Review Walter W I thought “Mr Burton” was going to be one of those good UK movies that nobody will ever see, but I was wrong! “Mr Burton” was released to coincide with the centenary of renowned Welsh actor Richard Burton's birth. He’s often considered one of the finest all round actors to ever come out of the British Isles, but don’t expect to see any of his professional movie career during this flick. “Mr Burton” instead focuses on his formative years in Wales at high school and into the first 8 years of his stage career performing in Shakespearean plays. It does go some way to explaining how a young Rich Jenkins (his birth name) learns all the wrong lessons from his drunkard father “Dic Jenkins” (Stefann Rhodri) who virtually sold his son’s name for a lousy 50 pounds, still a good earn in the 1940's. We see his chain-smoking and fondness for alcohol addressed in this film. No doubt helping to give Burton his famous gravelly voice, plus curious yelling and acting techniques learned from his Teacher, Mr Burton (who adopts him/hence the name change) after leaving him in a paddock screaming. Unfortunately Burtons bad habits directly contributed towards his relatively young death in 1984 aged 58…not that we see much of his adult life in “Mr Burton”. What we do know is he was only 2 years old when his mother Edith Maud Jenkins died, leaving him to be raised by his big sister and her husband, a Welsh coal miner with a lung problem that miraculously only affects his breathing in one scene and then his diagnosis is completely ignored for the rest of the movie. I was hoping this would be another hidden gem from the UK that was worth crashing a morning Seniors session for. At the least the free tea and cake made it worthwhile. “Mr Burton” has its moments, but the sum of its parts were a little disappointing and the musical score intrusive. Acclaimed London actor, Toby Jones, is brilliant as the titular character, but Harry Lawtey came across as simple as the young “Richard”. Oscar nominee Lesley Manville as “Ma Smith”, the owner of a boarding house, puts in a solid performance. In summary, “Mr Burton” has a random English lad trying to play a Welch hero in a mixed bag of a slow burn film complete with dodgy background CGI as we watch the boy become a man with all his demons and some undocumented ones. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/28/25 Full Review Roger A Who knew?…I didn’t! What an extraordinary revelation about one of the best actors the world has ever seen…and THAT voice! It’s a tale told with tenderness and tension - I could expand on why I suggest that but I don’t want to be a spoiler. If you love the creative arts and how ALL our lives often pivot around moments and people that either help or hinder - this is for YOU! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/25/25 Full Review Read all reviews

Mr. Burton

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