Ophelia

Play trailer

2:02

Ophelia

PG-13

2019

1h 54m

Drama

Romance

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

58%

Tomatometer

120 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

As a rebellious and motherless child, Ophelia is taken into Elsinore Castle by Queen Gertrude as one of her most trusted ladies-in-waiting. Soon enough, Ophelia captures the affections of the young Prince Hamlet. A passionate romance secretly kindles between the two as the kingdom is on the brink of war amidst its own political intrigue and betrayal. When Hamlet's father is murdered and the prince begins to unravel, Ophelia sharply navigates the rules of power in Denmark.

Critics Consensus

Flawed yet intriguing, Ophelia uses Hamlet as the starting point for a noble attempt to offer a misunderstood character long-overdue agency.

Read Critics Reviews

Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

11/25/2019

2/5

Oh dear. Oh no. Ophelia. A curious, if ambitious, central conceit is here battered into inconsequentiality by a scattershot screenplay that flees so far from the original Shakespeare that it leaves little purpose, or relevant material, in the retelling.

Go to Full Review

Ian Freer

Empire Magazine

11/25/2019

3/5

An interesting, well played and well made attempt to reframe Shakespeare's most famous play through a feminist lens, Ophelia ultimately doesn't have the boldness to deliver on its resonant idea.

Go to Full Review

Maria Nae

Little White Lies

11/22/2019

2/5

A confused melodrama more fitting for a retelling of Twilight in the woods than of the greatest play ever written.

Go to Full Review

Betsy Bozdech

AWFJ.org

10/13/2021

Ridley and Watts both deliver fierce performances; Ophelia and Gertrude may disagree over the former's suitability as a match for Denmark's crown prince, but they also form a complex connection...

Go to Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

08/15/2021

4/5

...young adults of all ages and sexes should dig the way Shakespeare's text is reformed from a feminist perspective here...(an) introduction to the great playwright herself...

Go to Full Review

Charles Koplinski

Reel Talk with Chuck and Pam

11/21/2020

3.5/4.0

It's incredibly powerful on every level making you reimagine this classic tale.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Carlos I

@carlosFibarra Aug 30

Ophelia offers a new take on a classic tragedy, attempting to tell Shakespeare's Hamlet from the perspective of its most tragic female character. While the premise of seeing the story through Ophelia's eyes is intriguing, the execution falls flat. Despite the earnest effort to give her a voice, the film struggles to maintain a compelling pace, often feeling more like a slow, uninspired period piece than a fresh reinterpretation. It probably doesn't help that I'm not a fan of the source material itself. The result is a film that, while visually appealing, ultimately leaves the viewer feeling bored and disconnected from a narrative that has been told countless times before.

See more

Eye C

@ECinc Jul 27

A great reinterpretation of the story of Hamlet, with amazing interpretations. I like it this one.

See more

Mallory P

@RT23416613 08/06/2024

Forget the pedants, this was a beautiful movie that excelled at reinventing a side of the coin we never saw in Shakespeare’s play. Gorgeous tonality, complexity of character, and a genius dichotomy of man’s luxury of madness as an act of deceit and vengeance, but a woman’s madness as an act of survival. Incredible soundtrack, moving writing, refreshing use of economy in direction, and overall a lovely surprise to watch. Seriously, ignore the pedants.

See more

Katrina G

@RT44962604 07/30/2024

This movie is one of the worst I’ve ever seen. The storyline was all over the place and half of the storyline didn’t even make sense. The character’s personalities changed so fast, it gave me whiplash. I love Renaissance movies and 18th century movies, but I cannot recommend this one to anyone. It was absolutely awful.

See more

Steve D

@RT35616104 11/06/2023

Interesting idea terrible changes.

See more

Teresa W

@RT76091183 05/10/2023

Excellent writing, beautiful cinematography and absolutely phenomenal acting!! What a beautifully told version of Ophelia!! I highly recommend watching this film!

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Claire McCarthy

Director

Daisy Ridley

Ophelia

Naomi Watts

Gertrude

Clive Owen

Claudius

George MacKay

Hamlet

Tom Felton

Laertes

Midnight Sun

21%

57%

Midnight Sun

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Midnight Sun

Me Before You

55%

73%

Me Before You

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Me Before You

Romeo & Juliet

25%

46%

Romeo & Juliet

Watchlist

Five Feet Apart

53%

79%

Five Feet Apart

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Five Feet Apart

The Sun Is Also a Star

53%

60%

The Sun Is Also a Star

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Sun Is Also a Star

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Ophelia: Trailer 1

2:02

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

As a rebellious and motherless child, Ophelia is taken into Elsinore Castle by Queen Gertrude as one of her most trusted ladies-in-waiting. Soon enough, Ophelia captures the affections of the young Prince Hamlet. A passionate romance secretly kindles between the two as the kingdom is on the brink of war amidst its own political intrigue and betrayal. When Hamlet's father is murdered and the prince begins to unravel, Ophelia sharply navigates the rules of power in Denmark.

Director: Claire McCarthy
Producer: Daniel Bobker, Sarah Curtis, Paul Hanson, Ehren Kruger, Bert Marcus
Screenwriter: Semi Chellas, Lisa M. Klein
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Forthcoming Films, Bert Marcus Productions, Bobker / Kruger Films, Covert Media
Rating: PG-13 (Some Sensuality|Bloody Images|A Scene of Violence|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 28, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 4, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $50.7K
Runtime: 1h 54m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)