The Painted Veil

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2:05

The Painted Veil

PG-13

Released Dec 20, 2006

2h 5m

Drama

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

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142 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Caught in an affair with another man (Liev Schreiber), a scientist's callow wife (Naomi Watts) accompanies her husband (Edward Norton) to mainland China in the 1920s to fight a cholera epidemic. There, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that leads to an unexpected chance at redemption.

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Critics Consensus

Visually, The Painted Veil has all the trappings of a stuffy period drama, but Norton's and Watts's deft portrayals of imperfect, complicated characters give the film a modern-day spark.

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

It's a wallow and I confess to wholeheartedly enjoying the plunge.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 8, 2008

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Anthony Quinn

Independent (UK)

John Curran controls the redemptive spirit of Maugham's book with merciful restraint, and gets excellent performances all round.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 27, 2007

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Tim Robey

Daily Telegraph (UK)

The problem isn't that it's painful to endure, but that it's a rather easier watch than it should be.

Apr 27, 2007

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Heather Huntington

ReelzChannel.com

This stab at grand romance fails to satisfy.

Rated: 6/10

Aug 28, 2008

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Matthew Sorrento

Film Threat

Norton's effect and Watts' able portrayal are not enough to move the misogyny of the narrative.

Rated: 2.5/5

Jun 21, 2008

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Contents itself with making the Maugham work less prissy.

Rated: C+

Jun 10, 2008

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Dave C

A stunning visual drama set in a period of turmoil, distrust, and imposition, with the added complexity and depth of fallible, emotionally and morally flawed main characters. NW and EN are a great pairing, deftly playing characters trying to forge their own paths in a new world, on the back of infidelity, anger, disappointment, and vengeful spite. With time and compassion their relationship evolves, as do their individual desires, and this adds a warmth to their relationship, whilst tensions around them grow and the mood darkens in the throes of a deadly epidemic... something they are both moved to try and quell

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/27/25

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Jelisije J

An old school romantic movie where a a spoiled immature cheating wife reconciles with her estranged husband in a time where China is experiencing an outbreak of cholera.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/20/24

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chitown2bayarea

A flawless masterpiece. Definitely one of my favorites!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/24

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tom e

At the top of my list of all-time favorites. Having spent many years in China I have a certain bias, but the lush cinematography of the beautiful country side and the clear-eyed depiction of the poverty that exists side by side is also reflected in the extreme cruelty and the beauty of grace and forgiveness that makes the film, for me, unforgettable. The music and the score are equally lush and beautiful and at times foreboding and dreadful, but equally unforgettable. Well done. Also, the ending is a great improvement over the ending of the original 1934 version of the film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

I looked at some of the reviews here before watching the movie and was surprised at some of the views, as they don't seem to fit my impressions of the novel. The book is a masterpiece in many ways. For some reason the ending is completely changed in this adaptation, which very much dilutes the lasting message of the story - that of a woman who becomes independent and wants to do something to change the world, so that women would not have to go through the same struggles that she did.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

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Audience Member

(Spoilers) This is a movie I have a love/hate relationship with. It's beautifully directed, the actors are all amazing, a wonderful movie all around. It's just such a painful end... I want this romance to survive... Her pain at the end is palpable. She finally loves him, and he's dead... It makes you wish Walter survived...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

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The Painted Veil: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Caught in an affair with another man (Liev Schreiber), a scientist's callow wife (Naomi Watts) accompanies her husband (Edward Norton) to mainland China in the 1920s to fight a cholera epidemic. There, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that leads to an unexpected chance at redemption.

Director: John Curran
Producer: Edward Norton, Sara Colleton, Jean-François Fonlupt, Mark Gill
Screenwriter: Ron Nyswaner
Distributor: Warner Independent
Production Co: Stratus Films
Rating: PG-13 (Disturbing Images|Brief Drug Content|Partial Nudity|Some Mature Sexual Situations)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 20, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.0M
Runtime: 2h 5m

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