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The Painted Veil

Play trailer 2:05 Poster for The Painted Veil PG-13 2006 2h 5m Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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74% Tomatometer 141 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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The Painted Veil

The Painted Veil

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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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Critics Reviews

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Sandra Hall Sydney Morning Herald 06/08/2008
4/5
It's a wallow and I confess to wholeheartedly enjoying the plunge. Go to Full Review
Anthony Quinn Independent (UK) 04/27/2007
4/5
John Curran controls the redemptive spirit of Maugham's book with merciful restraint, and gets excellent performances all round. Go to Full Review
Tim Robey Daily Telegraph (UK) 04/27/2007
The problem isn't that it's painful to endure, but that it's a rather easier watch than it should be. Go to Full Review
Heather Huntington ReelzChannel.com 08/28/2008
6/10
This stab at grand romance fails to satisfy. Go to Full Review
Matthew Sorrento Film Threat 06/21/2008
2.5/5
Norton's effect and Watts' able portrayal are not enough to move the misogyny of the narrative. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 06/10/2008
C+
Contents itself with making the Maugham work less prissy. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Rennie B Nov 8 Having not getting grabbed initially, my short attention span made me unsure I would stick around for the duration. But as time passed and the hot affair between Kitty and that guy who was only using her, it became more and more intriguing to me until I got fully immersed. My only critique was when Walter was about to leave for Shanghai andc was sure Kitty was going with him when the two were estranged and not even on speaking terms. In real life he was disgusted with her and would not be interested in her company. Was it just because people would question a married man why is wife didn't join him? In Shanghai he still hated her for her affair and finally when so far into the film did he finally break down to rekindle the marriage. I think Kitty grew more in love with him when she saw his devotion to his work and how respected he was. As it got closer to ending, i was growing emotional and upon Walter's death, I cried like a baby. Perfect ending with Kitty and little Walter snubbing the slimy object of the the affair. Watch it. I think you will find it enjoyable. See more JOAN PAU R @JoanPR May 8 The unlikely premise of this fine film is how to repair an unsuitable marriage, transforming a predictable debacle into a sort of romance. This is pulled off by some good acting, especially from Naomi Watts. The China of the 1920s is a little too picturesque, however, to be convincing. It feels like a a collaboration with the Chinese tourist industry. See more Dave C Jan 27 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 See more Jelisije J 09/20/2024 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. See more chitown2bayarea 02/24/2024 A flawless masterpiece. Definitely one of my favorites! See more tom e 02/06/2023 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. See more Read all reviews
The Painted Veil

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Movie Info

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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