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Prick Up Your Ears

Play trailer Poster for Prick Up Your Ears R 1987 1h 48m Biography LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
92% Tomatometer 39 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
The life and tragic death of British playwright Joe Orton (Gary Oldman) is chronicled in this biographical film. When the young, attractive Orton meets the older, more introverted Kenneth Halliwell (Alfred Molina) at drama school, he befriends the kindred spirit and they start an affair. As Orton becomes more comfortable with his sexuality and starts to find success with his writing, Halliwell becomes increasingly alienated and jealous, ultimately tapping into a dangerous rage.

Critics Reviews

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Henry Sheehan Chicago Reader 05/09/2022
3/4
To reconstruct private lives when documentation gives out is an act of imagination, and that is what the film Prick Up Your Ears is all about. Go to Full Review Harper Barnes St. Louis Post-Dispatch 04/21/2022
You don't get much sense of what the artist's work is all about. But Prick Up Your Ears has the energy mostly to overcome this flaw. Go to Full Review Catherine Drake Little White Lies 01/15/2019
Molina is superb as Halliwell, managing to not only depict a man gradually unravelling from intelligent and dignified to frenzied and paranoid but to cast him in a sympathetic light. Go to Full Review Quentin Crisp Christopher Street 05/07/2024
What the film lacks is unity and a gradual quickening of pace. Although we know from the stunning beginning what the climax will be, we do not feel that we are being drawn relentlessly toward it. Go to Full Review Michael Bronski Gay Community News (Boston) 09/19/2022
Prick Up Your Ears feels not like a treat, but a solid, fulfilling experience that comes to audiences very infrequently. Go to Full Review Jas Keimig The Stranger (Seattle, WA) 01/05/2022
What fascinated me about the film was its portrayal of the deep and unnerving intimacy between the men. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Glafira Regina O @Glafira_Regina Dec 13 Prick Up Your Ears is a biographical film that tells the story of the short life and death of the English playwright Joe Orton. Orton was one of the representatives of the youth of the 1960s, who rose from working-class neighborhoods to national fame. But at the age of 34, he was murdered by his lover, who smashed his skull with a hammer and then committed suicide. The movie is structured around scenes from the past and the present, as a biographer gathers information about the young playwright, trying to understand the relationship between Orton and his partner Kenneth Halliwell. Kenneth appears as an insecure, deeply self-conscious man suffering from neurotic disorders. He and Orton constantly argue, yet they always stay together, finding lovers on the side. A story of love and envy. When one person, realising that the other is far more successful, decides to take on the role of God. See more Shioka O 11/16/2022 Excellent performance by the two leads, and good casting. Off-beat biopic and it was fairly easy to get into it though I didn't know about the person. I think the score is a bit overplayed. See more Steve D 07/12/2020 The acting is fantastic. See more 03/09/2014 Amazing film, worth watching See more 03/09/2013 Superb dialogue. This as a film about a gay couple and the 'ears' in the title is an anagram of arse. Just brilliant. See more 10/27/2012 This is a great movie and Gary oldman totally immersed himself into this character..great bio-pic See more Read all reviews
Prick Up Your Ears

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Cast & Crew

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Stephen Frears

Director

Gary Oldman

Joe Orton

Alfred Molina

Kenneth Halliwell

Vanessa Redgrave

Peggy Ramsay

Wallace Shawn

John Lahr

Julie Walters

Elsie Orton

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Prick Up Your Ears

Prick Up Your Ears (1987) Prick Up Your Ears (1987) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The life and tragic death of British playwright Joe Orton (Gary Oldman) is chronicled in this biographical film. When the young, attractive Orton meets the older, more introverted Kenneth Halliwell (Alfred Molina) at drama school, he befriends the kindred spirit and they start an affair. As Orton becomes more comfortable with his sexuality and starts to find success with his writing, Halliwell becomes increasingly alienated and jealous, ultimately tapping into a dangerous rage.
Director
Stephen Frears
Producer
Andrew Brown
Screenwriter
Alan Bennett, John Lahr
Production Co
Civilland, Zenith Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Biography, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 2, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.6M
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Mono