Rembrandt's J'Accuse

Play trailer

Rembrandt's J'Accuse

2008

1h 26m

Documentary

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

The film explains how and why The Nightwatch, Rembrandt's J'Accuse, is a criticism of Amsterdam's oligarchy and plutocracy of the Golden Age. Greenaway explains the background, the context, the conspiracy, the murder and the motives of all its 34 painted characters who have conspired to kill for their combined self-advantage. Greenaway leads us through Rembrandt's paintings into 17th century Amsterdam.

Richard Kuipers

Variety

[Rembrandt's J'Accuse] brims with juicy conspiracy theories and forensic investigations worthy of top-tier TV crime drama.

Apr 20, 2021

Full Review

J. Hoberman

Village Voice

Peering beneath the painted surface and searching in the shadows, tracking that which was cut from the canvas and mapping the network of glances that remain, the filmmaker uncovers a foul, lurid, corrupt, and perversely compelling conspiracy.

Apr 20, 2021

Full Review

Stanley Kauffmann

The New Republic

Though it certainly is a study, it is also - or primarily - a fascinating film.

Apr 20, 2021

Full Review

Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

I think I am going to have to give it a second watch just to sort out the mysteries and be intelligently entertained and informed once again.

Rated: A-

Apr 20, 2021

Full Review

Laura Clifford

Reeling Reviews

When Greenaway isn't cracking us up investigating one figure's increasing penis size or talking about transvestite dwarves, he does it by visual imagery, at one point 'placing' his own head atop the painted image of a plated, feathered fowl.

Rated: B+

Apr 20, 2021

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

More than merely a resource for art historians and students, "Rembrandt's J'Accuse" is a gift from an underestimated genius of cinema. You might just might want to see it a second time.

Rated: b

Apr 20, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

Gabriel K

A companion piece to Peter Greenway's Nightwatching, it's a fascinating documentary that clears up the events depicted in a movie quite a bit. The director uses an unconventional narrative, sometimes using the actors from the movie as "witnesses" to tell the story. I can't speak as to whether or not the conspiracy theory holds water, but as a movie, it's a captivating watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/16/12

Full Review

Fredrik S

A great kombination of art history lesson and conspiracy theory and probably my favorite of Greenaway's more recent films. I realize that I probably would have liked to see this before Nightwatching, as I would have understod more of that film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/05/12

Full Review

Paul C

Peter Greenway's companion documentary to his excellent Rembrandt pic "Nightwatching". It feels more like an extended extra/promo for that film than a stand-alone piece. Well-done, but too much of it feels like Greenway is pulling the "evidence" out of thin air. It comes across as a bit self-indulgent at times, as well, with an inset of Greenway's talking head obscuring parts of the very painting he is discussing.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/12

Full Review

Gregory C

this is fascinating.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/09/11

Full Review

Gregory W

awesome doc/bio-pic about the dutch painting master

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/05/11

Full Review

Bryan K

In spite of Greenaway's disembodied head, which is hardly ever out of frame, a marvelous blend of intrigue, historical fact, drama, conspiracy, speculation and art history. Fantastic.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/01/11

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Peter Greenaway

Director

Martin Freeman

Rembrandt van Rijn

Eva Birthistle

Saskia

Jodhi May

Geertje

Emily Holmes

Hendrickje

Jonathan Holmes

Ferdinand Bol

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Synopsis

The film explains how and why The Nightwatch, Rembrandt's J'Accuse, is a criticism of Amsterdam's oligarchy and plutocracy of the Golden Age. Greenaway explains the background, the context, the conspiracy, the murder and the motives of all its 34 painted characters who have conspired to kill for their combined self-advantage. Greenaway leads us through Rembrandt's paintings into 17th century Amsterdam.

Director: Peter Greenaway
Producer: Bruno Felix, Femke Wolting
Screenwriter: Peter Greenaway
Genre: Documentary, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 26m