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Savage Grace

Play trailer Poster for Savage Grace 2008 1h 37m LGBTQ+ History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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38% Tomatometer 96 Reviews 38% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
This examination of a famous scandal from the 1970s explores the relationship between Barbara Baekeland and her only son, Antony. Barbara, a lonely social climber unhappily married to the wealthy but remote plastics heir Brooks Baekeland, dotes on Antony, who is homosexual. As Barbara tries to "cure" Antony of his sexuality -- sometimes by seducing him herself -- the groundwork is laid for a murderous tragedy.

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Savage Grace

Savage Grace

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Critics Consensus

Though visually compelling, the lamentable characters in Savage Grace make for difficult viewing.

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Critics Reviews

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian Oct 18, 2008
4/5
A sick-room torpor hangs heavily about this masterfully controlled, elegantly composed movie by Tom Kalin. Go to Full Review Bruce DeMara Toronto Star Oct 18, 2008
3/4
While the pace occasionally flags and there are times when we wonder where Kalin is leading us, he maintains a pervasive sense of dread and unease throughout that makes the chilling climax seem both shocking and inevitable. Go to Full Review Steve Davis Austin Chronicle Jul 18, 2008
2/5
Savage Grace is a movie that badly wants to shock you. The only thing that might raise an eyebrow here, however, is the shocking rate at which everyone lights up a cigarette every five minutes. Go to Full Review David Walsh World Socialist Web Site Feb 13, 2021
The film doesn't resonate with much or any of this, to its cost. It is too dry, too isolating, too passive. All in all, the makers of Savage Grace settled for far too little. Go to Full Review Carlos Marañón Cinemanía (Spain) Nov 2, 2020
2/5
One of those classic morbid but elegant Vanity Fair articles. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens Nov 15, 2019
Visually stunning and performance driven, Savage Grace has a carnal savagery that will ravage sensibilities and senses. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Haley H @RT78122068 Jul 30, 2026 One of my most favorite movies. Julianne Moore as Barbara is so beautiful, graceful and also extremely dangerous, vulnerable, pathological. But it’s so attractive, love it. See more Silke B @Silke1 Oct 10, 2025 A meditation on wealth, international society, mental pathology & vulnerability. See more Alain E @AlainE May 17, 2025 Sex, drugs and rock n roll do not add up to a watchable movie. See more Fong Kok Hoong F @RT29722865 Sep 30, 2023 This adaptation of the book of the same name by Natalie Robins and Steven M.L. Aronson is repulsively tantalizing and terrifically acted (both leads would win Oscars for their respective leading roles in 2015) and the distaste of the incestuous relationship between American socialite Barbara Daly Baekeland and her son, Antony, lingers like tobacco smoke in a sickroom left vacant. See more Oct 9, 2018 Julianne Moore was incredible as always. I don't like Eddie Redmayne. Its not like he is a bad actor. Its just his face. He is a very odd looking boy. He is always playing fruity guys . The movie was warped but watchable. I liked the way Julianne never seem to age even when the time frame moved forward in years. I read the story is fabricated to a degree but it still makes it more interesting that is it true. Not to bad. Mother/Son sex scene was a little uncomfortable to watch See more Feb 28, 2018 you're tired of everything.. Savage Grace When there is an unusual plot or indigestible track like this, it becomes very essential for the feature to be character driven to justify the nature of it which fails on all levels in here. Not only is Tom Kalin, a weak link in this project but also the writer Howard A. Rodman whose adaptation is too thin to possess any logical reasoning. Whilst on the other side, performance is what factors and favors in as Julianne Moore and Eddie Redmayne both are in their A game. Savage Grace fails to deliver in any level due to lack of proper and experienced supervising of the makers and also for it never had enough material in the first place. See more Read all reviews
Savage Grace

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Cast & Crew

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Tom Kalin

Director

Julianne Moore

Barbara Daly Baekeland

Stephen Dillane

Brooks Baekeland

Eddie Redmayne

Tony Baekeland

Elena Anaya

Blanca

Hugh Dancy

Simon

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Savage Grace

Savage Grace (2007) Savage Grace (2007) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis This examination of a famous scandal from the 1970s explores the relationship between Barbara Baekeland and her only son, Antony. Barbara, a lonely social climber unhappily married to the wealthy but remote plastics heir Brooks Baekeland, dotes on Antony, who is homosexual. As Barbara tries to "cure" Antony of his sexuality -- sometimes by seducing him herself -- the groundwork is laid for a murderous tragedy.
Director
Tom Kalin
Producer
Christine Vachon, Iker Monfort, Katie Roumel, Pamela Koffler
Screenwriter
Howard A. Rodman
Distributor
IFC First Take
Production Co
Killer Films, Videntia Frames Producciones S.L., Monfort Producciones S.L.
Genre
LGBTQ+, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 30, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$434.4K
Runtime
1h 37m
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