Sophie's Choice

R

Released Dec 8, 1982

2 hr. 30 min.

Drama

List

76%

42 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Stingo (Peter MacNicol), a young writer, moves to Brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel. As he becomes friendly with Sophie (Meryl Streep) and her lover Nathan (Kevin Kline), he learns that Sophie is a Holocaust survivor. Flashbacks reveal her harrowing story, from pre-war prosperity to Auschwitz. In the present, Sophie and Nathan's relationship increasingly unravels as Stingo grows closer to Sophie and Nathan's fragile mental state becomes ever more apparent.

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Critics Consensus

Sophie's Choice may be more sobering than stirring, but Meryl Streep's Oscar-winning performance holds this postwar period drama together.

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Chris H

If you can make it though the first hour, which is slow and patchy, you will be rewarded. Streep is amazing throughout but so is Kline. Not sure what Peter MacNicol is doing in the film except to provide context and a "sane" character to contrast with the others. In the second half the full horror of Sophie's life is revealed, but in a subdued way; more like a novel than a Hollywood blockbuster, which is entirely appropriate.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/01/24

Full Review

Jeff M

I'll try to keep this short and sweet. This has been my favorite film ever for at least 30 years, and I don't foresee any motion picture dethroning it anytime soon. It contains the single best performance by an actor I've ever seen and secured a cinematic love affair I've had since I was 10 years old, when my grandmother took me to see SILKWOOD. Streep goes beyond acting and performance - there is no one like her, there will never be anyone like her and I feel lucky to have been alive during her tenure as the greatest actor ever. The story itself is emotionally volcanic, and the now legendary climactic "choice" scene is probably the most disturbing thing I've ever seen in a movie. But there is also a lot of joy and humor to be found in between the moments of angst. The flashback scenes showing how Streep and Kline met and fell in love are beautiful, and the chemistry between all three leads is crazy good. Like many of my favorites, this is not necessarily an easy film to watch, but the rewards for your mind and soul and heart are worth it. My favorite film ever!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/06/24

Full Review

Robert J

Meryl Streep And Kevin Kline. The movie …. If you survived the holocaust you will never be the same person, ever! Streep's performance was incredible and she was rewarded with and Oscar. It's slowly paced but moves along just fine towards the middle and on. She learned to speak German and Polish for the part. Incredible acting and a must see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/24/24

Full Review

Santiago V

A great cast, a great atmosphere, not a great drama (little too much).

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/19/23

Full Review

Hannah B

Meryl Streep's performance broke my heart.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/22/23

Full Review

daniel k

Paul Rudd was not in this movie

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Alan J. Pakula

Director

Meryl Streep

Sophie

Kevin Kline

Nathan

Peter MacNicol

Stingo

Josef Sommer

Narrator

Rita Karin

Yetta

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Sophie's Choice: Official Clip - The Resistance

1:39

Sophie's Choice: Official Clip - Free My Little Boy

2:07

Sophie's Choice: Official Clip - I Can't Choose!

2:13

Sophie's Choice: Official Clip - An Enemy of the Reich

2:04

Sophie's Choice: Official Clip - Remembering Josef

1:45

Sophie's Choice: Official Clip - A Flight From Memory

2:13

Sophie's Choice: Official Clip - Scars

1:54

Sophie's Choice: Official Clip - Extermination

1:42

Sophie's Choice: Official Clip - New Friends

2:00

Sophie's Choice: Official Clip - The Land of the Living

2:09

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Pauline Kael

New Yorker

An infuriatingly bad movie.

Sep 19, 2023

Full Review

Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Sophie's Choice is a rare film, literate, deeply moving and gifted with an absolutely awe-inspiring performance by Meryl Streep.

Nov 12, 2018

Full Review

Stanley Kauffmann

The New Republic

In other ways the film is just as unsatisfactory as the book, because it's inseparably strapped to basic flaws. The story has no center, no protagonist. To whom does the action of the novel happen?

Jan 9, 2018

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

It's both crushing and triumphant.

Rated: 9/10

Sep 7, 2020

Full Review

David Parkinson

Radio Times

For all the significance of the revelations about Sophie's past, it is the interaction between the three central characters that gives the story its strength.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 13, 2020

Full Review

Leonard Klady

Winnipeg Free Press

The film is tentative when the story demands voice. Sophie's Choice, no matter how disturbing, remains muted.

Jul 13, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Stingo (Peter MacNicol), a young writer, moves to Brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel. As he becomes friendly with Sophie (Meryl Streep) and her lover Nathan (Kevin Kline), he learns that Sophie is a Holocaust survivor. Flashbacks reveal her harrowing story, from pre-war prosperity to Auschwitz. In the present, Sophie and Nathan's relationship increasingly unravels as Stingo grows closer to Sophie and Nathan's fragile mental state becomes ever more apparent.

Director: Alan J. Pakula
Screenwriter: Alan J. Pakula
Production Co: Incorporated Television Company, Keith Barish Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 8, 1982, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 7, 2015

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