Stealing Beauty

R

Released Jun 14, 1996

1 hr. 58 min.

Drama

List

50%

52 Reviews

Tomatometer

75%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When she was 15, pretty but callow Lucy Harmon (Liv Tyler) visited the Tuscan town where her mother once enchanted the local male population. Four years later, in the wake of her mother's suicide, Lucy returns to the village. She plans to write some poetry, learn more about her family history and reunite with a boy she once kissed. Surveying an expansive field of suitors, Lucy finds herself taken with unattainable Alex (Jeremy Irons), as her journey imparts some unexpected lessons about love.

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Steve D

Unconfirmable but its cast is really good.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

nina

This movie is an aestethic masterpiece, but i found the dominating "male gaze" quite disruptive. A bunch of 50+ year old men lusting after a 19 year old and everyone else just accepting it. I found this aspect in other Bertolucci movies as well so it might be normal. Again, cinematic work of art but still kind of gross.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

kevin c

Liv Tyler plays a young woman who travels to Italy after the death of her mother in a sort of coming of age film by Bernardo Bertolucci. Beautifully made film which sees her reconnect with artists and other friends of her mothers as she wades through her grief looking to experience love for the first time. Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz and many others costar.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I love this movie for his beautiful landscapes, lovely story, cativating characters, for it's amazing atmosphere and specially because of it's soundtrack which I think is the best. Because of this movie I got the opportunity to know Liz Phair, Charlie Haden, I had the pleasure to know more about Cocteau Twins (a movie with a Cocteau Twins song it deserve an oscar), Hooverphonic, Portishead, Billie Holliday, Mozart, John Lee Hooker, Chet Baker !!! I really got the soundtrack of this movie for my own life !!! I watch this movie from time to time when I want to unplug from the daily issues like I listen those songs until these days.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The director of 'The Last Emperor' Bernardo Bertolucci presents one of Liv Tyler's earliest outings Liv Tyler, Jeremy Irons, and Rachel Weisz Lucy Harmon fell in love when she was 15 years old Her mother then committed suicide so now at 19 Lucy decides to go back to Italy But she's there for more than to pose for a painting; she's hoping to reconnect with her past and find her lot in life She begins to affect the lives of others around her including Alex, an English writer who's suffering from an unknown disease This is officially Liv Tyler's first leading role and she carries the whole thing It's just that everything else seems pretty lackluster You'd think there would be more hard hitting drama but it never goes that route The scenery is breathtaking but none of these other players are as compelling It's way too long making the whole thing virtually plotless Hour and a half might've done it more justice and some actual melodrama thrown in for good measure

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It is very much European in its sensibilities, but full of rich characters, and is wonderfully paced. And very, very sensual.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

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Bernardo Bertolucci

Director

Liv Tyler

Lucy

Sinead Cusack

Diana

Donal McCann

Ian

Jeremy Irons

Alex

Jean Marais

M. Guillaume

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Peter Rainer

Los Angeles Magazine

Stealing Beauty would be an odd elixir coming from most directors; from Bernardo Bertolucci, it’s almost perverse. And yet it’s consistent with the central nostalgia in his movies.

Aug 9, 2022

Full Review

Joe Morgenstern

Wall Street Journal

Very pretty, and very creepy.

Dec 12, 2018

Full Review

Anne Billson

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Is there not something a little disturbing about the way in which ageing male film-makers are applauded for their ogling of actresses young enough to be their granddaughters?

Nov 22, 2017

Full Review

Michael Atkinson

Spin

Bertolucci's florid, rather sophomoric notions of decadent eroticism and parabohemian lifestyles are delivered in elliptical, inconclusive fiction-workshop parcels.

Oct 25, 2019

Full Review

Joyce Slaton

Common Sense Media

Meditation on sex, life, death; older teens only.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 2, 2011

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 4/5

Dec 14, 2007

Full Review

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Synopsis

When she was 15, pretty but callow Lucy Harmon (Liv Tyler) visited the Tuscan town where her mother once enchanted the local male population. Four years later, in the wake of her mother's suicide, Lucy returns to the village. She plans to write some poetry, learn more about her family history and reunite with a boy she once kissed. Surveying an expansive field of suitors, Lucy finds herself taken with unattainable Alex (Jeremy Irons), as her journey imparts some unexpected lessons about love.

Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Executive Producer: Yves Attal
Screenwriter: Bernardo Bertolucci, Susan Minot
Distributor: Fox
Production Co: Jeremy Thomas Production
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 14, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.6M
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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