Stealing Beauty

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Stealing Beauty

R

Released Jun 14, 1996

1h 58m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

49%

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51 Reviews

75%

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10,000+ Ratings

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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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

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Joe Morgenstern

Wall Street Journal

Very pretty, and very creepy.

Dec 12, 2018

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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

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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

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Joyce Slaton

Common Sense Media

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

Rated: 4/5

Jan 2, 2011

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 4/5

Dec 14, 2007

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Yuri B

Always meant to watch this & I finally got the opportunity to... & to be quite honest... I rather enjoyed it... Jeremy Irons is normally strong in anything he performs in & Tyler was quite good as well.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/22/25

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G S

Visually, it's very nice to look at. The premise is interesting but in my view, executed poorly so it just didn't land with me. It's a shame because all the elements were there.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/03/24

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Steve D

Unconfirmable but its cast is really good.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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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

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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

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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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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
Producer: Jeremy Thomas
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
Runtime: 1h 58m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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