Surviving Picasso

R

Released Sep 4, 1996

2 hr. 3 min.

Biography

List

35%

20 Reviews

Tomatometer

60%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

World-renowned painter Pablo Picasso (Anthony Hopkins) is notorious for his infidelity, but his French lover, Françoise Gilot (Natascha McElhone), manages to weather her stormy relationship with him better than many other women. While serving as Picasso's muse and the mother of two of his children, Gilot -- an artist in her own right -- has to contend with his relationships with other women, including his wife, dancer Olga Khokhlova (Jane Lapotaire), and photographer Dora Maar (Julianne Moore).

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Audience Member

I got a bit lost with all the wives and mistresses he had. Otherwise a good film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A very odd film, but what not to expect from Pablo Picasso? I never knew anything about him besides some of his work, so as a viewer I'd have to say I didn't like his lifestyle of being so polygamous with women. Everyone did well in the acting part, saying both Francoise and Picasso did excellent. I had a few moments laughing at Anthony Hopkins because I know him for strict serious roles. Natascha played a very strong woman, when really made me think about my own life a bit if I were in Francoise's shoes. I myself am an artist, so looking at the lifestyle of then and now really differ but then again have a lot of similarities. I have to say I was not at all satisfied with the ending, because I wanted to see what else happened to Francoise, and just wanting to see if Picasso would treat her like the rest of the women. Of course I saw some passion in his eyes still, which led me on and didn't expect the credits to roll at that point, thinking there was or had to be more leaving me at the end of the credits' black screen. I will say it was a good biography if hoping the story is a true one, and if so I feel bad for the two's children. I would have liked to see where they went off to as well, but I guess that's up to me to read on about Picasso and Francoise on my own. I thought this movie was just alright, it didn't have a huge impact to my interests though the actors and actresses were all portrayed very well. It was interesting hearing Julianne speak in an accent as well. I would recommend this to people who are interested in Picasso, but someone who wouldn't be might not enjoy this so much.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An ultimately dry film, James Ivory's biopic of Picasso's premiere mistress does have good performances, even if Hopkins never fully transforms into the legendary painter, some moments of humour, usually Picasso's comments & observations about others, and even some inventive flashback sequences that take on Picasso-esque aesthetics, but the script never really explores why these women are drawn to and stay with Picasso, despite his duplicitous nature, and furthermore, Picasso's art never gets much attention nor examination, missing a great opportunity for parallels and psychological exploration.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Horrible movie.. Nothing like the real man & his very English accent Didnt help out either when are they going to add real authenticity like say maybe using a Spanish actor to play a Spanish lead that might be somewhat innovative don't you think Hollywood it's about time they stop overlooking us and give Latinos their just due!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The best Anthony Hopkins.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This movie isn't even about Picasso. It would have been nice to see Hopkins tackle an actual biopic, but this is a bastardized and misplaced attempt at an inaccurate romantic drama. Instead of watching a movie about Picasso and his evolution as an artist, we instead follow the life story of a coat-tail riding girlfriend. It is boring, tedious, unbearably overlong, and just focuses on the most unnecessary and trivial things in an extremely interesting and inspirational life. Surprisingly, the acting is a major flaw. Hopkins does not exude the ere of Picasso, who while confident and sometimes boisterous, was often introverted and very sensitive. McElhone is ok, but for some reason, she instead of Hopkins is counted on to carry the film, and her act wears pretty thin in a 2 hour plus movie. The direction is wandering, aimless and focus-less, which given the plot, fits right in. (That was not a complement). The script is heavy, and bogs down the already questionable interplay between the actors. I did enjoy a few things, particularly the interplay between Picasso and his friend/rival Henri Matesse, which was one of the few accurate points in the story. Above all the acting/script/direction problems is the story. I can overlook some of the above weaknesses if I'm given an entertaining plot. But this is dry, self-important, going nowhere dribble. There is little to no time spent on Picasso as far as his artistic development, genius or inspiration. There is little to no time spent on Picasso as an artist at all. Picasso the ARTIST is where a Picasso movie becomes worthwhile, not Picasso the womanizing douche.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

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James Ivory

Director

Anthony Hopkins

Pablo Picasso

Natascha McElhone

Françoise Gilot

Julianne Moore

Dora Maar

Joss Ackland

Henri Matisse

Peter Eyre

Sabartes

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Daniel M. Kimmel

Variety

...a stunning debut by Natascha McElhone...

Apr 29, 2005

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 2/4

Apr 12, 2002

Full Review

Sheila Reid

Women in the Life

Hopkins’ portrayal of [Picasso] is no less than brilliant.

May 16, 2022

Full Review

John Richardson

The New York Review of Books

Surviving Picasso not only fails to entertain; it puts the artist and his work at considerable risk by playing into the hands of modern-art-haters, in this respect like the book on which it claims to be based.

Aug 16, 2018

Full Review

Michael Szymanski

Zap2it.com

Rated: 3/5

Sep 21, 2005

Full Review

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Synopsis

World-renowned painter Pablo Picasso (Anthony Hopkins) is notorious for his infidelity, but his French lover, Françoise Gilot (Natascha McElhone), manages to weather her stormy relationship with him better than many other women. While serving as Picasso's muse and the mother of two of his children, Gilot -- an artist in her own right -- has to contend with his relationships with other women, including his wife, dancer Olga Khokhlova (Jane Lapotaire), and photographer Dora Maar (Julianne Moore).

Director: James Ivory
Executive Producer: Paul Bradley, Donald Rosenfeld
Screenwriter: Arianna Huffington, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Merchant Ivory Productions, David L. Wolper Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 4, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 9, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.0M
Sound Mix: Stereo

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