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The Theory of Flight

Play trailer Poster for The Theory of Flight R Released Jan 22, 1999 1h 39m Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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50% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 56% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Free-spirited artist Richard (Kenneth Branagh) finds himself in the employ of Jane (Helena Bonham Carter) when he is forced to do community service after leaping from a building with a rickety homemade glider strapped to his back. Jane, a young woman with a degenerative neurological disease, uses a wheelchair for mobility and a voice synthesizer to communicate. Through this device, she implores Richard to help her in her quest to lose her virginity before she dies.

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The Theory of Flight

Critics Reviews

View All (22) Critics Reviews
Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal Unprincipled in its naked contrivance. Apr 2, 2019 Full Review Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly Rated: C Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Globe and Mail Rated: 2/4 Apr 25, 2003 Full Review Antonia Quirke Independent on Sunday The final reel of the film is over-sentimental, but the early scenes involving the couple at war are affecting. Nov 28, 2017 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Jul 25, 2005 Full Review Daniel M. Kimmel Worcester Telegram & Gazette Rated: 3/5 Feb 8, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (33) audience reviews
Steve D Ridiculous, obvious, and emotionally manipulative. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/29/24 Full Review Audience Member An extremely moving film of a most unlikely romance. Bring your tissues as you will have need of them. A real screen gem that will appeal to hopeless romantics, underachievers, the hopeless. See The Theory of Flight for an extraordanary human though improbable adventure. Still, thumbs up by me. [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/74/Theoryofflightposter.jpeg/220px-Theoryofflightposter.jpeg[/img] PLOT: A dreamer who aspires to human flight [in 1998] is assigned public service after one of his attempts jumping off a public building. This leads him to meeting a young woman, who is dying of motor neuron disease. Her one hope is to have a love affair which our dreamer feels he cannot provide yet can he? [img]https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSih-zmRDxRi6c86zdDBvg1f_K6NXGcHvY4VhpJ0egEkDUnPRbeHw[/img] "The Theory of Flight is a 1998 film directed by Paul Greengrass, starring Helena Bonham Carter and Kenneth Branagh. Bonham Carter plays a woman with motor neurone disease (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease)...'--- wikipedia [img]http://www.movie-roulette.com/photos_big/the-theory-of-flight-2-1.jpeg[/img] The two stars of the film flying SEE the entire film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuHfGr4tULw REVIEWS: Just watched this on Indieplex....amazing performances by Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter..... must see!!!! 40% Film Critic Gene Siskel Died On February 20th, 1999. [this was the last film Siskel reviewed (thumbs up) before his death, while partner Roger Ebert gave it a thumbs down] [img]https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSIVAh1FA2WlJD0X90z8w3L9QGGYPa-Nr1mIlcHKEz_XArqX38F[/img] NOTES: 1 This was the last film reviewed by the noted film critics Gene Siskel, who gave the film a thumbs up, and Roger Ebert, who gave the film a thumbs down, on Siskel and Ebert at The Movies before Siskel's death on 20 February 1999. CAST Helena Bonham Carter as Jane Hatchard Kenneth Branagh as Richard Gemma Jones as Anne Holly Aird as Julie Ray Stevenson as Gigolo [img]http://www.branaghcompendium.com/rickbwjane.jpg[/img] Directed by Paul Greengrass Produced by Ruth Caleb Anant Singh Helena Spring Written by Richard Hawkins Music by Rolfe Kent Cinematography Ivan Strasburg Editing by Mark Day Distributed by Fine Line Features Capelight Pictures Release dates 22 January 1999 Running time 101 minutes Country United Kingdom Language English [img]https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRx58BA37huKm1lrxg52yjEfeaWTaYqDbgZ3_RhbtxTVolvp9Qx[/img] Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review alex k Film Critic Gene Siskel Died On February 20th, 1999. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member It was about as inoffensive as such a premise could be. HBC & KB made it watchable, but just barely. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Audience Member A marvelous performance by the great Helena Bonham Carter! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member I thought it was funny and sweet Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Theory of Flight

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Free-spirited artist Richard (Kenneth Branagh) finds himself in the employ of Jane (Helena Bonham Carter) when he is forced to do community service after leaping from a building with a rickety homemade glider strapped to his back. Jane, a young woman with a degenerative neurological disease, uses a wheelchair for mobility and a voice synthesizer to communicate. Through this device, she implores Richard to help her in her quest to lose her virginity before she dies.
Director
Paul Greengrass
Producer
Ruth Caleb, Anant Singh, Helena Spring
Screenwriter
Richard Hawkins
Distributor
Fine Line Features
Production Co
Distant Horizon
Rating
R
Genre
Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 22, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 20, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$72.0K
Runtime
1h 39m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Digital
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