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The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover
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The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover

1989
Drama
2h 4m
The wife of an oafish restaurant owner becomes bored with her husband and considers an affair with a regular patron. (imdb)

Directed by:

Peter Greenaway

Screenwriter:

Peter Greenaway

Starring:

Ciarán Hinds, Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, Tim Roth, Ron Cook, Richard Bohringer, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Liz Smith, Alan Howard, Gary Olsen, Ian Dury

Genre:

Drama

Countries:

France, Netherlands, UK

Languages:

English, French, Dutch
imdb IMDb
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The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover

1989
Drama
2h 4m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 68.23% from 1933 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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paxtonPaxton
Rated 07 Feb 2019
85
83rd
Couples very well with La Grande bouffe as a film that tantalizes you with food while simultaneously forcing you to lose your appetite. Thoroughly unpleasant, yet something to behold.
Rated 07 Feb 2019
nathandarkoNathanDarko
Rated 02 Apr 2009
100
99th
The Movie shows the conflict between two worlds. The world of money on one side & the world of art & culture on the other.Each side is represented by two groups.Greenaway works with many symbols, changing costumes, colors, light effects etc. The opulent costumes were created by Gaultier, the excellent Soundtrack came from Nyman ( who created the sound for "The Pianao" ) It's my most favorite Greenaway.Visually one of the greatest works i've ever seen.
Rated 02 Apr 2009
thedenizenTheDenizen
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
91st
Artsy and allegorical drama about a boorish gangster who owns a restaurant (and terrorizes the other patrons there daily) and his wife who carries on an affair there right under his nose. The symbolism seems to be pretty obviously political in nature, but it also presents some interesting ideas about lust, gluttony, sex and death. Lush colorful visuals, haunting music, a sick finale, and 43 year old Helen Mirren buck naked in a van full of rotting meat. Awesome stuff.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
deaddillydeaddilly
Rated 08 Jan 2020
80
72nd
Both lush, immaculately decorated as well as down-right nasty. Tons of symbolism to unpack that I haven't made much sense of yet as I'm still rather nauseous. Reminded me much of "Blue Velvet" if you turned the British up to 100, Gambon is one of the most extremely obscene villains of all time.
Rated 08 Jan 2020
oaicoaic
Rated 08 Jun 2009
40
17th
Amazing acting, amazing cinematography, very professional, but what's the point? I'm not being flip or anything; I got this vague, uncomfortable feeling of class snobbery, to be honest. If not, then it's just "freddy got fingered" without the laughs.
Rated 08 Jun 2009
cclzaCCLZA
Rated 09 May 2009
70
52nd
Greenaway's attention to detail in the art direction department can't compensate for the simplistic story performed with over the top mannerisms. Nevertheless, it's an aesthetically beautiful film to appreciate.
Rated 09 May 2009
magbMagb
Rated 12 Apr 2008
90
85th
I liked this a lot, even though it was very different from whatever it was I expected. It's very beautiful looking, amusingly and disturbingly weird in its subject matter, and very Lynchian. Or perhaps it's David Lynch who's Greenawayian -- I can't say. Anyway, I'd like to see more Greenaway now.
Rated 12 Apr 2008
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
98th
One of my favorites during my college years, and I think I like it even more now (seeing it in widescreen makes a huge difference). Greenaway makes full use of the frame. I know a lot of people hate this movie (and it's one of his most accessible), but it just appeals to me on a gut level.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
billyshearsBillyShears
Rated 07 Jul 2017
100
98th
That plot summary is a trap, a decadent disgusting trap.
Rated 07 Jul 2017
lisa_iilisa-
Rated 16 Feb 2015
9
99th
albert is a blitzkrieg of patriarchy and capitalism, shitting upon everything that is good and beautiful as he smashes through his makeshift world - a world of unbelievable artistry, the closest the screen has ever come to being literally edible. and yet, every evil little thing albert does is easily matched by the overwhelming satisfaction the audience feels in the end, as greenaway perfectly orchestrates a thrashing tantrum against his character's grimy fucking ass. fucking beautiful.
Rated 16 Feb 2015
judge_holdenJudge Holden
Rated 09 Apr 2012
7
88th
A cruel and tragic story lurks beneath the surreal, almost comic, veneer. I just love the artificial and seedy sets and operatic score, and the character dynamics are especially well conceived. Mirren and Gambon play extremely well off each other in this exciting, unique and disturbing film.
Rated 09 Apr 2012
maM_A
Rated 15 Mar 2011
94
99th
In no way are these characters supposed to be relatable or easy for the audience to connect to. Greenaway is not that kind of director, and such petty matters do not, and, as far as I know, have never concerned him. Instead, we get a film with indelibly gorgeous sets and cinematography, as well as a startlingly simple storyline equipped with thematic undertones so morbid and cynical that it would make Haneke skip a few breaths. This suited my taste perfectly, despite any and all imperfections.
Rated 15 Mar 2011
anilscnanilscn
Rated 31 Mar 2021
45
38th
çok ciddi bir soru herkesin koyu yeşil yaktığını görerek soruyorum. neden bu filmi sevdiniz? sadece mantıklı bir açıklama yapın. mesaj kotumu yeşillendirin pls. kan, şiddet pornosunu seviyorum, abartılı bağırmalı oyunculukları seviyorum, polis diye bir şeyin varlığının olmadığı saçma filmleri seviyorum gibi bahaneler dışında tabi.
Rated 31 Mar 2021
mattornotmattornot
Rated 19 Mar 2020
16
79th
P r 0 f i T e R o L e S
Rated 19 Mar 2020
adamj1982adamj1982
Rated 10 Nov 2018
89
92nd
How can I rate this. Went in blind, maybe expecting a boring, forgettable late 80s drama. Blown away.
Rated 10 Nov 2018
syntheseizurSyntheseizur
Rated 04 Aug 2018
91
93rd
A marriage between the sumptuous and the grotesque so vile, fascinating, and gorgeous that you can't look away from it. Few political allegories are as visceral or as visionary, set in a self-contained world that so cleverly satirizes the complex relations between different political and cultural classes that have a perennial place in Western institutions. The playful color schemes, the painterly cinematography, and the pitch-perfect performances from the leads make it truly distinctive.
Rated 04 Aug 2018
itsbenitsben
Rated 18 Mar 2018
80
86th
Horrifyingly gruesome, intriguing and emotionally confusing. This film had me gasping in horror and crying intermittently. The cinematography was beautiful and creative. The sets and costumes told a story. Certainly not a film for the faint of heart. I feel this was designed to reach a very specific kind of audience.
Rated 18 Mar 2018
zipsterZipster
Rated 12 Aug 2014
60
4th
Albert is one of the most hideous characters ever brought to the screen. Uncommonly gross, aggressively overbearing, extravagantly repugnant and brutally extreme: Just like the movie itself. And as Gambon must've become while playing this ugly role, I became exhausted and repulsed, continuing on as more of an endurance contest for myself than any intrigue by the narrative.
Rated 12 Aug 2014
rufamRufam
Rated 23 May 2014
90
97th
A sharp political allegory told in rich detail and morbid surrealism. The shot composition and art direction are top-notch as is the quietly unnerving score. The script skillfully combines the sly (or more obvious) social jabs, the simple but compelling plot weaving and elements of just plain weirdness -the actors fully bring it to life (Gambon, in particular, is bombastic). It all comes together as a hypnotic painting in motion, subtle yet hard-hitting. Bravo Mr. Greenway.
Rated 23 May 2014
suture_selfSuture Self
Rated 27 Mar 2013
10
96th
If you're looking for a movie that equivocates eating with sex and death, this is it.
Rated 27 Mar 2013
teckgeckoteckgecko
Rated 26 Nov 2012
65
31st
Not a black comedy, but a pure tragedy IMHO. Gambon plays a bastard brilliantly. Everything looks incredible, especially the kitchen. Great music (I'm in love with "Fish Beach"). Lazy storytelling in the last 30m, like the info-dump monologue from Mirren, made suspending my disbelief difficult. Other contrivances: [SPOILERS] the lover lending a book & predictably getting caught; Gambon held hostage by the gun he fumbled. The exchange between Mirren & the cook was alternately insane and silly.
Rated 26 Nov 2012
jakeaestheteJakeAesthete
Rated 05 Nov 2012
80
80th
As immaculately stylized and visually ravishing as anything in Greenaway's oeuvre, however the relentless nastiness can get a bit overbearing and the film lacks the humor of his best work. Decidedly morbid subject matter is not exactly anything new for Greenaway, yet it's unusual that it feels as mean-spirited and even heavy-handed as it does here.
Rated 05 Nov 2012
bofbof
Rated 05 Oct 2012
88
95th
I'd forgotten how deliciously (sorry) weird this movie is. I mean, I knew it was weird, but I didn't remember it being this openly surreal, like a huge baroque opera with a political agenda. With a lot of sex, and comparatively little cannibalism. Very fun, and I'll never get tired of Helen Mirren kicking ass.
Rated 05 Oct 2012
zioZio
Rated 16 Jun 2012
100
94th
Visually stunning. The score by Michael Nyman fits the movie perfectly. Helen Mirren as the aloof wife of a crime boss and Michael Gambon as the crime boss give two amazing performances. And Gambon's character might be the most vile character ever put to film, but you can't help but watch this trainwreck of a man. Shocking? Yes. Over-the-top? Maybe. Gratuitous? No. Every scene has a reason and helps further explore Greenaway's multifaceted masterpiece.
Rated 16 Jun 2012
batuibatui
Rated 21 Aug 2011
75
71st
Visually it's very interesting, with the color schemes and sets that are obviously sets. Too bad the plot is way too thin for a two hour movie. Ironically, I only thought this when the action moved outside the restaurant, and was fine when the plot was basically watch Spica be an asshole while his wife fools around. Also, someone teach that opera boy another song!
Rated 21 Aug 2011
caimancaiman
Rated 04 Jul 2011
96
99th
Wow. Consider me blown away. The film left me exhilarated and shaken like I haven't been since first watching A Clockwork Orange as a teenager. The lighting, sets, and costume design show a great deal of craft and care, and the wonderful music adds to the visceral intensity. Gambon's Spica is one of the most horrifying figures in film that I've ever witnessed, and Mirren gives an absolutely daring performance. This is a bold, vicious, uncompromising masterpiece.
Rated 04 Jul 2011
alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 30 Jun 2011
4
70th
Bold, vulgar, wildly entertaining, and brilliant. There's really nothing like it (unless Greenaway's other work proves me wrong). Theatrical as all get-out, with bold lighting and color, stylized and artificial sets, and Michael Nyman's operatic score making it feel larger than life. It really does feel like opera - but a savage and scathing one at that, targeting not just Thatcher but any person of privilege who's gotten too big for their britches. Michael Gambon's lead performance is dazzling.
Rated 30 Jun 2011
valenzettiValenzetti
Rated 06 Jun 2011
95
96th
Having majored in art, I have a special admiration for Greenaway. As usual, this is a marvelous work of craft and cleverness, but I was surprised at how deeply it hit me on a visceral, emotional level. The art direction, acting, and music flow seamlessly into each other to such an amazing degree, it's a bit overwhelming.
Rated 06 Jun 2011
jodamicojodamico
Rated 05 Jun 2011
83
90th
Brave and angry, beautiful and horrible.
Rated 05 Jun 2011
sirrobbieSirRobbie
Rated 19 May 2011
80
81st
Greenaway's work is very hard to like. Of course visually his films are top notch but what about the plot, what about the action ?? "The Cook..." is his best work in both cinematography and art department but also in acting - Mirren and Gambon were STUPEDNOUS !!! This duo puts a huge shadow on all the "weaker" sides of this movie.
Rated 19 May 2011
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 08 Sep 2010
71
29th
The distinct visual style helps keep it somewhat engaging, but for the most part it felt like an underdeveloped commentary on sex and romance punctuated by arbitrary shock value. Not bad and somewhat unique, but not especially rewarding for me.
Rated 08 Sep 2010
kahKAH
Rated 29 Apr 2009
3
74th
More accessible than Greenaway's other efforts. Furious and harsh, but also visually intriguing, a combination that actually makes it a somewhat nauseating experience, which of course is a good reason to see it.
Rated 29 Apr 2009
dorkovskyDorkovsky
Rated 02 Jan 2009
10
99th
Whoa.
Rated 02 Jan 2009
hehejajahehejaja
Rated 28 Apr 2008
95
97th
Rough beauty.
Rated 28 Apr 2008
stepsidewaysstepsideways
Rated 13 Nov 2007
99
99th
Terrifying encapsulation of the Reagan-Thatcher era, which (don't let the nineties fool you) still hasn't ended. Weep into your vomit-bag, shout at the screen, or flee. In any case, flawless (music, sets, costumes, food, and performances).
Rated 13 Nov 2007
jasonmyersjasonmyers
Rated 14 Aug 2007
72
56th
disgustingly good movie....this movie will make you want to throw up...but in a good way??? Wonderful characters in this tasty drama...the suspense will grip you and the food will tantalize you...experience it!!!
Rated 14 Aug 2007
mrcimrci
Rated 03 Aug 2024
75
78th
A great food-sensual-visual-disgust- feast! Might end in indigestion though.
Rated 03 Aug 2024
nekeneke
Rated 08 Jun 2024
87
84th
beautiful and haunting aesthetics, achieved through its incredible set design, costuming, cinematography, etc. michael gambon plays a fantastic villain that embodies greed in its purest form.
Rated 08 Jun 2024
chadarnookchadarnook
Rated 27 May 2024
83
72nd
Incredibly stylish with an uncomfortably great performance by Gambon, but not the best script.
Rated 27 May 2024
alohimalohim
Rated 14 May 2024
97
86th
It was like watching a theater scene... Amazing camera work, set and costumes!
Rated 14 May 2024
mattorama12mattorama12
Rated 15 Apr 2024
68
55th
What an odd film. Has sort of the same tenor as A Clockwork Orange. Super artsy, while also being visceral. Gambon's character is so grating that it was really a slog to get through the first two thirds of the movie, even understanding that his irritating nature was by design.
Rated 15 Apr 2024
matthagenmatthagen
Rated 16 Feb 2024
45
29th
A bold, technically fantastic one of a kind... that is also a loud, wet fart. Like a loud, wet fart, the movie is uncomfortable and kind of funny, but just ultimately stinky and full of hot air. It goes out of its way to piss you off, and the themes smack you in the face, even though the subtext is probably lost on me.
Rated 16 Feb 2024
walkearthwalkearth
Rated 17 Oct 2023
75
88th
"Tyranny breeds tyranny. Look at Chicesceau. Or the way they strung Mussolini and his mistress up. Tyrants often get ripped apart by their subjects, literally limb from limb," Mirren eloquently summarised in an interview about the film. And it's a pity. Even the atrocious, insufferable, seemingly monstrously inhuman character of The Thief (with a shocking and phenomenal acting by Gambon), has the deeply hurt, broken and embittered child of his soul seep through for two fleeting moments.
Rated 17 Oct 2023
bownBown
Rated 28 Feb 2023
88
88th
Wildly arty and political without ever skimping on hilarity and pure entertainment, a brutal and disgusting look at despicable people buying their way into supposed legitimacy that evokes Middle Ages-era royal feasts with its incredible theatrical visuals and operatic score while also being unbelievably funny and visceral at all times. Gambon tears up the screen in every second of his magnetic performance.
Rated 28 Feb 2023
doyler29doyler29
Rated 12 Feb 2023
100
96th
Peter Greenaway stages a Jacobean revenge play as a commentary on Thatcher's England and it's not only his greatest achievement, but it's one of the best films of the 1980's. It's rare to encounter a film this consumed by rage that is also this methodical, measured and aesthetically unified. Jean-Paul Gaultier's costumes, Sacha Vierny's cinematography and Michael Nyman's score combine to create a cold, artificial and ornate world in which Michael Gambon's monstrous thief runs roughshod over ev
Rated 12 Feb 2023
skapskap
Rated 14 Oct 2022
75
47th
Good men efface themselves, read while eating, and hang around ladies' restrooms in case a woman is "in need" . Bad men cannot satisfy a woman and make good men eat inedible stuff (including feces and a book called Histoire de la France). If you hang in the first (very very stale) 60 min or so, you'll make it to the end by inertia. The whole film is only justified by the final scene and a few more "ideas", it seems. Oh yes, it is theatrical, in the worst possible way. OK to watch once.
Rated 14 Oct 2022
shockularSHOCKULAR
Rated 12 Sep 2022
79
67th
Very well done dark comedy/drama. Gambon is absolutely brilliant in his role--should have been Oscar nominated for this. The aesthetic is fantastic (art direction should have been Oscar nominated as well)--the kitchen and outdoors in particular reminded me a bit of Tim Burton’s Batman aesthetic. Delightfully oddball. Very good stuff.
Rated 12 Sep 2022
croweycrowey
Rated 17 Nov 2021
80
79th
Argh! 😭
Rated 17 Nov 2021
erlendaErlendA
Rated 16 May 2021
55
11th
Psychedelic nightmare.
Rated 16 May 2021
spikycactusSpikyCactus
Rated 27 Dec 2020
70
46th
Top badass moment? I never knew I needed to see Helen Mirren naked, until now. A cross between Gordon Ramsey, gangster Charles Bronson and Basil Fawlty owns a restaurant that he smashes up a lot, whilst not 'satisfying' his wife. That’s about it, although WTFness does ooze from every frame. I didn't see the restaurant’s Food Hygiene Certificate on display, but as doing so isn't a legal requirement in England yet, I don't want to read too much into that. No cats, chainsaws or decapitations.
Rated 27 Dec 2020
getmoneygetmoney
Rated 14 Dec 2020
90
89th
This was incredible! Baroque violence and pleasure. I can see why this was such an influence on Hereditary.
Rated 14 Dec 2020
kavuKavu
Rated 25 Oct 2020
88
90th
Greenaway's totally unique style, along with some great acting, make this a must-see for any cinema buff. Delightful.
Rated 25 Oct 2020
braddad68braddad68
Rated 11 Oct 2020
94
74th
Utterly disturbing yet thoroughly compelling.
Rated 11 Oct 2020
faveryfavery
Rated 04 Aug 2020
55
61st
The set in this film is the most fabulous and charming I've ever seen. Oh, and decent flick.
Rated 04 Aug 2020
stuie299stuie299
Rated 01 Jun 2020
75
45th
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover has a sort of duality that makes it one of the hardest movies I've ever had to rate. As a piece of art it is an unquestionable masterpiece. Like everyone says the visuals are astonishing with some of the most deliberately exquisite production design ever set to film. Nyman's score is also staggeringly beautiful. But as a piece of entertainment it suffers considerably from pacing issues and I'm afraid much of the film's deeper meaning is lost on me.
Rated 01 Jun 2020
neonmanNeonman
Rated 01 Jun 2019
89
90th
I like my romance films, and pornos, observing the whole gamut of sex, food, and bodily waste expulsions. Through this lavishly theatrical on-screen display and the conversely rude, lewd, and crude dialogue (most from the talkative Thief), the entirety of the human body is explored through the merging of its various pleasures, disgusts, and necessities. It's justifiably the kind of arthouse film that's an often riotous laugh, leading up its only possible conclusion.
Rated 01 Jun 2019
chengmingchengming
Rated 29 Sep 2018
80
87th
The story drags a bit at times, but the presentation is stunning. Unbelievable that after this, some people are still trying to make stories about love and betrayal in the classic way.
Rated 29 Sep 2018
icarusIcarus
Rated 10 Sep 2018
40
8th
Beautiful set design, especially with its use of color. But this is way too hostile and callous for my tastes.
Rated 10 Sep 2018
sirsassSirSass
Rated 22 Jun 2018
70
68th
Wild.
Rated 22 Jun 2018
auhasarderikauhasarderik
Rated 11 May 2018
5
22nd
There's huge, garish, very artificial looking sets and the camera moves around and around. The auteur cared little about the rest, so why should we?
Rated 11 May 2018
picklemanPickle_Man
Rated 27 Mar 2018
65
27th
This just reminds me of everything I hate about theatre.
Rated 27 Mar 2018
triptolemosTriptolemos
Rated 02 Feb 2017
70
87th
Stylistically distinct and visually astonishing. Props to Gaultier for the funky red outfits. The plot itself was a bit thin but the acting kind of made up for it. The symbolism however could have been a bit more subtle at times, I felt as if Greenway was shoving his message down my throat (hehe) instead of having me interpret it all myself.
Rated 02 Feb 2017
oskarhuoskarhu
Rated 22 Oct 2016
80
73rd
Maybe the most paintinglike film I've seen. Aesthetically interesting with a flow that makes this engaging to watch.
Rated 22 Oct 2016
ottott
Rated 02 Feb 2016
85
87th
exhausting on the eye, the panning from side to side and at the end alas! the camera lays to rest and you have to take it all in, a still shot, gobble it up!
Rated 02 Feb 2016
mrtdlgcmrt.dlgc
Rated 04 Jan 2016
100
96th
Especially the dialogue between "his wife" and "the cook" was extraordinary.
Rated 04 Jan 2016
rthornhillrthornhill
Rated 23 Nov 2015
42
3rd
pithy review: couldn't stomach this one...
Rated 23 Nov 2015
gnalkhereGnalkhere
Rated 09 Sep 2015
85
82nd
Theater
Rated 09 Sep 2015
shalevshalev
Rated 25 Jul 2015
83
70th
Oh Helen, you sexy you!
Rated 25 Jul 2015
macswellMacSwell
Rated 12 Feb 2015
65
51st
With heavy helpings of graphic sex and violence, Greenaway offers up a dark and pretentious tale that's at once elegant yet horrifying, refined yet boorish. The pacing is a touch too slow and the music often extremely jarring, but the sets, costumes and cinematography are resplendent. The narrative, while disappointingly unrealistic, delivers some great sequences (notably the unforgettable final scene), and Gambon's repugnance is a joy to behold throughout.
Rated 12 Feb 2015
perrystroikaPerryStroika
Rated 06 Dec 2014
60
39th
What symbolism I could find at the time struck me as hamfisted, but I'll refrain from giving this a horrible rating just because of Helen Mirren.
Rated 06 Dec 2014
glm01glm01
Rated 23 Mar 2014
83
75th
82.500
Rated 23 Mar 2014
karamazovkaramazov.
Rated 10 Feb 2014
94
99th
Well, stunning set-design, fucking merciless political allegory, elegantly meticulous tracking shots, painterly composition, wonderfully intelligent acting, pseudo-baroque soundtrack, etc. There are only a few other movies I can think of [SALÒ comes to mind] that are this -angry.- Also genuinely romantic.
Rated 10 Feb 2014
redactedredacted
Rated 05 Dec 2013
70
47th
The cockney accent fits the association with blue collar crime, it's a dirty way of speaking, so loose & Gambon spits 3/4 of the dialogue through it to good effect. Smokey neo-90's set design, long and cross-sectioned with dolly tracks put to full use. Theatrical, big colour, big composition. Took a while to get to its finale, but well worth it. Incidental side note: Has a verbose Clockwork Orange feel to it & Gambon does resembles a working class Kubrick, completely unintentionally of course.
Rated 05 Dec 2013
p_u_l_pP u l p
Rated 01 Aug 2013
91
98th
'The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover' is a cinematic feast that satisfies your hunger for dark comedy, social commentary, and stunning visuals. Peter Greenaway's unconventional tale serves up a delicious mix of passion, revenge, and culinary delights, with a side of biting satire. You'll be licking your lips and laughing out loud as you devour this decadent, daring, and decidedly different film. A must-see for those with an appetite for the bold and bizarre!
Rated 01 Aug 2013
hsncrspywlhsncrspywl
Rated 28 Jul 2013
98
98th
A dark and nasty feature with so much layered meaning and subtext it becomes impossible not to have a long hard think about what it all means after every viewing. I think for me at least it's a fairy tale concerning class conflict but also a film about our own reaction to cinema - it's deeply unpleasant and constantly shifts your reaction to the film scene by scene. Gambon is terrific, but the real star of the film (aside from the amazing look) is the score - haunting and exciting. Watch this!
Rated 28 Jul 2013
ecitizeneCitizen
Rated 12 May 2013
20
7th
The horrible music is nearly intolerable. Michael Gambon is asinine and frequently incoherent. Camera work and sound is lame, and every scene is handled like it's a play. Pretentious and staged. It's a toss up as to which is worse, script, direction, pacing, production quality or music? Even the sex and nudity is ruined by awful music and boring dialog. The story and acting is unconvincing and unsatisfying. Helen Mirren naked is almost the only highlight of this abysmal movie.
Rated 12 May 2013
burkayadaligburkayadalig
Rated 04 Apr 2013
87
81st
a weird masterpiece, every scene is a piece of art, the costumes (and use of same costume in different colors) are amazing
Rated 04 Apr 2013
mandymandy
Rated 12 Mar 2013
7
73rd
Distinctive and stylish, unbelievable and over the top but compelling viewing.
Rated 12 Mar 2013
astrakhanastrakhan
Rated 07 Mar 2013
77
49th
Greenaway serves up a banquet of visual delights. For the starter we have the elaborate costumes of Jean-Paul Gaultier. For the main, a suite of theatrical sets of epic proportions, filled with decor and detail to make the eyes pop. And for dessert, hellishly gaudy lighting, along with camerawork that really does justice to the depth of the sets. Delicious work, but sadly it's also a poorly-paced film with little substance, based entirely on one bawdy performance and the amazing aesthetics.
Rated 07 Mar 2013
ag0stomesmerAg0stoMesmer
Rated 06 Mar 2013
3
73rd
Despite good performances, costume, setting, soundtrack etc it's fantasy/nightmare intentions seemed more an over-long tantrum than something meaningful. 'Cebcre' zvqqyr-pynff inyhrf frqhpr naq gura rzcbjre Zveeraf jbzna-puvyq gb svtug gur Abhirnh -fbeel- Tnfgeb-evpur tebgrfdhrf.
Rated 06 Mar 2013
noam_razNoam Raz
Rated 16 Jan 2013
91
97th
A bit too conceptual, and as Greenaway himself implied - should have been filmed with no sound.
Rated 16 Jan 2013
xacviantxacviant
Rated 21 Oct 2012
83
61st
THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE & HER LOVER is a pure delight in so many ways: the production design is gorgeous, with cinematography to match, Peter Greenaway's direction is beautifully precise (and his writing is often very funny), and Michael Gambon is a savage joy to watch as the loathsome Spica. But it falls short of true greatness, lacking the real depth of character (Helen Mirren does what she can with a thin role) and story that would have made it a masterpiece. Still, it's nasty fun.
Rated 21 Oct 2012
yesistastyyesistasty
Rated 08 Oct 2012
92
76th
Sumptuous.
Rated 08 Oct 2012
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 25 Aug 2012
90
80th
Much stranger than I expected it to be. Though Mirren's quiet performance is gold, Michael Gambon definitely steals the show. Somehow, he makes Albert terrifying and also kind of funny, when you get down to it and that really goes for everything that happens in the film. A brilliant ending, too.
Rated 25 Aug 2012
elysian_airElysian Air
Rated 24 May 2012
94
87th
An absolutely incredible film. It's obvious that Greenaway has an uncompromising vision; every scene is perfectly staged, the cinematography is superb, and the story is savage and tragic. Gambon's performance was perfect as the uncouth gangster Albert and Mirren played Georgina with the right amount of passion and somber detachment. I felt that Michael could have been fleshed out more, but perhaps he best serves as an idealization rather than a concrete character.
Rated 24 May 2012
ahamel7896ahamel7896
Rated 21 May 2012
10
98th
Beautiful and violent, Peter Greenaway has created something that will never be equaled (why try?). His exciting and extreme uses of color are truly brilliant.
Rated 21 May 2012
helfen419helfen419
Rated 23 Jan 2012
32
6th
Good lighting.
Rated 23 Jan 2012
jakea350Jakea350
Rated 20 Jan 2012
92
85th
This was the first Greenaway film I saw, and I was blown away. The panning techniques used were great and the changing color schemes along with the costuming was incredible. Gambon was perfect for the role of what I consider one of the most vulgar characters in film. Watching his character struggle to appear eloquent was hard to forget. Michael Nyman's score was the icing on the cake in this film, and added intensity to scenes that were already pretty breathtaking.
Rated 20 Jan 2012
damildamil
Rated 19 Jan 2012
70
67th
It's pretty obvious early on that Gambon's character is a huge prick. Just an absolutely unbelievable asshole. Seldom have I seen such a dick of a guy on screen. How Gambon can pull that and being Dumbledore off, I'll never know. Anyway, I liked it a lot. It was shot in a very simple way, but it was quite effective. It was dark, it was sexual and contained great performances all around.
Rated 19 Jan 2012
theyshoot11theyshoot11
Rated 02 Dec 2011
57
14th
#855
Rated 02 Dec 2011
alon_reterAlon Reter
Rated 13 Nov 2011
85
95th
Pitch-perfect, but lacking a certain thing.
Rated 13 Nov 2011
shewasSheWas
Rated 22 Sep 2011
100
99th
Daddy + theological issues
Rated 22 Sep 2011
closedmouthclosedmouth
Rated 11 Sep 2011
80
69th
Not his best work (the romance is kinda cheesy, and the costumes are painfully awful), but a weak Greenaway is still a brilliant film.
Rated 11 Sep 2011
wwallce4prezWWallce4prez
Rated 10 Jul 2011
85
87th
Bold. Gorgeous. Shocking. Great. Gambon doesn't stop talking throughout the entire film, and his performance is flooring. I don't want to see it again, but I probably will and will still love it.
Rated 10 Jul 2011
amerigoamerigo
Rated 13 Jun 2011
81
75th
A combination of engrossing and repulsive, this is the art of the macabre at its finest. That said, the film's internal logic seems to be coming from the mind of a serial killer. It's hard to make any criticism of the film's aesthetics and themes, but it's equally as hard to actually like it.
Rated 13 Jun 2011
cat9mancat9man
Rated 09 Jun 2011
58
17th
Kind of Avant Garde surrealism. Hard to take 2 hours worth.
Rated 09 Jun 2011
actionbergActionberg
Rated 04 Jun 2011
90
92nd
I loved the hell out of it, perhaps because it reciprocated by helling the love out of me. A film like this is amazing when executed so perfectly, a world so completely foreign but comprehensive and cohesive to the degree that everything that happens feels like it's supposed to happen in this twisted reality. I loved the color shifts from room to room, generating some kind of sick merry-go-round of bizarre debauchery. Three words describe my favorite part of the film: Michael fucking Nyman.
Rated 04 Jun 2011
nobletNoblet
Rated 03 Jun 2011
86
87th
Hard to watch, but very much worth it. The sets and costumes work together to form very striking and colorful images. This film feels very theatrical, from the visual design to the performances. All of the extreme content feels necessary to show the true evil of the authoritarian Spica . Okay, maybe some of it was a little unnecessary.
Rated 03 Jun 2011
zayankZayanK
Rated 29 Mar 2011
90
84th
I love how unlikable Michael Gambon is in this.
Rated 29 Mar 2011
hunterkingHunterKing
Rated 28 Mar 2011
86
72nd
Makes the most out of not much. So many small touches that really elevate a simple storyline to a collection of memorable moments.
Rated 28 Mar 2011

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