Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Tayloriona Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

proud_luddite He life and poetry of Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886) is the subject of this biopic, portraying an early feminist who lived life on her own terms within limited situations while facing sadness and despair in her later years. Dickinson was from a prominent family (her father was a lawyer) and lived in Amherst, Massachusetts.Writer/director Terence Davies deserves so much credit for this fine film. The first half is blessed with sharp and witty dialogue using language and repartee in a style that is rarely used in today's America. Similarly, Davies' directing style is as poetic as Dickinson's writings which are frequently recited in the background. Even when poetry is not recited, there is a poetic mood that stays throughout the film especially in the second half when the lightness of the early years have passed.For the most part, the acting is good especially Cynthia Nixon as the adult version of Dickinson. Nixon is especially strong in the later years of despair and illness. But there are moments the actors seem ill at ease with a language that no longer exists in contemporary America. Catherine Bailey portrays a very sharp-witted, independent-minded friend of Emily and her sister. While Bailey is good in the role, some extra pizzazz could have made her a scene-stealer.The second half is quite serious at it deals with illness, dying, and the despair of living a life that is perceived as only partly lived. One particularly moving scene involved Emily brushing off the kind attention of a sincere, handsome suitor. By the end of this scene, it was easy to feel empathy and sadness for everyone involved."A Quiet Passion" was like the experience of visiting a historical home that is open to the public where ropes separate visitors from the rooms. But in this case, the ropes are temporarily removed and we are allowed in as long as we keep a respectful distance. With a fine cast as well as superb lighting, costumes, and set designs, Davies does a great job in recreating a time and place long gone. Viewing this film is a very soulful experience.

Reno Rangan I don't know what did everybody expected from it, but I thought it was good. It is a biopic and you can't anticipate a film to alter for your comfort. Not all the films based on the real person are one hundred per cent exact depiction. Recreation is impossible, but getting somewhere close to it what this film did like many others. Because you won't able to cover thousands of hours of a person's life in just 120 minutes. The director did his part finely and so the actors.Periodic flick means we expect fancy costumes. This film had started like one, but faded away quickly, once the story started to get serious. After graduating from the school, the young Emily Dickinson decides to write poetries and she succeeds too. But she's not a person of god as her family or the society she's living in. Then she meets another young woman like her. Soon everybody around her starts to get disappear as the phase of life moving on, so she loses all the company. How her rest of the life happens were revealed on the remaining part.Despite both the versions of Emily were good, it also became the weakness of the film. They should have went for one actor with make- up option. I liked first half and the second half, but it looked two different films with two different actors. Setting in the 19th century, the struggles of women is what it highlighted. Most of the film took place in the Emily's house. Being a true story, it is worthy film. But not everybody would enjoy it. Because that's not how Emily Dickinson lived. I meant to get cheers from the today's audience for her film.7/10

evanston_dad It's like Terence Davies sets out to make movies that will challenge you to stay awake through them. If I do, do I win something? Because I should.After the mournful and glacially paced "The Deep Blue Sea," I didn't think a film could come along that would more effectively numb me into somnolence. But lo and behold, here comes "A Quiet Passion," and by the same filmmaker, no less!"A Quiet Passion" tells the story of Emily Dickinson, who, as played by Cynthia Nixon, was about the most. miserable. person. ever. to spend time with. You know that friend who has the ability to suck the fun out of absolutely any situation? That's our Em. She'd be the girl who would join a group of friends (if she had any) at a football game and then spend the entire time complaining about the pointlessness of football. According to this biography, Dickinson was a frustrated artist who held people to unrealistically high moral standards and refused to accept the slightest weakness in anyone. This made her a riot to be around, as you can imagine, and caused her to die -- shocker!! -- alone and miserable.The film is funereally paced, and consists of one monotonous scene after another in which Dickinson gets her knickers in a twist about one thing or another and yells at whoever happens to be in the room with her. You might think so much yelling might at least give the film an ounce of energy, but you would be wrong. I've never been so excited in a movie to see a main character start exhibiting symptoms of a mysterious disease, because I knew then that it wouldn't be long before she died and the movie would be over.All I can say is thank God for the lovely Jennifer Ehle, who plays Dickinson's sister as a human being you might want to actually have a conversation with without wanting to stab her or yourself in the eye with the butter knife.Grade: F

tm-sheehan How she suffered for her Art-Cynthia Nixon is superb in the role portraying Emily Dickinson and Jennifer Ehle as her loving sister is tender and supportive in the role.A bleak film written and directed by Terence Davies but I thought though at times beautiful would have been more balanced if he had shown less suffering and more of the joyful influences that inspired her poetry i doubt her life was all despair and angst, perhaps it says more about Terence Davies than Emily Dickinson. After seeing both actresses in plays on Broadway a few weeks ago it was fascinating seeing them both together acting beautifully on film.