De-Lovely Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

Could have been so much better

This is a very strange film. In some ways it makes a game attempt to depict a complicated and varied life, but essentially it fails. In many ways it seems like one of the more tiresomely stagey American plays -- cloyingly sentimental in parts, and clumsily acted with hopeless lack of realism.

Perhaps the worst aspect of this film is that it descends into being a luvvie schmooze-fest, with all manner of currently popular singers -- Robbie Williams, Alanis Morrissette, Diana Krall -- mangling Cole Porter's wonderful songs in wildly anachronistic styles: the one extract which is an actual Porter soundtrack, at the beginning of the final titles, underlines the hideous inappropriateness of these efforts.

Pleasant enough entertainment, I suppose, but in many ways a waste of time. Cole Porter deserved much, much more than this thin film.

De-lightful, de-licous and de-lovely

I don't know how accurate the film was because I don't know the true story of Cole Porter's life but looking at this purely from how entertaining I found the film I have to give it 5 stars.

The music as ever is brilliant and Kevin Kline in his portrayal of Porter was excellent. I didn't expect to hear Robbie Williams, Natalie Cole and others singing the songs as I hadnt read up on the cast so that came as a surprise; but it was done in such a way that it blended so perfectly with the rest of the film that it added to the experience rather than taking anything away.

I throughly enjoyed the film and will admit to having to reach for the tissues as the curtain came down, and also to watching it again later the same evening and I don't do that with too many films. If you like Porters music and a good old fashioned romance with a difference or two then I cannot recommend this enough - enjoy!!!

De - Lightful

I loved this film. Kevin Kline had to sing 'down' for authenticity, and I think this worked. Framed by the conceit of a dying man reviewing his life, this film is evocative and bitter sweet. The cinematography is superb, whether on location or in the big production numbers.

The singing is excellent and the acting superb. I watched it twice and if you like elegance, style, music that stays with you and a bitter sweet love story, you'll love this theatrical offering. I'd love to see it produced on stage.

delovely

unusal and compelling film. with excellent performances of cole porter classics.do watch the extras not until i saw the crdits that i realised who the singers were very good makeup and period feel

Good, but goes on too long

Thought the film was different enough to be entertaining, but it ultimately went on for too long, and I found myself losing interest in the end, and wanting it to finish.

When is a biopic not a biopic? Mark #1

I enjoyed this film. It wasn't what I expected - it told me (almost) nothing more about Cole Porter than I already knew; but it was an entertaining film, nonetheless. I found it a bit rich that they ridiculed the sugar-coated Cary Grant version without actually adding anything with theirs, but, oh well, good music and good acting counts for something, I guess. Wish they had concentrated on the man they were portraying, rather than on how to fit a good selection of his songs into the soundtrack (so they could reap the benefits from CD sales), but I love this music, so who am I to complain. 3 stars.

Lovely biopic spoilt by flashback format!

Superb music, locations and acting spoilt by Life Story Flashback format.

A very NICE movie

It was a good movie once it got going. My girlfriend enjoyed this one more than me, defintely a girlie-flick as i found it was a bit slow and nothing really happened. The music however, was fantastic and if had not of been for that than I would have got bored.

Great for lovers of 1930s music

Filmed very much like we are watching a stage musical.

Great musical numbers, of course, from the pen of Cole Porter, though I can’t imagine that the music from the 1930s would appeal to youngsters.

Ashley Judd looks very elegant and is excellent in her part as a wife who loves her husband so much that she will tolerate his homosexual side.

Kevin Kline is a great actor but is let down by his singing voice, but then Cole Porter didn’t have a great voice in reality anyway.

Towards the end of the film the pace slows down a lot as Porter wallows in self-pity after the death of his wife. I think the director must have thought it a very emotional point in the film and decided to drag every tear possible from his audience. It didn’t work that way for me and I found myself thinking ‘now would be a good point for the end’.

An enjoyable film for lovers of 1930 musicals.

A good film with great music

Irwin Winkler manages to strike a perfect balance between making a good old-fashioned film and something very contemporary. A host of unexpected cameos add spice to the songs without taking over the film. The lead roles were excellently played and their characters felt very realistic. It lagged a little in certain sections and some of the supporting cast were less than convincing but overall it was a pleasure to watch.

The film didn?t move me emotionally in quite the way it was intended (and like Porter's music does) but it addressed themes such as love, friendship and the frustrations of coming to terms with age and disability with reasonable skill. Cole Porter?s music is full of sadness, longing and the questioning of the meaning of love. The film goes a long way in portraying the personality of the man and why he wrote his music in that way.