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The Luzhin Defence Reviews

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Based on the novel THE DEFENSE by Vladimir Nabokov, director Marleen Gorris's THE LUZHIN DEFENCE is set in Italy in the 1920s as the world reknowned chess master Alexander Luzhin (John Turturro) from St. Petersburg, Russia, arrives for a match with his only known rival. Almost immediately after he arrives, Luzhin meets a .. Read more

Starring	John Turturro, Emily Watson, Geraldine James, Stuart Wilson
Director	Marleen Gorris
Genres	Drama, Romance

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Critic's review of The Luzhin Defence
View all critics' reviews (6)
- Good-looking but glum romantic drama about a prodigy who cannot escape his talent; its merits lie mainly in the performances of its protagonists.
- 30714
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:41
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of The Luzhin Defence
View all members' reviews (9)
- - 11
  - 0
  Definitely, all the right moves.
  
  The Luzhin Defence is a beautiful, painful love story, where the interaction between the characters is as finely wrought as any world-class chess match.
  <... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 294828
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Jimbob
  - Herts
  - 09 Nov 2003 at 20:38
Most recent members' reviews of The Luzhin Defence
View all members' reviews (9)
- - 1
  - 0
  fine acting
  
  Sometimes these international productions of 'classic' novels don't work - this does, mostly down to fine central performances from Emily Watson and... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 745122
- - a customer
  - London
  - 19 Apr 2009 at 12:49
- - 0
  - 1
  Classy, but poor on details - and on its Nabokov
  
  This is a classy film, beautifully made by Marleen Gorris - not entirely at home with her most conventional film - and wonderfully acted, especially by Emily ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 255843
- - Savage
  - 632 reviews
  - London, England
  - 19 Jun 2006 at 13:45
- - 0
  - 1
  Bored by half-time
  
  Set in the early 1900's. A rich Russian woman in her 20's stays in an Italian hotel with her matchmaking mother. Unfortunately she falls in love with a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 212312
- - Richard
  - Northampton
  - 28 Feb 2006 at 08:09
- - 0
  - 0
  Madness is no defence
  
  I was surprised at how quickly I grew fond of the shambling and weird Luzhin. Turturro does not hold back on the eccentricity or the madness of the character, ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 324394
- - johnnyL
  - County Antrim
  - 24 Feb 2005 at 05:58
- - 0
  - 2
  There are many films...
  
  There are many films that we watch in our lives,
  
  but only a very few will make a lasting impression on our minds and hearts.
  
  Also I would ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 8596
- - a customer
  - England
  - 29 Jun 2004 at 15:44
- - 0
  - 1
  Dire. This is the ...
  
  Dire. This is the worst drivel I have seen all year and that includes Gosford Park! It is worth watching only for the ending which was invented by the script ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 31829
- - Peter#164
  - ALTRINCHAM
  - 30 Mar 2004 at 13:31
- - 1
  - 0
  An unexpected delight
  
  The Luzhin Defence is a gem of a film. Based on a story by Nabokov, the Russian writer who penned Lolita. The plot is simple; Tuturro plays Alexsander (Sasha) ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 301703
- - MaxWeight
  - London
  - 22 Mar 2004 at 14:52
- - 5
  - 0
  Not your average romantic film
  
  A deeply tragic/romantic film in all the best ways. It is not your traditional love story and with making chess as an integral part of it, might not be that ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1405
- - Simon B
  - London
  - 03 Feb 2004 at 10:23
- - 11
  - 0
  Definitely, all the right moves.
  
  The Luzhin Defence is a beautiful, painful love story, where the interaction between the characters is as finely wrought as any world-class chess match.
  <... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 294828
- - Jimbob
  - Herts
  - 09 Nov 2003 at 20:38
View all members' reviews (9)

- - 11
  - 0
  Definitely, all the right moves.
  
  The Luzhin Defence is a beautiful, painful love story, where the interaction between the characters is as finely wrought as any world-class chess match.
  <... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 294828
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Jimbob
  - Herts
  - 09 Nov 2003 at 20:38
- - 5
  - 0
  Not your average romantic film
  
  A deeply tragic/romantic film in all the best ways. It is not your traditional love story and with making chess as an integral part of it, might not be that ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1405
- - Simon B
  - London
  - 03 Feb 2004 at 10:23
- - 1
  - 0
  An unexpected delight
  
  The Luzhin Defence is a gem of a film. Based on a story by Nabokov, the Russian writer who penned Lolita. The plot is simple; Tuturro plays Alexsander (Sasha) ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 301703
- - MaxWeight
  - London
  - 22 Mar 2004 at 14:52
- - 1
  - 0
  fine acting
  
  Sometimes these international productions of 'classic' novels don't work - this does, mostly down to fine central performances from Emily Watson and... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 745122
- - a customer
  - London
  - 19 Apr 2009 at 12:49
- - 0
  - 0
  Madness is no defence
  
  I was surprised at how quickly I grew fond of the shambling and weird Luzhin. Turturro does not hold back on the eccentricity or the madness of the character, ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 324394
- - johnnyL
  - County Antrim
  - 24 Feb 2005 at 05:58
- - 0
  - 1
  Dire. This is the ...
  
  Dire. This is the worst drivel I have seen all year and that includes Gosford Park! It is worth watching only for the ending which was invented by the script ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 31829
- - Peter#164
  - ALTRINCHAM
  - 30 Mar 2004 at 13:31
- - 0
  - 1
  Bored by half-time
  
  Set in the early 1900's. A rich Russian woman in her 20's stays in an Italian hotel with her matchmaking mother. Unfortunately she falls in love with a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 212312
- - Richard
  - Northampton
  - 28 Feb 2006 at 08:09
- - 0
  - 1
  Classy, but poor on details - and on its Nabokov
  
  This is a classy film, beautifully made by Marleen Gorris - not entirely at home with her most conventional film - and wonderfully acted, especially by Emily ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 255843
- - Savage
  - 632 reviews
  - London, England
  - 19 Jun 2006 at 13:45
- - 0
  - 2
  There are many films...
  
  There are many films that we watch in our lives,
  
  but only a very few will make a lasting impression on our minds and hearts.
  
  Also I would ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 8596
- - a customer
  - England
  - 29 Jun 2004 at 15:44

< Prev
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Critics' reviews
- Good-looking but glum romantic drama about a prodigy who cannot escape his talent; its merits lie mainly in the performances of its protagonists.
- 30714
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:41
- "...[An] elegant, tenderhearted film....A delicate fable about memory, devotion and the vulnerability of genius in a cruelly ordinary world..."
- 8591
- - New York Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...The Italian settings are exquisite, the acting sublime....Turturro brushes against deeper mysteries as a spookily lost soul..."
- 8589
- - Entertainment Weekly
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- Alexander Luzhin (Turturro) is a chess grandmaster. The game has been his only world since childhood, and he's entirely... read more on Time Out
- 43884
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:14
- "...[Watson], always a pleasure to watch, is wonderfully convincing....Carefully made, involving and old-fashioned..."
- 8590
- - Los Angeles Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...A surprisingly suspenseful movie....[A] smart film of small pleasures..."
- 8593
- - USA Today
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- The Luzhin Defence
  
  Based on the novel THE DEFENSE by Vladimir Nabokov, director Marleen Gorris's THE LUZHIN DEFENCE is set in Italy in the 1920s as the world reknowned chess master Alexander Luzhin (John Turturro) from St. Petersburg, Russia, arrives for a match with his only known rival. Almost immediately after he ...