Wilde Reviews

Full of integrity and style

Anyone who wants to learn about the life and loves of Oscar Wilde could go no wrong with this film.

From Wilde's rampant promescurity through to his imprisonment at Reading Prison, Stephen Fry's portrayal of the ground breaking playwright is superb.

Jude Law is superb as Bosey - Oscar's one true love.

I highly recommend this film to all but those of a prudish nature as some of the love scenes leave little to the imagination!

Beautifully told

I think Stephen Fry was born to play Oscar Wilde, and Jude Law is perfectly cast in the role of lord Alfred 'Bosie' Douglas. Law captures Bosie's mercurial temperament, by turns petulant and unspeakably cruel, then loving and tender. Law is so beautiful and charming you easily see why Oscar was prepared to give all, family, career, liberty, for his love.

The film is lavish and beautiful. All the actors do well in their roles, and the script gives insight into a tragic story. Wilde's wife, Constance, is played by Jennifer Ehle whose performance hints at a knowingness about her husband's nature that explains a lot.

Moving stuff...

This is a brilliant film, does great justice to the story of a great man who's life was seriously harmed by homophobia in turn of the century Britain.

Stephen Fry is excellent as Oscar Wilde, a role he said he was born to play. The only downside being that he's such a familiar face these days its hard to stop thinking of what wisecreack will burst from his lips next. The supporting cast also very good, Jude Law specifically.

Commendable, but a sad story.

An insightful take on the life of Wilde

I loved this film - the relationships between Wilde and his loved ones are explored with a deft touch. I found Stephen Fry rather convincing as Wilde, by virtue of the great empathy with which he played the role.

Watch out for a glimpse of Orlando Bloom playing a rent boy in the first half of the film.

A very good film, it might just be that Stephen Fry is Wilde reincarnated, but I was very impressed by his portrayel. The whole issue of his life was treated very sensitively and it made you sad to see what people were forced to suffer for their lifestyles. Well worth watching - one of the best films I've seen.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Bland.

Stephen Fry is very good. The film isn't. Anyone would want to slap Jude Law's character (or just Jude Law for being so talentless yet successful), and Ioan Griffith wanders about the piece with Michael Sheen (all the Welsh boys) in slightly sluttish gay liaison with or without Wilde. There's no mention of Wilde's progression to his success and there is no proper study of what Wilde actually did in his writing and why he was successful. So we are left with a maudling tale of adulterous gay relationships which ruin a reportedly great man. So what? We knew that!

All a bit pointless and irrelevant. Watch Rupert Everett in Maurice instead.

Same thing, just less self important.

Oscar Fry

Stephen Fry seems like the perfect choice for Oscar Wilde. He plays the part extremely well and gives the character depth beyond the usual somewhat two dimensional portrayal.

The script is a little slow in places but never boring.

Good acting but a poor film

Not the "all time great" that it was heralded to be. If simulated sex scenes are necessary the director should at least have got the geometry right. Somewhat cloying, really, all in all. A disappointment, because I'd looked forward to it.

stephen fry does a good job playing wilde in the well told story of his notariety

The perfect film for Stephen Fry who plays Oscar Wilde perfectly without having to try too hard. A good story and enjoyable insight into the life of a genius. Recommended.