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Onegin on DVD (1999)

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Average rating: (66%)
14189201419213
3.0
 
Starring: Ralph Fiennes | Liv Tyler | Toby Stephens | Lena Headey | Alun Armstrong | Harriet Walter | Irene Worth | Jason Watkins | Francesca Annis | Martin Donovan | Simon McBurney
Director: Martha Fiennes
Studio: ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO
Run time: 106 mins
Certificate: 12
User collections: Eclectic Mix
Genres: Drama
Languages: English
Released: 05/06/2000

Brief synopsis of Onegin

Onegin (Fiennes) is a bored, unaffected St. Petersburg aristocrat who inherits his uncle's large estate. When he rejects the advances of his neighbor Tatyana (Tyler), her sister's fiance considers this an offense worth fighting over. In a senseless, tragic duel, Onegin prevails. Six years later, Onegin returns to St. Petersburg and is reintroduced to Tatyana. This time, he falls helplessly in love with her and discovers, crushingly, that she has already married and has no intention on reciprocating his emotions. Fienne's debut as a feature film director is aided greatly by Adefarasin's cinematography, brother Ralph's performance, and Tyler's mere appearance. Based on the classic verse novel EUGENE ONEGIN by Pushkin.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 3 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Ralph Fiennes is directed by his sister Martha in this ponderous adaptation of Pushkin's classic. Fiennes is well cast as lothario Evgeny Onegin, a decadent, dissipated aristocrat who moves to his recently deceased uncle's estate in rural Russia. There he proceeds to devastate the lives of all around him, rejecting the advances of the luscious Liv Tyler and driving affectionate bumpkin Toby Stephens into a deadly duel. Years later, he encounters Tyler again and falls hopelessly in love — but this realisation comes too late. Though beautifully shot, Onegin desperately needs pace, and the endless shots of Ralph's face show more sisterly devotion than emotion.

Rating of 1 stars out of 4 Halliwell's Film Guide

Sumptuous version of a classic tale of doomed love, but one that has an unwonted air of Anglo-Saxon repression about it; and Tyler is miscast.

Sight and Sound

"...Uniformly well acted....It is respectful and sincere....Visually splendid..."

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 2 starsStrange & Intense

A customer from East Lothian, Scotland , 11/07/2004

If you're looking for an easy going movie then look again, this film is intense from the outset. As with most of Ralph Fiennes' films it is rather dark and brooding. The acting is all top form, however the plot isn't, it continually jumps from place to place and backward and forward in time. If you take your eyes from the screen for more than a minute you'll be lost!

If you are not a staunch Ralph Fiennes fan then I wouldn't recommend it. However, if you are into dark, brooding, melodramas with great cinematography then this is the film for you.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 stars

Donna#65 from BRENTFORD , 01/10/2004

This atmospheric film captures the mood of a bored, affected aristocrat whose vanity motivates him to reject the love of an idealistic girl.

This film does a sterling job of conveying the ennui and decadence of the upper class in Russia and also depicts the shattering effect of rejecting and then realising love.

The biggest surprise of the film is Liv Tyler who is a revelation in her role.

Bittersweet and ultimately devastating in its cruel reality this film is a must see for all period drama lovers and hopeless romantics.

  4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 2 starsBeautiful but distant

jojo9 from norfolk , 22/11/2004

Beautifully shot film set in Russia. Rather torturous and well trodden "country girls falls in love with urbane sophisticated stranger from city but is spurned, waits for years, then marries another, then of course the object of her love then realises his love for her but it is too late".

A storyline which did not seem particularly believable, and a very annoying ending where everything just stops with no real satisfactory conclusion to the characters story.

  3 out of 5 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsSo very slow.

Dave from Cannock , 14/11/2005

I hardly expect period drama to be fast paced, but Onegin must surely be one of the slowest paced movies I have ever experienced. A pity, because the scenery and acting were both superb. I quickly became bored with it and it was a struggle to reach the end.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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