Amelia…

Amelia Review

09 Nov 2009

Critics rating: 2 stars out of 5

Reviewed by Tom Charity , LOVEFiLM

Everybody's favourite aviatrix, Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, once as a hyped-up backseat driver, and then again, solo, in 1932.

Starring Ewan McGregor, Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Mia Wasikowska

Director Mira Nair

Genres Audio Descriptive, Drama

Run time 111 mins Certificate PG

Cast details

Hilary Swank

Born: 30 Jul 1974
Bellingham, Washington

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It’s the disappearance that gives Amelia mystique. It also supplies this disappointingly run of the mill biopic with its most effective sequence, the ending. There’s not much excitement in the hour and a half that leads up to it.

To be fair, the movie doesn’t seem invested in excitement. It’s aimed at a more mature, middle-of-the-road film fan, someone who likes to wallow in period costumes and old aircraft, and enjoys a bit of romance sprinkled tastefully into his/her history lesson.

Double Oscar-winner Hilary Swank is presumably the film’s raison d’etre, and she gets stuck into the role, flashing a toothy grin and cocking her chin forward with plucky determination, her hair cropped in boyish disregard… it’s Katharine Hepburn in jodhpurs and a leather jacket.

This Amelia is simultaneously a reluctant clotheshorse for various celebrity endorsements (by no means a new phenomenon) and a symbol of modern, independent womanhood. She lives with the former in as far as it finances her expensive passion, and because she falls in love with her PR guru, George Putnam (Richard Gere). But the role of proto-feminist high-flyer she embraces with gusto, encouraging young girls to follow in her slipstream and even taking Eleanor Roosevelt up for a late night aerial tour of the capitol.

Amelia: Richard Gere

Swank is always watchable, but the script (by Ron Bass and Anna Hamilton Phelan) is a dull plod through Earhart’s glory years, and the movie might have been edited with garden shears, there’s so little flow or finesse. That’s a disappointment coming from director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding), an erratic filmmaker who seems out of her element here.

An affair with Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor), Gore’s dad, is handled with such kid gloves it seems like a superfluous diversion, and Richard Gere brings nothing but his ticky “charm” to the table.

What drove Earhart to such daring accomplishments? The film never goes there, except for a brief aside about the drunken father who raised her. Swank shows us conviction and fortitude, but the movie would have been more interesting if it had allowed a few cracks in her make up.

Double Oscar-winner Hilary Swank is presumably the film's raison d'etre, and she gets stuck into the role, flashing a toothy grin and cocking her chin forward with plucky determination.

Amelia isn’t terrible: it’s handsomely photographed and sober as a judge – you may even learn a few things – but it feels dutiful and conventional, which is probably the last thing Earhart would have wanted.

Amelia Reviews

Critic's review of Amelia
View all (1)
- Amelia it is called, and Ameliaâ"Earhart, that isâ"ye shall receive. Executive producer and star Hilary Swank... read more on Time Out
- 93237
- - Keith Uhlich
  - Time Out
  - 10 Feb 2010 at 02:32
Most helpful member's review of Amelia
View all members' reviews (31)
- - 16
  - 2
  superb............................
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  I have always been fascinated by the Amelia Earhart story, and this film is centred around Amelia Earhart's ill-fated attempt to fly around the world in ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 829306
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - williamsgwynfa
  - 627 reviews
  - gwaenysgor
  - 09 Nov 2009 at 11:37
Most recent members' reviews of Amelia
View all members' reviews (31)
- - 0
  - 0
  Women's Lib and Flying
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  I found this film quite boring unfortunately. I expected it to be really good so I think that's why I was so disappointed.
  
  I was so bored that I ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1082814
- - a customer
  - 17 Jan 2012 at 12:40
- - 0
  - 0
  Sadly lacking, not their fault
  
  I would really have loved to love this film. Faithful treatment with quality cast and fine filming about an extraordinary woman, but in the end long distance ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1035575
- - Jeremiaz
  - 5 reviews
  - London
  - 31 Aug 2011 at 19:12
- - 0
  - 0
  Doesn't make it off the runway
  
  This was a non-starter from the off. If you are interested in old aircraft, trail-blazers, air pioneers etc then get yourself a good book instead - this film ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1015433
- - CabinFever
  - 7 reviews
  - 10 Jul 2011 at 19:06
View all members' reviews (31)

- - 16
  - 2
  superb............................
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  I have always been fascinated by the Amelia Earhart story, and this film is centred around Amelia Earhart's ill-fated attempt to fly around the world in ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 829306
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - williamsgwynfa
  - 627 reviews
  - gwaenysgor
  - 09 Nov 2009 at 11:37
- - 10
  - 1
  Dull biopic
  
  This really is a mess, from the flimsy script to Swank's overly mannered performance. Amelia Earhart may well be a legendary American pilot but here she ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 872465
- - Scott Thompson
  - London, England
  - 14 Mar 2010 at 21:03
- - 4
  - 0
  Great potential wasted
  
  With its great true story and great cast this film had the opportunity to be really very good. Instead I found it largely stilled and flat. It was hard to buy ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 871893
- - luckychelle
  - Birmingham, England
  - 12 Mar 2010 at 19:28
- - 1
  - 0
  Crashed and burned
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  I was very dissapointed by this film which I was so looking forward to watching. I really dont know any more about Amelia after watching the film than I ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 888892
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Debdor
  - 40 reviews
  - Wotton-Under-Edge
  - 04 May 2010 at 10:52
- - 1
  - 0
  Worthy but SO tedious
  
  Amelia's purple prose was true to what she wrote, I assume? It set the tone for a very boring film that rarely sparked into life, a real disappointment.
  
  Report this review
- 911143
- - a customer
  - Morpeth
  - 03 Aug 2010 at 21:11
- - 1
  - 0
  Worst Than Boring !!
  
  Worst Than Boring !!
  
  Awful
  
  Report this review
- 946565
- - a customer
  - birmingham
  - 13 Dec 2010 at 12:32
- - 0
  - 0
  Could have been good
  
  A bit slow and dull and it could have been a really good movie as she had a very interesting life.
  
  Report this review
- 873682
- - Jaytay
  - 3 reviews
  - Bristol
  - 18 Mar 2010 at 09:20
- - 0
  - 0
  Amelia
  
  This was an OK film, if a bit slow, I think it skimmed her life story.
  
  The acting was a bit wooden too, almost as if the cast had no interest in the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 876835
- - a customer
  - wales
  - 26 Mar 2010 at 09:15
- - 0
  - 0
  not a high flier
  
  i found this very slow and hardgoing at times. it was only towards the end that it really picked up. by then it all seemed too late. they could have done it a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 876956
- - showmethemoney
  - 415 reviews
  - South Wales
  - 26 Mar 2010 at 14:23
- - 0
  - 0
  Dull and disappointing
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  Not one of Hilary Swank's better films, in fact I found her thigh slapping, 'golly-jee-wizzing' and general up-beatedness profoundly irritating...... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 878667
- - a customer
  - Kent
  - 31 Mar 2010 at 06:57

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Critic's review
- Amelia it is called, and Ameliaâ"Earhart, that isâ"ye shall receive. Executive producer and star Hilary Swank... read more on Time Out
- 93237
- - Keith Uhlich
  - Time Out
  - 10 Feb 2010 at 02:32

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