Intcatinfo
A Masterpiece!
Ariella Broughton
It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.
Billy Ollie
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
Allissa
.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
Matt Roberts
Amma Asante's movie is based on a true story which revolves around a painting from 1779 and events leading to what many saw as the beginning of the abolishment of the slave trade in England.Dido Elizabeth Belle (Mbatha-Raw) is the mixed race illegitimate daughter of a navy admiral who is brought over to England and raised by her great uncle the Earl of Mansfield (Wilkinson) the Lord Chief Justice. Her life within the immediate family is happy and settled and she becomes very close to other niece being looked after Elizabeth Murray (Gadon), but underlying racism and ignorance of the time exclude Belle from a certain social gatherings, leaving her to eat with the servants.When Belle inherits a fortune the dynamic between her and Elizabeth does change as all of sudden suiters for her hand now start to appear with her new found wealth. Belle however falls for John Davinier (Reid) son of a local clergyman, wanting to better himself in life and train as a lawyer under Lord Mansfield. His outspoken views on a case the Lord is ruling on which involves the slave trade.The period costume and setting are visually stunning but it is the performances that really catch the eye. Mbatha-Raw is a revelation, in every scene, bewilderment of living in such privilege but having to endure such prejudice. One scene in front of a mirror where she almost wants to tear her skin off carries such power in the simplicity of its execution. The support is excellent, Wilkinson gets better with time and while he carries all the authority, power and standing of an Earl of the time, he still shows vulnerability as a parent figure and also subtle humour in the role. Reid will also win many admirers for his turn as Davinier not just wide-eyed and idealistic he oozes underdog charm.This isn't just a film about racism, albeit taking part in a time where nowadays we really can not understand how deep rooted the ignorance of skin colour was. It also takes a close look at class and sexism, two forms of prejudice that still exist more greatly in the modern world and need just as much attention.
padres01
I admire the work and beauty of British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and watched "Belle" knowing I'd probably like it. However, I was not prepared to like it as much as I did. The story was much more complex and richly told than the plot summary and photo on iTunes would indicate. This is an intelligent period film with good storytelling, dialogue, costumes and great casting. I absolutely loved Tom Wilkinson and other British favorites. Mbatha-Raw is spellbinding and charming. The story was inspirational and uplifting and, unbelievably, based on a true story. You'll want to know more about the real-life Belle after watching this film.
babsd-06578
The true story of a beautiful biracial girl being raised by her aristocratic uncle, alongside her white cousin in 18th century England. Dido Elizabeth Belle Lindsay, the daughter of a Royal Navy Captain and a rescued slave, is afforded all the privileges of her wealthy lineage, except those which her skin color and illegitimacy deny her. Though her aunt and uncle adore her, they resign to the fact that she will never be able to marry a gentleman, and they couldn't bear to allow her to marry a commoner so they brace her to the fact that she must learn to live alone and appreciate the luxuries so few of her race will ever have. Interestingly, though, Dido catches the interest of two men: one a gentleman with his eye on her inheritance, and the other a middle class man, fighting to abolish slavery, who sees Dido for the beautiful human being that she is. While marriage is of interest to Dido, a far more important issue holds her attention – her unique position to possibly unhinge England's powerful slave industry.This romantic drama is a blend of "Pride and Prejudice" meets "Amazing Grace." Being an historical representation, the plot and conclusion are necessarily predictable, however the scripting and acting more than make up for it. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, whose previous work was mainly on the small screen, shone with raw emotion as Dido in moments of both tenderness and righteous indignation. Ubiquitous character actor Tom Wilkinson showed a fine balance as Dido's uncle, Lord Mansfield, who held the unenviable position of guarding Dido's heart while deciding the fate of the slave trade, knowing what it meant for his country's economy. Maybe the weakest link, if there was one, was the mediocre acting of Tom Felton whose typecast slime-ball character was right on target for the role of James Ashford.Although overlooked by the biggest Hollywood awards, "Belle" has received numerous awards for its depiction of the life and impact of this remarkable woman and the family that supported her. Gugu Mbatha-Raw has rightfully been recognized for this breakthrough role that will hopefully be the launch of a lustrous big screen career. I would give this movie 9 out of 10 stars for superb lead acting, writing and directing.
MovieHoliks
I was recently looking up a list of slavery-related films off Wikipedia, and this fairly recent 2013 film showed up, and I had remembered adding it to my watch list on HBO GO, so thought I'd give it a go.This work of "historical fiction" is based on one particular painting, and what is known about it. Now the lead actress is a real cutey-p'tutey, and the cast is first-rate-->> Matthew Goode of the recent "Imitation Game", Tom Wilkinson, etc.. But the overall movie itself TBH was just kinda boring. The production values are first-rate, as are the performances, but the movie never really "takes off" to any great degree. I'm on the fence on this one...