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Elegy (2008)

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Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 114
Fresh: 85 | Rotten: 29

An intelligent, adult, and provocative Philip Roth adaptation that features classy performances, Elegy is never quite the sum of its parts.

Average Rating: 7/10
Critic Reviews: 29
Fresh: 22 | Rotten: 7

An intelligent, adult, and provocative Philip Roth adaptation that features classy performances, Elegy is never quite the sum of its parts.

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Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 71,664

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Movie Info

Adapted from author Philip Roth's novel The Dying Animal, director Isabel Coixet's elegant tale of obsession explores the relationship between a highly respected professor (Ben Kingsley) and an impossibly gorgeous grad student (Pen�lope Cruz). As their relationship deepens, the professor finds his ego challenged by the girl's enchanting beauty. Dennis Hopper and Patricia Clarkson co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

R, 1 hr. 52 min.

Drama

Directed By: Isabel Coixet

Written By: Nicholas Meyer

In Theaters: Feb 10, 2008 Wide

On DVD: Mar 17, 2009

Box Office:$3.5M

MGM

Elegy Trailer & Photos

More Photos (17)

Cast

Penelope Cruz
Consuela Castillo
Ben Kingsley
David Kepesh
Dennis Hopper
George
Patricia Clarkson
Carolyn
Peter Sarsgaard
Kenny Kapesh
Deborah Harry
Amy
Charlie Rose
Charlie Rose
Antonio Cupo
2nd Student
Michelle Harrison
Beth
Emily Holmes
1st Student
Chelah Horsdal
Reese
Marci T. House
Administration Nurse
Alessandro Juliani
Actor #3 in Play
Tiffany Lyndall-Knight
Actor #2 in Play
Andre Lamal
Talk Show Host
Shaker Paleja
3rd Student
Kris Pope
Consuela's Brother
Julian Richings
Actor in Play #1
Tania Saulnier
George's Girlfriend
Michael Teigen
Waiter
Laura Mennell
Cute Girl

Critic Reviews for Elegy

All Critics (118) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (86) | Rotten (30) | DVD (2)

With his fierce, impeccable craft Kingsley shows us around David's tortured, preening, desperate psyche.

November 10, 2008 Full Review Source: Film.com

| Comment

Jonathan F. Richards

Film.com

Top Critic

Sparse, low-budget drama, helmed by Spaniard Isabel Coixet, intelligently translates Roth's meditation on lust and mortality without soft-pedaling its narrator's brutally honest, unabashedly sexist views.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Leslie Felperin

Variety

Top Critic

Penelope Cruz is outstanding in an otherwise lame male fantasy.

October 18, 2008 Comments (3)

Ray Bennett

Hollywood Reporter

Top Critic

Elegy is a rare treat: a serious film that, thanks to Kingsley and the rest, doesn't seem to take itself too seriously.

September 4, 2008 Full Review Source: Arizona Republic

| Comment

Bill Goodykoontz

Arizona Republic

Top Critic

A remarkable example of the actor at his best -- conveying wounded hurt or burning hunger with a glance.

August 29, 2008 Full Review Source: Newark Star-Ledger

| Comment

Stephen Whitty

Newark Star-Ledger

Top Critic

Elegy gives Ben Kingsley one of the best roles of his career.

August 22, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Andrea Gronvall

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

A proven favorite, the Horny Old Devil Professor - Ben Kingsley in Isabel Coixet's intelligent but weepy drama.

August 15, 2011 Full Review Source: East Bay Express

| Comment

Kelly Vance

East Bay Express

Your final affection for this literary treat of sorts is how well you accept the finale, which is touching, and intellectually potent, yet possibly one depressant too many.

July 29, 2011 Full Review Source: GreenCine

| Comment

Brandon Judell

GreenCine

There are moments when the story sags, as it postures and revels in its own eloquence, but with strong performances and a moving final act, this is still a fine, thought-provoking film.

October 23, 2009 Full Review Source: Times-Picayune

| Comment

Mike Scott

Times-Picayune

No se ubica entre lo mejor de la directora Isabel Coixet, pero es de todos modos una interesante y sensible reflexi�n sobre la soledad, el amor, el sexo y la madurez. Gran trabajo de Ben Kingsley.

April 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Uruguay Total

| Comment

Enrique Buchichio

Uruguay Total

A film which stays and stays.

April 10, 2009 Full Review Source: MovieTime, ABC Radio National

| Comment

Julie Rigg

MovieTime, ABC Radio National

An intelligent tale of aging, beauty, love and loss.

April 10, 2009 Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia)

| Comment

Jenni Dawes

FILMINK (Australia)

Coixet has blunted the impact of the novel's ending just as she has softened Roth's misanthropic depiction of Kepesh and, as a result, she's taken flak for being over-polite. I didn't care.

April 10, 2009 Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald

| Comment

Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

Ben Kingsley is extraordinary, but Penelope Cruz is just astounding as Consuela. It is really a beautiful film.

April 3, 2009 Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia)

| Comment

Margaret Pomeranz

At the Movies (Australia)

Beauty, obsession and longing are the central themes of this hypnotic but ultimately flawed drama in which Ben Kingsley's ageing college professor falls in lust with Penelope Cruz' stunning and vulnerable student.

April 2, 2009 Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile

| Comment

Louise Keller

Urban Cinefile

A carefully observed, well acted autumnal character study that plays nicely on the small screen, in a dimly lit den, with a nice glass of wine.

March 20, 2009 Full Review Source: Shared Darkness

| Comment

Brent Simon

Shared Darkness

Penelope's gullible college coed swoons when the lecherous lecturer played by Ben Kingsley confesses that he's fallen in love with her breasts. You've come a long way backwards, baby. Penelope Cruz Boob Fetish Blues.

March 14, 2009 Full Review Source: NewsBlaze

| Comment (1)

Prairie Miller

NewsBlaze

March 14, 2009 Full Review Source: NewsBlaze

| Comment

Prairie Miller

NewsBlaze

runs out of ideas, and efforts to jog the proceedings can't get it back on track

February 19, 2009 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com

| Comment

Pete Croatto

Filmcritic.com

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Elegy

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I liked it despite it's relatively low rating. It portrays the raw and sharp edges of lust and love. Kingsley is charming and Penelope is as beautiful as ever!

November 16, 2010

Saskia D.

Super Reviewer

I had initially rated Elegy much higher than this, but have changed that now with the review. I watched the film a couple weeks ago - and enjoyed it - but the thing is that absolutely nothing stuck around; there is absolutely nothing particularly remarkable about the film. Penelope Cruz is charming, feisty, and

October 23, 2010

Jake ....

Super Reviewer

Elegy Quotes

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1. David Kepesh: Times passes when you're not looking.
– Submitted by Hamish A (10 months ago)
1. David Kepesh: When you make love to a woman you get revenge for all the things that defeated you in life.
– Submitted by Hamish A (10 months ago)

Character	Quote
	Enter quote here...	Delete

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