Amelia (2009)
Average Rating: 4.4/10
Reviews Counted: 155
Fresh: 32 | Rotten: 123
Amelia takes the compelling raw materials of its subject's life and does little with them, conventionally ticking off Earhart's accomplishments without exploring the soul of the woman.
Average Rating: 4.4/10
Critic Reviews: 38
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 32
Amelia takes the compelling raw materials of its subject's life and does little with them, conventionally ticking off Earhart's accomplishments without exploring the soul of the woman.
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Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 99,009
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Movie Info
Hilary Swank and Richard Gere star in director Mira Nair's biopic tracing the life of famed aviator Amelia Earhart -- who made history in 1932 by becoming the first woman ever to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The trip made the aviatrix a national celebrity -- with help from her publicist George Putnam (Gere), whom she fell in love with and eventually married. Their union was tested, however, as Earhart developed feelings for contemporary Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor ), and the couple's
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Cast
-
Hilary Swank
Amelia Earhart -
Richard Gere
George Putnam -
Ewan McGregor
Gene Vidal -
Christopher Eccleston
Fred Noonan -
Joe Anderson
Bill Stultz -
Cherry Jones
Eleanor Roosevelt -
Mia Wasikowska
Elinor Smith -
Aaron Abrams
Slim Gordon -
Matthew Dylan Roberts
Leo Bellarts -
Scott Yaphe
William Dalten -
Tom Fairfoot
Balfour -
Ryann Shane
Young Amelia -
William Cuddy
Gore Vidal -
Elizabeth Shepherd
Frances Putnam -
Richard Donat
Gallagher -
Scott G. Anderson
Parade Reporter -
Keelin Jack
Student -
Sarah Kitz
George's Secretary -
Jeremy Akerman
Sheriff -
Derek Keurvorst
Minister -
Thomas Hauff
Man at Opera House -
Sarah Dood
1st Woman at Opera -
Danielle Bourgon
2nd Woman at Opera -
Hamish McEwan
Paul -
Michael Daly
Frank Cipriani -
Jeffrey Knight
Commander -
Paul Johnston
Thomas O'Hare -
Michael Richard
Reporter #1 -
Daniel Janks
Reporter #2 -
Ron Smerczac
Reporter #3 -
Kerin McCue
Movie Tone Announcer -
Richard Lothian
Coast Guard Man -
Divine Brown
Torch Singer -
Elizabeth Saunders
Louise Thaden -
Precious Chong
Gladys O'Donnell -
Kathryn Haggis
Powder Puff Aviator -
Duane Murray
Cleveland Reporter -
Joe Renzi
Welsh Singer -
Geoff Gillespie
Welsh Singer
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Amelia Trailer & Photos
All Critics (156) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (33) | Rotten (124) | DVD (15)
It has beautiful cinematography, a star performance that is shocking in its authenticity, a careful eye for nuance and detail and an irresistible blend of action and romance that should spell automatic success.
Top CriticInoffensive, arcane and ultimately rather sweet, 'Amelia' is one to take your grandmother to.
Wwhy does such an exciting life make such a dull movie?
Amelia is handsome yet predictable and high-minded -- not a dud, exactly, but too proper, too reserved for its swaggering subject.
It's all so glancing and superficial that the movie doesn't seem to have a present tense. It goes by like coming attractions. It is, however, a treasury of bad biopic dialogue.
Directed by Mira Nair and executive-produced by its star Hilary Swank, the movie seems oddly preoccupied with the audience's approval for its subject.
As a rule, biopics are really hard to do, and that's because it's almost impossible to strike the perfect balance between truth and drama.
What on the surface looks like a plush period piece with best picture aspirations, is actually a bland biopic of an otherwise interesting figure in Amelia.
Stuart Dryburgh's sweeping panoramas of Canada and Cape Town %u2013 standing in for Nairobi, Papua New Guinea and Hawaii %u2013 deserve to be enjoyed on the big screen.
Feels like a tomb, lending itself to a slow, quiet pace that's possibly meant to be reflective but is instead dirgelike.
While Amelia was no airhead, the film flies above the fray, barely skimming the surface of a life and time, including traumatic world wars, the Great Depression and her mystery disappearance.
While Amelia was no airhead, the film flies above the fray, barely skimming the surface of a life and time, including traumatic world wars, the Great Depression and her mystery disappearance.
Watching Ms. Swank struggle to emote through carefully-patterned enunciation is an exercise in patience.
Never takes off.
Amelia provides only a cursory look at Earhart's commercialization, more a way to delineate her marriage troubles than investigate her self-image or her treatment as a pop star.
Much like one of Earhart's trans-Atlantic flights Amelia just goes on and on without deviation.
When it takes to the skies Amelia really soars with thrilling recreations of Earhart's solo flights but when it returns to earth all that remains is soap opera.
Swank's moving performance, the period dressing and beautiful planes all appeal, but dramatically it doesn't really soar.
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