Rate this Movie 
O (2001)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted:123
Fresh:78
Rotten:45
Average Rating:6/10
Consensus: Though well-intentioned and serious in its exploration of teen violence, O is an uneven experiment that doesn't quite succeed.
Theatrical Release:Aug 31, 2001 Wide
Box Office: $15,540,020
Synopsis: A contemporary retelling of Othello, Shakespeare's timeless tale of treachery and jealousy, O will perhaps introduce a new audience to the genius of William Shakespeare and some of his most... [More]
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Mekhi Phifer, Julia Stiles, John Heard
Director: Tim Blake Nelson
Get This Movie
Reviews for O
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Click to read the article Full Review |
|||
|
Click to read the article Full Review |
|||
|
Click to read the article Full Review |
|||
 2.5/5 |
The presence of old lags Martin Sheen and John Heard just beggars belief. What were they thinking? Full Review |
||
|
|
This arty melodrama is not likely to make teenage America get down with Shakespeare. Full Review |
||
 |
It's highly enjoyable and well acted, with the Iago figure better motivated than in the original play, no single line of which has been retained except for the odd echo. Full Review |
||
|
|
This transferral of the tragedy of the Moor to a contempo American high school is something that never should have gone further than a class assignment to see if it could be made to work. Full Review |
||
|
|
Helmer Nelson has fashioned a clever premise, helped along by a smart ensemble that manages to highlight Shakespeare's work without parodying it--no small accomplishment. Full Review |
||
|
4/5 |
Hartnett never allows him to become a hissable villain, keeping Hugo shy of our sympathies, yet his every move is utterly believable. Full Review |
||
|
C+ |
Long on the Shelf, O is well directed and decently acted, but its narrative, while more or less faithful to Shakespeare, tried to do too much, pushing the characters and their emotions to unreasonable and unconvincing extremes. Full Review |
||
|
|
Credit, none the less, to the film-makers' game, unpatronising approach, and to Phifer and Stiles as compelling innocents. Full Review |
||
|
4.5/5 |
Leave it to Hollywood to make a bold, challenging film for teens (and adults) only to let it collect dust on a shelf as proposed release dates were set, then scratched, many times over. Full Review |
||
|
3.5/5 |
A well crafted and thoughtful film. Full Review |
||
|
70/100 |
There’s an air of authenticity to the proceedings here, and stylistic pretension never obscures good storytelling. Full Review |
||
|
Click to read the article Full Review |
|||
|
|
Let the film stand on its own and not amiss controversy. Full Review |
||
|
1.5/5 |
An intriguing experiment on paper, but a throwaway onscreen. Full Review |
||
|
2.5/4 |
While O does contain some good performances and a creative sense of direction by Tim Blake Nelson, the film never really becomes anything more than a curiosity. Full Review |
||
|
B |
The film's top acting kudos go to Mekhi Phifer. Full Review |
||
|
4/5 |
This is definitely worth watching, thanks to the performances and Nelson's direction. Full Review |
CommentLatest News for O
July 21, 2008:
Brush Up On Your Shakespeare With Our List Of The Bard's Best Films
Friends, readers, Tomato-fans, lend me your ears. Not stepping o'er the bounds of modesty, we at RT humbly present to you the Greatest Shakespeare Movies, a list of the Bard's... More...
June 28, 2006:
Bosworth and Bloom to Brave the Depression Together
Orlando Bloom and Kate Bosworth are two seriously photogenic young stars who've never worked together. That's about to change. The pair will co-star in a Depression-era drama... More...
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!
Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.
Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.
TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.
Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos
Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!
RSS Feeds