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The Remains of the Day (1993)

tomatometer

97

Average Rating: 8.4/10
Reviews Counted: 38
Fresh: 37 | Rotten: 1

Smart, elegant, and blessed with impeccable performances from Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, The Remains of the Day is a Merchant-Ivory classic.

88

Average Rating: 8.3/10
Critic Reviews: 8
Fresh: 7 | Rotten: 1

Smart, elegant, and blessed with impeccable performances from Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, The Remains of the Day is a Merchant-Ivory classic.

audience

86

liked it
Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 21,888

My Rating

Movie Info

Filmed with the usual meticulous attention to period and detail of films from Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, The Remains of the Day is based on a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. Anthony Hopkins plays Stevens, the "perfect" butler to a prosperous British household of the 1930s. He is so unswervingly devoted to serving his master, a well-meaning but callow British lord (James Fox), that he shuts himself off from all emotions and familial relationships. New housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson) tries

PG, 2 hr. 14 min.

Drama, Romance

Nov 6, 2001

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Cast

All Critics (38) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (1) | DVD (10)

The actors keep this interesting, but as a story it drifts and rambles.

February 11, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comments (3)
Chicago Reader
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All the meticulousness, intelligence, taste and superior acting that one expects from Merchant Ivory productions have been brought to bear.

February 11, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
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Here's a film for adults. It's also about time to recognize that Mr. Ivory is one of our finest directors, something that critics tend to overlook because most of his films have been literary adaptations.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
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What do you call filmmakers who make literary entertainment box office in the age of Beavis and Butt-bead? Try miracle workers.

May 12, 2001 Comment
Rolling Stone
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Put Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson and James Fox together and you can expect sterling performances.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
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A subtle, thoughtful movie.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comment
Chicago Sun-Times
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Moves rather slowly, but the actors and their understated chemistry keep the film riveting, building to a climax that is absolutely heartrending.

December 28, 2008 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | Comment
TheMovieReport.com

Merchant-Ivory's best film by a mile.

February 11, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

Though it offers a host of fine performances in a smoothly crafted, adult drama of unfulfilled love, it lacks the cumulative dramatic impact of the team's best work.

February 11, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

The narrative structure (long flashbacks, letters) is awkward but the actors (Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson in top form) attention to detail is meticulous and piercing considering how muted the emotions are.

December 23, 2006 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | Comment

Who else but Merchant Ivory to give the big-screen treatment to Ishiguro's Booker Prize-winning novel about class, fascism and the stiff upper lip?

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

First time I saw it, it destroyed me. Subsequent viewings have not improved my condition.

September 24, 2005 Comment
Needcoffee.com

My choice for the best film of 1993. Impeccably acted and very moving. Anthony Hopkins is phenomenal as Stevens the repressed butler.

September 16, 2005 Comment
Fantastica Daily

A touching tale laced with unforgettable performances

May 6, 2005 Comment
Film Threat

Depending on one's taste for Mechant-Ivory, this is one of their stronger efforts.

May 23, 2004 Comment
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Impeccable lead performances

June 3, 2003 Comment
Lawrence Journal-World
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Remains of the Day

While the movie was full of excellent performances, the story itself didn't leave an impression strong enough on me (yeah, again expectations were high, thanks to IMDb ratings). Besides, the execution wasn't effective enough to keep me glued to the movie. If anything was done quite right, it was the casting of the

June 4, 2011
imrealgod

Super Reviewer

I am a sucker for starched-collar, buttoned-down romance, and this movie is pretty much the definition of that. Also, it has old people. I LOVE old people love stories. Ishiguro I'm not too crazy about, but I can forgive him.

April 29, 2011
jennifxu

Super Reviewer

    1. Stevens: In my philosophy, Mr. Benn, a man cannot call himself well-contented until he has done all he can to be of service to his employer. Of course, this assumes that one's employer is a superior person, not only in rank, or wealth, but in moral stature.
    – Submitted by Chad E (3 months ago)
    1. Stevens: If two members of staff have to fall in love and decide to get married, there's nothing one can say. But what I do find a major irritation are those persons who are simply going from post to post looking for romance.
    – Submitted by rob g (9 months ago)
    1. Stevens: I don't believe a man can consider himself fully content until he has done all he can to be of service to his employer.
    – Submitted by rob g (9 months ago)

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Foreign Titles

  • Remains of the Day (DE)
  • Remains of the Day (CA)
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