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Up at the Villa (2000)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.2/10
Reviews Counted: 59
Fresh: 27 | Rotten: 32

A poor script and an aimless plot keep this film from engaging the audience.

Average Rating: 4.8/10
Critic Reviews: 20
Fresh: 7 | Rotten: 13

A poor script and an aimless plot keep this film from engaging the audience.

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Average Rating: 3/5
User Ratings: 1,059

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Movie Info

A woman left alone by the death of her husband finds her love life has become suddenly and dangerously complicated in this drama. Mary Panton (Kristin Scott Thomas) is a British woman living in Italy in 1938 who has been financially ruined by the death of her husband. Edgar (James Fox), an aging diplomat, asks Mary for her hand in marriage, and while she doesn't love him, she longs for the security of a husband and asks for a few days to consider the proposal. The next evening, Mary is invited

PG-13, 1 hr. 54 min.

Drama, Romance, Mystery & Suspense

Directed By: Philip Haas

Written By: Belinda Haas

In Theaters: May 5, 2000 Wide

On DVD: May 1, 2001

Universal Pictures

Up at the Villa Trailer & Photos

Cast

Kristin Scott Thomas
Mary Panton
Sean Penn
Rowley Flint
Anne Bancroft
Princess San Ferdinando
James Fox
Sir Edgar Swift
Jeremy Davies
Karl Richter
Derek Jacobi
Lucky Leadbetter
Massimo Ghini
Beppino Leopardi

Critic Reviews for Up at the Villa

All Critics (80) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (27) | Rotten (32) | DVD (3)

An intelligent version of Somerset Maugham's 1941 novella.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Derek Elley

Variety

Top Critic

I found myself rooting for these foolish, pampered, na�ve people, and rooting for the movie as well.

January 1, 2000 Comment

Robert Horton

Film.com

Top Critic

Vintage lemon.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

A.O. Scott

New York Times

Top Critic

The question is, why should audiences care? Apart from some beautiful scenic photography, this film gives them little reason to.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News

| Comment

Philip Wuntch

Dallas Morning News

Top Critic

Kristin Scott Thomas just makes an already annoying character--Mary is whiny and selfish--even more grating with her broad, overly mannered performance.

October 17, 2007 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com

| Comment

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

Here's a tip for casting directors: If you want your female lead to be sympathetic, do not hire Kristen Scott Thomas.

June 18, 2002 Full Review | Comment

Jeffrey Westhoff

Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

To inject some comedy into this dull film Derek Jacobi has a small part as a drag queen...

April 14, 2002 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Unveils the different shades of love and the ways we can unsettle our lives through impulsive sex.

March 13, 2002 Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice

| Comment

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality and Practice

A travelogue that would be nice were it not so difficult to stay awake.

February 14, 2002 Full Review Source: Matinee Magazine

| Comment

Chuck Rudolph

Matinee Magazine

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Up at the Villa

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I had almost forgotten how dashing Sean Penn used to be quite a few years ago. The combination of Kristin Scott Thomas, and Sean Penn, is quite good in this nice little period drama. Slow moving...but nice.

September 9, 2011

Cynthia S.

Super Reviewer

I found the movie interesting. Mary has problems. She has no money, and she has been unlucky in marriage. She is proposed to by an Englishman quite a bit older than her. Now does she marry for convenience or not. Of course a young Sean Penn complicates things, and a local immigrant complicates things even more!

September 14, 2007