
Brideshead Revisited
2008, Drama/Romance, 2h 14m
140 Reviews 10,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
Suspenseful and beautifully mounted, Brideshead Revisited does an able job condensing Evelyn Waugh's novel. Read critic reviews
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Where to watch
Brideshead Revisited Photos
Movie Info
Befriended by aristocrat Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw), Oxford student Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) finds that the power and privilege experienced by the family is seductive. On a visit to Brideshead, the ancestral home, he falls in love with his friend's sister, Julia (Hayley Atwell). However, as Charles' ties to Sebastian and family deepen, he finds himself at odds with their strong Roman Catholicism.
Cast & Crew
Matthew Goode
Charles Ryder
Charles Ryder
Hayley Atwell
Julia Flyte
Julia Flyte
Ben Whishaw
Sebastian Flyte
Sebastian Flyte
Emma Thompson
Lady Marchmain
Lady Marchmain
Michael Gambon
Lord Marchmain
Lord Marchmain
Greta Scacchi
Cara
Cara
Critic Reviews for Brideshead Revisited
Audience Reviews for Brideshead Revisited
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May 09, 2010This is an interesting yet certainly not memorable drama with fine performances and a strong story about family, religion and faith in the context of the decadence of British aristocracy prior to WWII, and it may leave you thinking about it long after the film is over.Carlos M Super Reviewer
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Jan 14, 2010A British period drama, with Emma Thompson, who never disappoints.Juli R Super Reviewer
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Nov 24, 2009"Brideshead Revisited" starts in the 1920's as Charles Ryder(Matthew Goode) attends Oxford University as a first year history student. His cousin Jasper(Richard Teverson) gives him a tour around campus, informs him of the social rules and advises him to move his room from the ground floor. At which point, if on cue, Sebastian Flyte(Ben Whishaw) barges in and vomits on his floor. He apologizes profusely and he and Charles become good friends quickly, Sebastian even taking his poorer friend to the family home, Brideshead, for a quick visit. As they are leaving, Charles glances at Sebastian's sister Julia(Hayley Atwell) for a second. Ten years later, Charles will be a successful painter, encountering Julia while returning from abroad. "Brideshead Revisited" is an engaging, well-photographed and handsomely produced period piece. Surprisingly, the emphasis is not on class divisions, as Charles and Sebastian both have trouble fitting in with their respective families. What it comes down to is religion but not a specific belief system, just the severity of it, for there is a good deal of difference between the Catholicism practiced by Sebastian's mother(Emma Thompson) and the looser version observed in Italy. Even Brideshead cannot escape this influence, as it reminds me of a beautifully decorated mausoleum which would explain why the Flyte children thrive once they are away from it, especially considering Sebastian's attraction to other men. And the Flyte household is not the only inflexible entity, as Charles' atheism can be just as bad as any religious belief. Note: I should mention that I have not seen the 1981 miniseries of the same name. Maybe when I retire...Walter M Super Reviewer
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Sep 22, 2009I don't know the book and I never saw the tv series, so I can't compare, but I found this movie just perfect. It is slow, but that's one of its charms, time goes slowly over Brideshead and the people connected to it, and so few seem to change. Sebastian's wish is that time could stop and always be summer at Brideshead. Somehow, it comes true: they all look like ripen fruits waitting to be gathered.Alice S Super Reviewer
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