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Beginners
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Beginners

2011
Drama
1h 45m
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Avg Percentile 58.02% from 1648 total ratings

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(1647)
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Rated 06 Jul 2011
10
98th
The impossible task of trying to love and live, while dealing with an existential grief is handled expertly in "Beginners". It's a real rarity: A movie that feels genuine. Strip away the interactions, the small shifts in facial expressions and all the things unsaid, and you're left with a very ordinary movie. Fortunately these things can't be stripped away. They're part of the movie's flesh and blood. They're the very fabric of life. "Beginners" is pain and catharsis rolled into one.
Rated 15 Jul 2011
92
92nd
Because of its emotional honesty and maturity, it's simply not logical to write off its creativity and fascination with sadness as twee or "indie." It's brilliant, borderline WKW/playful 60s Godard for America.
Rated 04 Dec 2011
10
97th
I'm curious to know if Mélanie Laurent knows I am going to marry her.
Rated 24 Aug 2011
90
97th
"Beginners" is the most beautiful surprise of the year. The direction was just brilliant, the script fantastic, perfectly balancing between drama, comedy and romance, while the cast was great as well. Static films don't get any better. Take that, Jean-Luc!
Rated 03 Jan 2012
40
13th
So, this is a Miranda July-inspired dramedy about depressed, but tender people, with cute drawings, cool (but sad) lines -- what the hell, is this a Tumblr or a film? --, eccentric characters -- they try to be lovable, but they are just irritating --, a dog that communicates with human beings -- it's Miranda's pet, I'm quite sure --, inadequate flashbacks and this poseur thing of putting historical and personal events together. Ok. Phony.
Rated 24 Aug 2011
85
93rd
"Beginners" is a lovely treat with brains and heart to spare. Mills skillfully handles the back-and-forth structure and he has a sharp eye for the human condition. The performances are splendid (especially Plummer) while the seamless way in which comedic and dramatic elements are combined is refreshing. And if occasionally the quirkiness feels forced or some dialogues ring false, it's all forgiven because this is a film so tender and heart-piercing that will undoubtedly put a smile on your face.
Rated 05 Nov 2011
80
88th
I want to marry Mélanie Laurent!
Rated 20 Jul 2011
63
61st
Peel back the layers of forced ironic detachment (dog conversations, narration = barf) and its somewhat pat psychologizing, and it's surprisingly how deeply felt and occasionally thorny this one can be. Favorite moment in its fractured chronology: The point-where-to-go game, first shown as quirky romantic dalliance, earns weight after it becomes obvious it was first conceived by the protag's mother in a playful but somewhat cruel fit of passive-aggression.
Rated 16 Jul 2011
95
97th
This film spoke to me on a more personal level than most, as director Mike Mills takes on the nearly impossible task of trying to show the beauty of sadness. Everything about this film feels genuine and organic. McGregor and Laurent have amazing chemistry which only aids the realism of their romance. Besides a few moments that felt a bit too indie I was completely on board with this movie and it's message. Loved it.
Rated 04 Mar 2012
8
78th
(2nd viewing) Mills does a terrific job of scrutinizing its leads' despondent memories by way of getting through the day. While it unfolds rather disjointedly, I felt like treading familiar territory, as if I've known these people for a very long time and enjoyed my time spent with them. I wasn't involved with Plummer's character as much I had hoped but can see, given its resolution, how he fits the frame. McGr/Laurent are a match made in heaven, their offbeat relationship refreshingly honest.
Rated 28 Jun 2011
89
84th
While it falls victim to certain cutesy indie trappings, it never feels artificial and ultimately succeeds thanks to good performances and some refreshing formal experimentation.
Rated 07 Jul 2011
60
54th
The shift in time and place worked to perfection, equating the two separate stories, and their somewhat difficult quest for happiness. Showing happiness in a historical context gives the film a different perspective. The only downside is that the director is quite repetitive in defining the characters traits - balancing between Coppolla indie and 500 days of summer indie - he often chooses the latter, which I too bad. The cinematography shifted between the beautiful and the incredibly annoying.
Rated 07 Jul 2011
93
93rd
I feel a certain amount of vindication for defending Mill's first film Thumbsucker as something more than just another run-of-the-mill "quirky coming-of-age" pseudo-indie. While still undeniably retaining some aspects of forced "quirkiness" (but never enough to really lose their charm), Mill's second film is more Greenberg than Garden State, a remarkably mature and personal work that still probably won't earn many points for originality but nonetheless comes across as quite genuine and moving.
Rated 28 Nov 2011
80
78th
An utterly charming, beautifully acted story about lost and damaged souls making genuine attempts at securing happiness and affection for themselves. The quirky/offbeat style feels disjointed at times, but the film as a whole is refreshingly honest, downplaying the romance for a more subtle portrayal of love and commitment.
Rated 03 Mar 2023
65
48th
Oddly enough I was there for the sadness and got lost in the cuteness. Give me depressed Freud and even existential dog over those dates. I'm more of a wallower than a beginner though.
Rated 15 Jan 2012
84
55th
It's easy to take concepts like sadness and hope and dramatize them, but Beginners uses them in the first real portrayal I've seen in a while. Even when we're photo-sliding through memories, everything has an impact on the main characters and how they manage to love and live, smile and be sad, experience relationships and complexities. The heart of the film is too genuine to be bogged down by any indie philosophizing or gimmicks.
Rated 22 Sep 2011
87
97th
Every once in a while, you find an unexpected gem in the cinema: a film that does everything exactly right. Beginners's genuine feeling comes to life in exquisite performances by McGregor, Laurent and Plummer - while the humour (despite the topic of grief) is spot on. A few really clever or charming shots make this film feel a lot like Amélie - but so much more diverse.
Rated 24 Jul 2011
88
98th
A well-acted, well-made story with a quirky, eccentric, and heartbreaking sense of humor.
Rated 10 Mar 2012
40
19th
Plummer, McGregor and Laurent do well, with some of their work seeming at least semi-improvised, but Mills' direction style is peculiar. Aiming for an off-beat tone, his film becomes a superficial one, too confident of its own charms. Therefore neither of the two stories truly engage. Also, the jokes fizzle; a telepathic dog never was my idea of hilarity. Different, yet nothing special.
Rated 29 Feb 2012
45
38th
It has fine acting, but the characters are too quirky to catch my interest and they seem too unreal. This made the film unengaging and quite boring.
Rated 12 Oct 2011
65
33rd
12 Ekim 2011, filmekimi, abimle, atlas sinemasi & derin gorunen ama yuzeysel kalmis bir 'feel-good' film. Senaryo ve ritim konusunda sorunlu. Oyunculuklar hos.
Rated 16 Aug 2011
78
80th
This was one of the few movies I've seen in recent years that felt original and refreshing, especially the first half was great. Had really nice surprises like the costume party. "While I understand up to 150 words - I don't talk" has got to be one of my favourite movie diolagues ever.
Rated 31 Jul 2011
72
24th
Another one of those boy-meets-girl movies where the leads gaze longingly into each others' eyes, mumble philosophical nonsense, walk hand-in-hand, kiss, sit together in long awkward silences and listen to repetitive piano themes in flattering low sunlight. Problem. There's no substance to the story and no reason for us to care about these characters. And then, all the stuff with the gay dad didn't fit at all with the romance. 2 different films in one box. Pretentious and self-indulgent.
Rated 22 Oct 2011
50
24th
This is a film that thinks it's very hip and smart but is very far from either.
Rated 15 Dec 2011
77
81st
A very well-written story which unfortunately was a little slow at times....but still quite good, and worth watching for great acting and some interesting scenes.
Rated 28 Jan 2012
15
3rd
Biraz amerikan, biraz fransız olsun. Hem düz izleyiciye ulaşırız hem de entel kitleye. Gay mevzusunu da koyduk mu bir oyuncu oscar'ını da kaparız. Ama çok irite edici bir çift olmuşuz onu hesaba katmadık.
Rated 14 Jun 2011
86
82nd
Me: Hello, Internet. me interpreting internet with a deep voice: Hello, Bernard.
Rated 07 Feb 2012
80
59th
Adorable piece of work. I am really happy to see McGregor again showing decent performance. Their chemistry with Laurent looks very credible. Special thanks to the dog who deserved an animal Oscar, if there was any. Another good example how an unconventionl love story can put into a deep muse.
Rated 27 Dec 2011
88
64th
"Beginners" has a quirky charm about it thanks to a wonderfully unique style of storytelling. There's a lot of visual tricks thrown into the narrative, but they don't get in the way thanks to director Mike Mills' emotional attachment to the project. The raw emotion never gets lost, even amongst the quirkiness. Mills has a gem on his hands here with "Beginners". Films like this don't come along all that often and we need to appreciate this kind of quality filmmaking.
Rated 19 Aug 2011
40
6th
This is what a boring, depressed, charmless artiste looks like. This is what his boring actress girlfriend looks like. This is their boring bereft-of-passion romance. These are his hipster friends who ironically tag brick walls. Here is his charming gay father. And this is his father's dog whose thoughts appear on screen as subtitles - QUIRKY! All characters lack emotional depth. Bach's suite no. 1 is almost as cliche as Pachabel's Canon in D at this point. And: Why was this rated R?
Rated 04 Nov 2011
75
73rd
The movie captures two parallel scripts, coming to grips with the loss of a loved one and finding new love. The way these two scripts are woven together has been done well. the movie has some very good performance by all of the actors. The movie is clever and has some quirky humor. The movie is not something for everyone to watch.
Rated 21 Aug 2011
89
93rd
The pace drags a bit toward the end but a solid effort all around
Rated 20 Jul 2011
82
58th
Enjoyable lightweight character piece by Mike Mills, contrasting Oliver's (Ewan McGregor) budding love for Anna (Melanie Laurent) with his father's (Christopher Plummer) exploration of his own homosexuality, having come out after his wife's death. Mills' script has a bit too twee to be a complete success, but it's generally sincere; excellent performances from the three leads, especially Plummer, whose serenity in the face of his various tribulations (i.e. cancer) is truly moving.
Rated 16 Dec 2019
55
40th
A bit boring in my opinion.
Rated 05 Mar 2020
50
45th
Sweet movie but I wish it had a traditional narrative since the disjointed flashbacks did nothing for me. Would have liked to see more developments in the relationships or how Ewan McGregor handled his dad coming out. Minor complaint: both this and Transparent has dads coming out who are definitely wealthy or at least rich enough to avoid any typical struggle. Fav scene: roller skating around after being kicked out of the arena.
Rated 28 Feb 2022
85
51st
Plummer looks like Magneto + Dr. Xavier (original cast). This movie made me realize that gay guys can get rejected too (but only if they're 75). Why is it always small, scruffy dogs that get the "funny" subtitled speaking roles? I want to see a 110 pound cane corso call Ewan McGregor a pussy for not fucking on the first date
Rated 10 Jan 2012
42
43rd
shallow story covered up by pretty people and cute dialogue. but the dialogue WAS very cute.
Rated 24 Dec 2013
73
22nd
this film marketed itself as cute and quirky and it definitely was cute and quirky. the problem was that it little else. the characters and their relationships were superficial. in fact, every time the characters were about to have a conversation which revealed their thoughts/personalities/conflicts, the film would just play music over it. it felt looked lazy. over all, i felt like the film had an interesting premise, but was far from being fully developed.
Rated 13 Dec 2014
59
30th
Em honra dos 85 anos de Christopher Plummer.
Rated 05 Feb 2012
70
71st
Christopher Plummer proudly plays himself as an aged homsexual lothario with a $6400 scarf collection. A victory for all the Ewan McGregors of the world. Also there is a talking dog or something like that.
Rated 13 Dec 2012
83
35th
Indie and well-written follow-up to Thumbsucker. Similar exploration of American family values and lonely men looking for love. Just didn't grab me. Mike Mills's drawings are nice, but I prefer Miranda July's take on the female view of the same issues.
Rated 11 Dec 2012
71
39th
A playful drama about two society outcasts that find a new love in each other. The acting's good, and the movie flows quite fluidly, but I just don't see any scene being memorable or excessively great. Still, compared to dramas of late, it's definately worth a watch, if not else for McGregor & Laurent.
Rated 16 Aug 2016
81
74th
It's a lovely film that definitely has its heart in the right place.
Rated 27 Jan 2017
70
52nd
A quasi autobiographical version of Mills' life. Plummer is fantastic, and McGregor, perhaps intentionally, is forgetful. This is a nice film. Time shifts frequently in this film, giving the viewer a feeling of unrest. Flashbacks happen so seamlessly that they start to feel like the present.
Rated 15 Nov 2011
50
16th
most unnecessary dog ever.
Rated 01 Mar 2013
6
44th
This is a movie made for cute people who like cute things.
Rated 10 Jul 2013
89
62nd
If you think that these kind of films are air headed, it would be forgettable of you to not think that this film is one of those arty dramas that follows a path without any unnecessary commentary. It is tended with three genuinely well cast and sweet performances, and any lingering thought (that would be considered strange) or amusing line just fits into the puzzle piece.
Rated 18 Aug 2015
77
75th
I thought this was a comedy film, at least that's how I started. But turned out to be a quite gripping drama. I find myself thinking about all my past broken relationships and it's a hard pill to swallow. Anyways McGregor&Laurent made a lovely couple.
Rated 20 Dec 2011
87
93rd
A delightful, touching, beautiful and at times painful movie. Mills' script is wonderful, his direction elegant (if, for want of a better word, a little overly 'indie' at times), and the performances from the three leads are all very good indeed. Best of all are the brilliantly fleshed out character relationships, which are deep, complex and meaningful. The musical score is a real treat too; subtle and effective. One of 2011's very best.
Rated 06 Feb 2012
80
73rd
A well acted film that is capable of evoking various emotional responses.
Rated 13 Dec 2011
4
69th
Sure, all the problems people say are there are indeed there. For a film about life and death the stakes feel pretty low, and the adorableness of McGregor and Laurent's relationship feels overly constructed at times. But it's all wrapped up in such a pleasant and poignant way, if you're open to being charmed, it will charm you.
Rated 20 Jun 2011
30
53rd
"Cuts the whimsy with melancholy.....its case of the cutes isn't terminal."
Rated 08 Dec 2011
95
91st
Stunning and captivating. A great example of true quirky indie movies.
Rated 04 Feb 2013
83
59th
A marvellous melee: laden with offbeat structural and visual quirks, yet deep down an honest and tender look at everyone's search for what their heart needs. McGregor and Plummer stun.
Rated 15 Aug 2012
70
31st
I was fooled into thinking this movie was a comedy. Stupid library... the cover plus the label for the dvd made me think this movie would be funny but it really didn't have too many laughs. Sure Christopher Plummer was fantastic and deserved his Oscar but the rest of the movie was really hard to slosh through. The dog with the subtitles was probably one of the best parts and I also really liked the photo montages. Otherwise I can't say I loved much of anything from this other than the acting.
Rated 13 Dec 2011
74
42nd
This is a good character piece work. The three main actors: Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer and Melanie Laurent are all very good in their roles. The story jumps around in time but it is easy to follow.
Rated 24 Jan 2012
75
0th
Has its moments, but as a whole, a little too low key for my taste.
Rated 09 Sep 2011
80
79th
A nice story about love and sadness. The characters were good except that they were a little emotionally shallow. Neverthless it was enjoyable to watch.
Rated 29 May 2014
3
73rd
Gentle weepy with agreeable indie stylings. The drama equivalent of an inoffensive observational standup routine. "do you ever...
Rated 13 Oct 2011
40
97th
"Beginners is all about human ambiguity, contradiction, shades of gray, and the inherent imbrication of the joy of having something and the terror of losing it." - Diego Costa
Rated 18 Oct 2011
70
84th
You know how stage and sports performers make it look effortless, this movie has the same effect with the least amount of threads. It's pretty easy to take apart, yet effective.
Rated 26 Feb 2012
85
76th
I really liked the style of the movie. The acting from the three main characters is great.I loved the seamless flashbacks and narration. The emotions for this movie are so vivid and almost palpable. To me the pacing really holds it back. While making the movie more realistic the quieter moments unfortunately sometimes slow down the film's momentum.
Rated 21 Nov 2011
56
14th
Frustrating drama succeeds as well as it does thanks to fine performances all round (especially from Plummer). After an intriguing and engrossing first half, where several original, daring and quirky ideas are tried (especially the amusing dog subtitles), it becomes increasingly fractured and disorganised, almost completely running aground and losing its focus, which ultimately hurts its dramatic impact.
Rated 18 Jan 2012
70
17th
kopek, resimli anlatim
Rated 04 May 2013
85
69th
So beautiful and devastating.
Rated 29 May 2018
80
55th
78.00+1.50 = 79.50.
Rated 29 Jan 2012
84
80th
Despite the indie-flick trappings, they are overpowered by how the film deconstructs the complexities of love, life, and commitment with a light-hearted, ingenuous flair.
Rated 23 Apr 2013
5
11th
the DOG gets SUBTITLES, and his dad is GAY and he's AWKWARD; how absolutely fucking quirky!
Rated 25 Jan 2012
80
63rd
Plummer is great as the late to life gay father and his acting with McGregor shows that love is difficult no matter what shape in comes in. Be is straight, gay or platonic love is love and is never easy. The real winner of the movie in my eyes is Laurent, she never has to be alone anymore. I am here for you Melanie!
Rated 29 Feb 2012
40
3rd
Starts fairly promisingly but goes downhill at some speed. Unremarkable man meets unremarkable woman and they do a bunch of unremarkable things. This film, with its forced quikiness and annoying narration, irritated the hell out of me. I couldn't feel anthing toward the two bland leads. I had to turn it off half way through. (oh, just found this is the director who did thumbsucker - another god awful movie. It all makes sense now)
Rated 22 Jun 2015
10
99th
It's a deliciously melancholic stew of love and loss.
Rated 13 Jun 2011
1
0th
Beginners is not culturally astute.
Rated 01 Mar 2012
85
83rd
Loved it from start to finish. Strong performances. Nice plot lines and there is enough depth to it for not loosing me at some point.
Rated 15 Oct 2013
80
68th
Melanie Laurent could easily convince me to do terrible, unconscionable things.
Rated 19 Oct 2013
78
58th
77.500
Rated 29 Jan 2012
69
46th
Juggles two good stories, but doesn't do it very well. Good acting.
Rated 11 Mar 2012
84
76th
Muito Bom !
Rated 09 Feb 2012
86
93rd
Absolutely beautiful. A film like this rarely comes along that is so devastating, powerful and hilarious at the same time. The performances from McGregor and Plummer especially are a sight to see, but it's the subtly and the calm nature behind Mills' incredibly screenplay that really makes it as good as it is. I am really impressed.
Rated 27 Feb 2012
73
74th
Surprisingly a honest movie.
Rated 11 Feb 2012
87
81st
elegant, touchy, somewhat melancholic but still hopeful...a beautiful parallel story of losing love & finding love
Rated 23 Dec 2011
75
77th
Though brilliantly delivered by Plummer the dying gay dad character here and there feels a bit misplaced and overly quirky, but that aside one of the most intriguing and intimate mixes of love story and existential journey to come across the silver screen since 'Lost in Translation'.
Rated 25 Apr 2013
57
30th
Love the cast; Plummer, McGregor are good and Melanie Laurent's quirky charm is up there with the best of them, but I'm having major issues with the writing, the scattershot editing, the cloying music choices. And those dog conversations are bad miscalculations.
Rated 03 Jan 2012
1
0th
Admittedly I was less than enthralled with Ewan's character's romance, but Beginners is a genuinely moving film that centers around our parent's place in our lives and moreover the acceptance that they too are independent people with wants and needs and fears. The more specific a film is the more universal it tends to feel, and that's Beginners. Great pacing, style to burn, worth watching. Score is not a grade.
Rated 01 Feb 2012
81
65th
Christopher Plummer gives one of his best performances in Mike Mill's Beginners, but this film should not be considered a one-trick-pony. Mills takes what could have been a maudlin story and keeps it mostly light with just the right amount of emotional moments. The film occasionally loses focus when not in flashback mode, but as a whole, it works both as a romantic comedy and a bittersweet reflection on emotional commitment and self-understanding.
Rated 29 Dec 2011
70
40th
It held my interest and has some unique flashback narrative, but I felt it was trying to be more intelligent than it was. Good performances from the cast.
Rated 11 Jun 2011
85
41st
Thoroughly enjoyed this film despite it's sadness. Loved the interludes of naming dates and things that happened. Thought the shifts in time were subtle and well done. The direction was great and the characters were really strong and the acting was well done all around.
Rated 20 Nov 2011
79
38th
Moments of great emotional power, particularly from Plummer, McGregor and Keller, but Laurent is too fey to be believed and the interestingly fragmented narrative is marred by too much indie cuteness.
Rated 11 Jan 2012
90
80th
I like a lot of the little quirks and stylistic choices of this movie, the kind of things that may annoy some but I thought they were great. I also think the screenplay is great and Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer are great. Melanie Laurent is pretty good.
Rated 21 Jun 2012
70
67th
This was a pretty nice movie. Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer both gave really great performances. And Melanie Laurent was absolutely adorable. The film really has two stories, and I thought they were woven together quite well. It was very quirky, but not obnoxiously so. I can imagine it might bother some people though. I enjoyed it overall.
Rated 18 Nov 2017
80
75th
Nhoim feel good movie
Rated 05 Jan 2012
5
22nd
Romantic urban drama with a sideplot more interesting than the main one; director has a knack for cute pictures and slick montages and narration, but makes little sense of the story.
Rated 14 Feb 2012
55
32nd
you make me laugh but you are not funny
Rated 05 Mar 2012
77
86th
I haven't cried in years, since "The lion king", but this movie ripped out a few tears straight from my heart.
Rated 14 Nov 2011
79
81st
"You want to be in a relationship...you can't stand one"
Rated 13 Jan 2012
30
12th
Bam, tell 'em Rumplesink!
Rated 10 Aug 2012
41
33rd
I so wanted to like this movie. But, except for the scenes between Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor, almost everything about it annoyed me. Especially the use of crappy music to mask a bad (or non-existent) transition or bad scene "ending".
Rated 07 Dec 2011
79
63rd
78.500
Rated 09 Jul 2013
70
25th
well maid.
Rated 26 Apr 2015
85
93rd
One of these life-saving movies.
Rated 31 Jan 2012
66
40th
According to IMDb this is supposed to be a comedy, drama, romance. It is not very funny, sad, or romantic. People are praising Chritopher Plummer, I didn't think he was anything special. Mélanie Laurent was pretty good. It's hard to really get anything out of this movie. It jumps back and forth in time, with no real added effect to the movie. It's just forgettable, but it was sort of fun while it lasted I guess.

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