Watch
The Painted Veil

The Painted Veil

2006
Romance, Drama
2h 5m
Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham and set against the visually stunning backdrop of China during one of its most dramatic periods of upheaval, The Painted Veil tells a unique love story of an estranged husband and wife who find redemption and unexpected grace in a very unlikely place. (Warner Independent Pictures)
Your probable score
?

The Painted Veil

2006
Romance, Drama
2h 5m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 54.7% from 1373 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1373)
Compact view
Compact view
Rated 30 Apr 2009
93
94th
The perfect example of an indie film reaching its full potential. These two play off one another perfectly in such demanding roles. The plot is engaging and heart-wrenching, both in the relationship and even the scientific standpoints. Very pleasantly surprised.
Rated 28 Oct 2010
68
78th
There is nothing grand or important about this film but i had pleasure watching it. Elegant piano soundtrack, beautiful rural china landscapes, good story (haven't read novel it is based on, so can't compare) combines into emotionally engaging and interesting film. Naomi Watts is radiant in this, might be her best role so far.
Rated 10 Mar 2010
70
64th
The story is a little stuffy and old-fashioned, but this is a fine production --excellent music, photography, performances and all that. It would probably disappoint those who dislike the "well-made film," as there's nothing edgy or subversive here, just a solid depiction of a rift between two people that gradually narrows.
Rated 09 Jan 2009
81
44th
At first it seemed withdrawn and cold, like just talented people with nothing to do. But I was slowly drawn into the drama and emotion, and by the end I was pretty much devastated.
Rated 19 May 2012
80
80th
'Since when has a woman ever loved a man for his virtues?' Ouch.
Rated 12 May 2008
79
54th
Well acted, but boring as &*^%
Rated 12 Feb 2011
75
84th
By the end of "The Painted Veil", I was thoroughly engrossed by the story. I ended up caring for the characters more than I thought I would and I became emotionally invested in the experience. And yes, I will call watching it an experience, because that's what it is. It's wonderful film, and I highly recommend giving it a watch.
Rated 08 Apr 2008
77
41st
An excellent example of a film that's mediocre in every respect. Not bad, not good, simply mediocre. Suffers from two of Hollywood's current great evils: ridiculous length and a completely pointless "five years later" sequence after what could have been a good ending.
Rated 18 Jan 2011
80
74th
Wonderful acting from Naomi Watts ... Edward Norton and Toby Jones give great support. The story was obviously an adaptation from the book ( which I havent read ) and seemed to hint at much greater things, which weakened the film .. the uprisings, the spread and control of cholera ... in the end it boiled down a little too "cleanly" to the conflict between the central characters and everything else appeared to support this, rather than stand on its own merits. Still a really enjoyable film.
Rated 17 Sep 2007
70
63rd
classicly styled and well acted drama
Rated 21 Apr 2008
80
80th
Lovely movie, good story. In addition to a technical part irretocável, a correct assembly and wonderful soundtrack, the production has two stars of repute, Edward Norton and Naomi Watts, who in addition to act are also producers.
Rated 29 Sep 2011
63
82nd
#11#, reviews, story, E Norton, Naomi W.
Rated 13 Feb 2013
60
60th
Well paced, good acting and strong score. Very enjoyable. The final scene was unnecessary though.
Rated 27 Oct 2012
50
49th
Naomi Watts as a brunette, she marries Ed Norton to get out of the house, carries on with another man. Her husband takes her to a distant disease stricken land where exposure to each others true nature sets a true love story into motion. The movie is full of difficult moments, sickness and dying. It was interesting to see this immature girl gain wisdom and perspective. The story was riveting if not slow and plodding at times. And there is no happy ending, but worth watching.
Rated 05 Oct 2017
80
74th
I generally have a hard time enjoying dramas centering around the British upper class in the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries. The characters are generally ungrateful, stuffy, and insufferable. But "The Painted Veil" is a story of people who move beyond that, with a little seen setting and the production is fantastic. It's a slow burn, sit through it to the end and you will not be disappointed.
Rated 28 Jul 2008
68
19th
inexpected end!
Rated 06 Aug 2010
8
91st
lindissimo... vi dia 10 de junho desse ano!!!
Rated 15 May 2009
72
50th
the girls singing in French was a little more than manipulative
Rated 31 Jan 2009
70
58th
Very nice, romantic, a bit strange, intruiging movie.
Rated 15 May 2016
56
52nd
Beautiful setting. The non-linear storytelling that's become so heavily used lately was unnecessary and detracted from the film. The ending scene in particular was a terrible choice and should never have made it into the film. Worth watching just because Edward Norton is in it and the guy is consistently excellent.
Rated 01 May 2009
87
56th
A love story that requires a trip half way around the world to tell.
Rated 23 Jun 2013
80
80th
An interesting story with a very lavish production for only $20 mil, and I never even heard about it when it was released, if you can call it that--never in more than 300 theaters, and it only took in $8 mill. I saw this gem on Indieplex, which has been putting out great finds lately BTW.
Rated 07 May 2009
3
31st
A very dull and uninspired movie with some fine production values.
Rated 03 Jul 2012
72
75th
passionate in a way you don't expect it to be.
Rated 17 Apr 2012
85
70th
Beautiful love story. Very nice setting. I like how Naomi Watt's character slowly fell for Edward Norton's character even though she was being unfaithful in the beginning.
Rated 28 Jan 2015
67
28th
Watchable, but not the kind of film you'll remember forever.
Rated 09 Feb 2013
4
91st
Classy, grown-up romance.
Rated 18 Mar 2009
86
90th
Moving film. Naomi Watts once again shows she's one of the best actresses out there.
Rated 04 Nov 2010
86
73rd
vista en el AVE: una buena historia de amor con un fondo de realismo cruel, larga pero agradable y con una buena fotografía
Rated 21 Oct 2011
20
41st
"The Painted Veil is more or less from the school of motion picture that Pauline Kael used to say "reeks of quality."" - Jason Clark
Rated 28 Jul 2009
88
85th
Simply wonderful to watch.
Rated 22 Dec 2017
90
84th
amazing drama
Rated 27 Oct 2009
63
54th
Good performances, excellent production design. But a lot of the plot hinges on infidelity and cholera, which frankly makes this a much less pleasant experience to watch than the glossy appearance might imply.
Rated 09 Aug 2007
65
50th
A girlfriend pick that I admit I enjoyed. Quite the overall depressing tone - definately not one to watch when in a valley.
Rated 23 Feb 2012
60
53rd
As much as I wanted to like this movie, it's just too much of a melodrama. Still, the setting is gorgeous.
Rated 16 Jan 2008
75
49th
Nice music and pretty pictures. I also like the way that the couple forged a positive relationship through suffering. But overall, I found everything to be a bit too neatly tied up by the end. Too much story, not enough mystery.
Rated 26 Jan 2009
80
88th
Underrated drama movie with excellent acting!
Rated 28 Apr 2007
65
73rd
Good film.
Rated 15 Apr 2009
70
57th
Its an average film. The acting was average not very great. Ending was totally unnecessary. Just added unwanted drama.
Rated 28 Jul 2008
74
55th
Solid melodrama.
Rated 11 Feb 2009
85
56th
Good story - Edward Norton's amazing - a sad love story
Rated 14 Apr 2012
6
44th
Had a nice feel to it, lovely to look at and an engaging story but it lacked something to make it special.
Rated 03 Dec 2013
79
65th
2013-12-03
Rated 15 Jan 2010
83
86th
Has some corny moments; Norton watching Watts play the piano with the orphans comes to mind, but execellent acting all around. I agree the ending scene could've been cut, but overall a very moving and unsusual love story.
Rated 18 Dec 2009
63
51st
Not a great movie, but one that keeps your interested and sets a fitting mood. Naomi Watts and Edward Norton both performed well in this cinematographically pleasing movie that ends somewhat disappointingly.
Rated 31 Mar 2010
75
75th
It's hard not to make a good film when you have both Norton and Watts.
Rated 13 Apr 2007
80
68th
Usually when the star is also the producer it's time to run in the other direction. Norton and Watts coproduced this one, but this is a good movie anyway... and not in the way you might think
Rated 13 Dec 2008
75
86th
good movie
Rated 10 Jan 2014
87
85th
Incredible! A very unique and enthralling story!
Rated 11 Sep 2011
90
70th
Heartbreaking but beautifully done. Ed Norton at his controlled best, Naomi Watts showing surprising talent. Beautiful period piece, cinematography art direction, and a soulful and believable script. Literary and pitch perfect.
Rated 27 Dec 2015
84
61st
Touching but subtle. I didn't like the ending which takes away some points. Definitely worth watching.
Rated 04 Jan 2009
69
57th
Not a great movie, but one that keeps your interested and sets a fitting mood. Naomi Watts and Edward Norton both performed well in this cinematographically pleasing movie that ends somewhat disappointingly.
Rated 17 May 2011
74
47th
Visually, The Painted Veil has all the trappings of a stuffy period drama, but Norton's and Watts's deft portrayals of imperfect, complicated characters give the film a modern-day spark.
Rated 26 May 2020
55
62nd
Seen: 2.
Rated 17 Aug 2020
5
32nd
Lavishly produced, swoonily scored and well-acted, with Norton the stand-out. Sadly it's also sluggish and dry as a bone. Marginally better than the 1930s Garbo version of this story but nothing much to get excited about beyond the ravishing locations.
Rated 06 Aug 2021
70
45th
7?Maybe it's not love...
Rated 09 Aug 2021
8
73rd
Ed Norton and Liev Schreiber play Englishmen, the first a doctor, the second a rake. The scenery is gorgeous, the acting and actors are wonderful, script good and score is fantastic. It's a good movie if you like travel movies and acting, like English Patient sort of thing.
Rated 04 May 2023
80
68th
This adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's novel is a delicate shift of the book's plot towards more modern sensibilities without making anybody in the film feel unrealistically modern. Instead of Watts coming to realize how selfish she's been, Watts and Norton end up meeting somewhere in the middle after both learn to soften their rigid demands on each other. I wouldn't go so far as saying it improves on Maugham, but it certainly makes for a better film.

Collections

(15)
Compact view
Showing 1 - 15 of 15 results

Similar Titles

Loading ...

Statistics

Loading ...

Trailer

No Trailer