Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageVatel (2000)
Director: Roland Joffé
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Despite a sturdy, occasionally subtle performance from Depardieu, cast (predictably) as the life-loving master of entertainments, burdened by his debt-ridden aristo employer (Glover) with the responsibility of providing food, music, theatre, etc, for the visiting Louis XIV (Sands), this tepid costumer is as much a hollow, purposelessly extravagant spectacle as the court shenanigans it depicts. The plot, such as it is, centres on the triangular romantic/sexual intrigues between principled lady-in-waiting Thurman, salt-of-the-earth Depardieu, and the king's malicious righthand wig Roth. For a movie about food, sensuality and passion, it's strikingly undernourished.Author: GA
Cast & crew
Director: Roland Joffé
Producer: Alain Goldman, Roland Joffé
Cast: Gérard Depardieu, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Julian Glover, Timothy Spall, Julian Sands, Richard Griffiths, Murray Lachlan Young, Hywel Bennett, Arielle Dombasle full cast
Genre(s): Period/Swashbucklers
Duration: 117 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now