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The Princess Bride (1987)

Director: Rob Reiner

Average user rating
13 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

A fairytale as told to a bedridden boy: the willowy Buttercup (Wright), destined as consort to the wicked Prince Humperdinck (Sarandon), is abducted and whisked through a series of life-threatening exploits and miscast comic cameos. The story, adapted from William Goldman's book, is partly a traditional fantasy, with a damsel in distress, dashing lover, evil villains, and lotsa monsters and swordfights, but also a knowing commentary on the conventions of all such tales. The tone falls disconcertingly between straight action adventure and anachronistic Jewish spoof; the leads are vacuous; the absurdities sometimes forced and obvious. Only Guest's sadistic Count Rugen and Patinkin's vengeful Spanish swordsman inject any real enthusiasm into the proceedings; but the film does exude a certain innocent, unassertive charm, and kids will probably love it.

Author: GA

Time Out Film Guide


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User reviews of this film

  • David and Aaron said...
    Posted on Aug 25 2010 09:25 I agree with pretty much everyone else here. It's impossible to not like this movie.
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  • Andrew W. said...
    Posted on Mar 03 2010 22:36 I must've missed out on whatever hype a previous viewer was talking about. All I know is I laughed out loud more than once watching this. Very few movies can do that for me.
    This is a wonderful movie that takes great joy in being what it is... and brings the viewer along for the ride.
    Just check your cynicism at the door.
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  • EMF said...
    Posted on Feb 07 2010 22:06 INCONCIEVABLE!!!
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  • Scottieballgame said...
    Posted on Nov 30 2009 22:43 It's difficult to fathom someone not enjoying this film. It's so much fun. I'd call it a new classic. I actually feel sorry for someone who doesn't like this film. What do you like?
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  • me said...
    Posted on Jul 30 2009 01:01 "the absurdities sometimes forced and obvious"
    It's a f******* fairy tale FFS!
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  • Pippa said...
    Posted on Apr 16 2008 18:42 It's true, Princess Bride is slapstick, silly and bright, but it's also witty, dark and wonderful. The characters could never be called vacuous. It's entirely sweet and funny, but watchable, even despite it's maudlin view on love.
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  • Oli said...
    Posted on Jan 29 2008 10:44 Are you kidding? The Princess Bride is funny, romantic, and exciting - how can you NOT like it?
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  • mary said...
    Posted on Dec 14 2007 08:36 thank you for not giving in and loving the princess bride. The hype alone is enough to make me want to vomit.
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  • lachme said...
    Posted on Nov 29 2007 00:21 how can you NOT love the princess bride? this reviewer makes the grinch sound like pollyanna.
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  • mister murphy said...
    Posted on Nov 20 2007 11:36 you some lange boy that film was savage
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  • Jaske said...
    Posted on Oct 29 2007 12:11 you so jack, that movie was quite possibly the greatest movie ever made about a princess, pirate, spainiard, and rous'
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  • Kathy said...
    Posted on Oct 19 2007 22:15 This movie is pretty much amazing!!!!! VERY, VERY passionate!!!!!
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  • Nikki said...
    Posted on Jun 27 2007 15:22 I laughed so hard I almost pirates of penzance myself!
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