52
Metascore
19 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 70VarietyJustin ChangVarietyJustin ChangMeasured and absorbing rather than deeply compelling or vital, this latest adaptation of a rarely well-filmed novel makes a strong effort to capture the stiflingly provincial world that Flaubert was able to describe in such precise, painstaking detail on the page.
- 63Slant MagazineClayton DillardSlant MagazineClayton DillardSophie Barthes neglects to thoroughly conceive of Emma's plight, instead making only sporadic gestures to it.
- 63Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreHandsomely mounted, period perfect and starring the empathetic Mia Wasikowska in the title role, the new Madame Bovary narrows the scope and finds a different focus within Gustave Flaubert’s novel.
- 60The GuardianCatherine ShoardThe GuardianCatherine ShoardThe presence of Sophie Barthes behind the camera does not amplify sympathy for our heroine. Rather, the opposite: if anything Barthes seems less in her allure, less tolerant of her tiffs, full-throttle with the vanity and the selfishness.
- 58The A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloThe A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloWasikowska gives a solid, emotionally precise performance, ably supported by the men around her (especially Ifans, who relishes Monsieur Lheureux’s unctuous cajolery), and the result is intelligent and eminently watchable.
- 50The PlaylistRodrigo PerezThe PlaylistRodrigo PerezAn uninspired narrative and disengaged performances ultimately keep persuasive deep feeling and captivation at a far distance.
- 50Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlVillage VoiceAlan ScherstuhlLead Mia Wasikowska looks convincingly miserable in the role of a young wife who's driven to seek her pleasures outside the marital bed, but whatever complexities roil in the character's heart and head are nowhere to be found on her face.
- 50New York PostFarran Smith NehmeNew York PostFarran Smith NehmeThe seething passions of Flaubert’s characters are absent, except when Rhys Ifans (as a greedy merchant) or the splendidly ruthless Marshall-Green are in the room.
- 40The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyThe Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyUnfortunately, Barthes brings nothing new to the familiar story.