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Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany, Shannyn Sossamon ... see more see more... , Alan Tudyk , Laura Fraser , Christopher Cazenove , Bérénice Bejo , James Purefoy , Olivia Williams , Roger Ashton-Griffiths , Scott Handy

This crowd-pleasing medieval adventure tale is very loosely inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales and mixes the anachronistic elements of modern-day rock music and colloquialisms with a ... read more read more...period setting and characters. Heath Ledger stars as William Thatcher, a low-born 14th century squire who, in a fit of inspired spontaneity, replaces his deceased employer as the competitor at a jousting competition. Jousting is a pastime only permitted to knights, who are of noble birth, but Thatcher wins and decides to continue his new pursuits. With the help of his two fellow squire friends Wat and Roland (Alan Tudyk and Mark Addy) and none other than the gambling-addicted Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany), Thatcher has soon adopted a false identity and is winning one joust after another on his way to a championship in London. His victories inspire the affection of a female fan, Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon), and the ire of a competitor, Count Adehmar (Rufus Sewell), but Thatcher's ruse is threatened with exposure. A Knight's Tale is the sophomore directorial effort of acclaimed screenwriter Brian Helgeland, who won an Oscar for his work on L.A. Confidential (1997) and debuted behind the camera with the troubled production of Payback (1999). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Flixster Users

80% liked it

345,764 ratings

Critics

58% liked it

146 critics

PG-13, 2 hr. 12 min.

Directed by: Brian Helgeland

Release Date: May 11, 2001

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DVD Release Date: September 25, 2001

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Stats: 28,575 reviews

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A Knight's Tale A Knights Tale the crew A Knight's Tale (2001) A knights tale A Knight's Tale Heath Ledger Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer Heath James Purefoy A Knight's Tale Laura Fraser in the Middle William/Ulrich and Chaucer A Knight's Tale Shannyn A Knight's Tale He looks really cute A Knight's Tale
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Flixster Reviews (28,575)

  • wildaly14
    April 6, 2012
    wildaly14
    Ledger didn't rock me but it's still a good, enjoyable movie. Love the soundtrack.
  • moonrivers
    April 5, 2012
    moonrivers
    Medieval times revamped with a late '70's rock 'n roll/renaissance festival aesthetic, this is a charming, crowd-pleasing dream of the Middle Ages w/o all that dirty, grimy, plague-infested filthiness the times warranted. Enjoy the hedonism or get out of the way. And here certa... read moreinly is the late Mr.Ledger's most accessible role if not his overall best.
  • blkbomb
    November 11, 2011
    blkbomb
    Prince Edward: Your men love you. If I knew nothing else about you, that would be enough. 

    "He didn't make the rules. He was born to break them."

    A Knight's Tale is a cool and fun ride through the Medieval time period with a classic rock soundtrack. I honestly fell in love with... read more this movie right away because of the first jousting scene that was set to "We Will Rock You." The film also features two acting rockstars in Heath Ledger and Paul Bettany. Ledger is the huge name and Bettany is just about as cool as actors come. Neither disappoint and they make movie even more fun then the already fun premise.

    William is a peasant who has always aspired to be more, preferably a Knight. It is just too bad that a knight most come from noble descent. So how do you get around that? Well, you lie, and that's just what he and his fellow squires do, with help from a roaming gambler who has literally had the clothes taken from his back. Among the journey from squire to knight, William competes in tournaments, falls in love with a beautiful woman played by Shannyon Sossamon and obtains a rival. The story line is pretty predictable along the way, but never in a boring, who cares I have seen it before, kind of way.

    I like the fact that a jousting, Medieval film was made in a way that made it feel like it could be happening now and not hundreds of years ago. The movie was made to have fun with, not to be taken seriously. I think the crowd stomping and clapping to a song that doesn't come into existence for centuries is a good indication of that. Fun is what this movie is. It never lags for the entire two hour plus runtime and is always fast paced, humorous and at times touching entertainment. 

    I really do love A Knight's Tale. Nothing can really compare to Paul Bettany and his introductions/pump ups. Also the jousting scenes are incredibly well done and the movie features the sexy Shannyn Sossamon. This is one of those movies that when I see it is on television, I just can't pass it up.
  • 3niR
    August 28, 2011
    3niR
    Oh Heath Ledger, you were so good in here. I seriously felt bad when watching this. This was awesome. He was just fantastic. R.I.P Heath Ledger :(
  • DreamExtractor
    August 15, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    A Knights Tale is pure fun, it is cool, funny, and is harmless, and I really enjoyed it. Heath Leger is cool in this movie, he did a good job, but some cast memebers were badly picked in my opinon. Overall a fun movie and I really liked it.
  • TheGame90
    January 29, 2011
    TheGame90
    Not really entertaining...Looked poorley directed. And oh my god...This movie was like 2 hours too long. Maybe not Heath Ledgers best Knight related film....but it's way up there...Look at you now...
  • ythelastman89
    November 3, 2010
    ythelastman89
    Easily one of my favorite movies, it has the ability to always entertain and be a thoroughly good. It's style is extremely original, the blending of classic rock with a Medieval jousting story. William's journey to knighthood is both fun and powerful, you have such a huge connect... read moreion to the characters. The visuals are flawless and the action sequences are amazing. Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon and the evil Rufus Sewell are all essential components to the movie's enjoyment. Even the supporting cast is amazing. Brian Helgeland's vision is really unique and has the ability to deliver on every front possible.
  • garyX
    May 7, 2010
    garyX
    A young squire dons his master's armour when he drops dead during a tournament and so sets about impersonating a nobleman to transcend his peasant origins as a champion jouster. History gets the Hollywood treatment as the kiddie-friendly "you can be anything you want to be if you... read more believe in yourself" message gets rammed down our throats yet again. Our square jawed hero is of course valiant in battle but a tongue tied boob in the company of the beautiful princess who is, as all Medieval princesses were, a cross between a Maxim cover girl and a suffragette. Accompanied by bickering, streetwise sidekicks (including Geoffrey Chaucer who is demoted to a cross between a fairground barker and Don King) and finding a nemesis in the shape of a hissable nobleman who inevitably discovers his secret and cheats his way to near victory, this is a live action film with a Disney cartoon script. And as for the soundtrack which is basically a copy of the "Classics Of Rock" CD, it's a conceptual nightmare. Having said all that, the likable cast and pretty visuals began to win me over after a start that is little short of horrifying and it has just enough of a sense of fun and irony to make it more palatable than similar Hollywood bastardisations of history that actually take themselves seriously. As an aging sour puss, it's easy to poke holes in the cliche riddled, corn infested script but at the same time I know that if I'd seen it as a kid, I would've loved it.
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    January 7, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    Loved the modern integration in the past. Very cute.
  • Gx7
    November 15, 2009
    Gx7
    A man can change the stars


    Movie Quotes:
    "I give to you, the seeker of serenity, the protector of Italian virginity, the enforcer of our Lord God, the one, the only, Sir Ulllrrrich von Lichtenstein!"

    "My Lord, the Count Adehmar, Son of Phillip DeVitry    ... read more, son of Gilles... er... Master of the Free Companies, defender of his enormous manhood, a shining example of chivalry and champagne."

    "You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting. In what world could you possibly beat me? "

    Hehe, after all these years, this movie still cracks me up. Slightly 'Shakespear-esque', modern day rock n roll, cool soundtrack, good acting, story and script. Filled with quirky characters and witty lines, I thought it was quite a riot! There was 1 thing I couldnt really take about this movie though.. and Ill leave it with this quote.

    "There she is, William. The embodiment of love. Your Venus!"
    "And ooh how I hate her...."

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Critic Reviews

Peter Rainer
August 6, 2001
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine

Instead of pulling young audiences imaginatively back into the past, A Knight's Tale cheapens the process by demonstrating that there's no essential difference between then and now. Full Review

Rita Kempley
June 11, 2001
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

The movie promises to rock you, and much of the time it does. Full Review

Richard Schickel
June 4, 2001
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

The result is half Python, half Ivanhoe -- and not as much fun as either. Full Review

David Edelstein
May 21, 2001
David Edelstein, Slate

You might find yourself smiling and laughing all the way through it. Full Review

Jay Carr
May 14, 2001
Jay Carr, Boston Globe

Essentially, it's a screenful of pseudo-medieval popcorn that hits a high enough level of goofy fun to transcend a pretty blatant marketing strategy aimed at the MTV demographic.

Susan Wloszczyna
May 11, 2001
Susan Wloszczyna, USA Today

May please aficionados of oldies stations and Xtreme sports but few others. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
May 11, 2001
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

Basically a thrift-store bin of borrowed ideas and careworn teen cliches, A Knight's Tale executes one of the most drastic wastes of promise this side of a gifted high school slackoff. Full Review

Bob Graham
May 11, 2001
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle

More often than not, it's fun. Full Review

Stephanie Zacharek
May 11, 2001
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

It will rock you -- straight to sleep. Full Review

Joe Baltake
May 11, 2001
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

A Knight's Tale proves that a filmmaker -- and his audience -- can have fun pandering. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Roland: You may feel like a poet, but you sound like an idiot.
    • John Thatcher: [hearing William enter] Is someone there? If you're here for the net, I haven't finished it yet. Who are you?
    • William Thatcher: A knight. My name is...Ulrich.
    • John Thatcher: I hear your name called out there. What business have you here?
    • William Thatcher: I have word, Master Thatcher. Word of your son.
    • John Thatcher: [drops his tools] Of my William? Come in, sir. What word? Does he live?
    • William Thatcher: Oh yes. He lives. He wanted you to know...he changed his stars after all.
    • John Thatcher: [emotion washes over, he starts crying] And has he followed his feet? Has he found his way home at last?
    • William Thatcher: Yes. [his father blindly reaches out; now it's William's turn to cry] Oh, Father.
    • John Thatcher: Oh, William. Oh my boy. [shoulders shake with sobs as he and his son melt in each other's arms]
    • Chaucer: [keeping time with a stick as William and Wat dance] And one, two, and three and four and your hands should be light like a birdy on a branch. And one, two, and three and four and Wat doesn't lead. He follows like a girl.
    • Wat: [looks at William]
    • William Thatcher: [shrugs in agreement with Chaucer]
    • Wat: [laughs a bit, then punches Chaucer in the nose]
    • Chaucer: [with some bloody cotton up his nose moments later, conducting William and Wat] And one, two and twirly, twirly, twirly. One and two and you're still getting it wrong. And one, two, and three and four. You can hit me all day cause you punch like a what?
    • Roland: A girl.
    • William Thatcher: Your just a silly girl!
    • Jocelyn: Better a silly girl with a flower than a silly boy with a horse and a stick.
    • Wat: It's called a lance. Hello?
    • William Thatcher: [sees a naked man on the road] Oi sir, what are you doing?
    • Chaucer: Uh... trudging. You know, trudging? [pause] To trudge: the slow, weary, depressing yet determined walk of a man who has nothing left in life except the impulse to simply soldier on.
    • William Thatcher: Uhhh... were you robbed?
    • Chaucer: [laughs] Funny really, yes, but at the same time a huge resounding no. It's more of an... involuntary vow of poverty... really.
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A Knight's Tale Trivia

  • In which movie did Heath Ledger joust his way to win a maiden's heart?  Answer »
  • Which movie features a naked and gambling-addicted Paul Bettany?  Answer »
  • What movies it this a quote from. "Its called a lance, hello!"  Answer »
  • Name the movie in which heath ledger poses as a knight.  Answer »
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