Oprah Winfrey,
Danny Glover,
Thandie Newton,
Kimberly Elise,
Beah Richards
... see more 
Jonathan Demme directed this adaptation of Toni Morrison's fact-based fifth novel (winner of a 1988 Pulitzer Prize), written in an experimental stream-of-consciousness flow and capturing the impact an... read more
DVD Release Date: May 18, 1999
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Stats: 593 reviews
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Flixster Reviews (593)
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March 17, 2008I think this movie was greatly underated partly because of Oprah's involvment, but she does another amazing job at acting and the film is beautifully shot and it's a story that will first touch and then break your heart. Jonathan Demme did an amazing job, powerful stuff.
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February 21, 2009Made with conviction, passion, labor and the very best of intentions, Beloved is a dense, complex, hard going but rewarding film based on a Pulitzer Prize winning novel. Oprah Winfrey may have a limited range but she gives it all 100%, and Kimberley Elise is especially exc... read more
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October 14, 2009I thought Danny Glover proved how good of actor he can be both at Drama and Comedy. I thought they were a good cast for the story.
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August 21, 2008u would have to be black to understand this movie and why it effects me
the best movie ever next to the color puple -
April 3, 2008I don't think this film would have left any impression on me had I not read and enjoyed the novel beforehand. A lot of things are glossed over in the movie, which is amazing considering it's 3 hour runtime. I'm sure it must seem disjointed at parts to those who aren't familiar wi... read more
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September 12, 2007WEIRD. I can't believe I actually watched this movie. I can't believe Oprah showed that many different kinds of body fluid in one film!
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July 15, 2007A near brilliant movie, albeit difficult to watch, all aspects of the production are first rate, and the acting is brilliant, the story masterfully told. It was a tad long, and some of the scene's of brutality to the slaves in the movie are quite disturbing, but a must see movie ... read more
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July 7, 2007Wonderfully acted and amazingly haunting. A story for all actors to enjoy and learn a thing or two from.
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June 15, 2007For me this movie was a three hour practice in emotional abuse. I found it confusing and too convoluted. I'll admit the acting was great and the story was gripping, but it was extremely sad and after three hours all that sadness was exhausting, and I went away feeling unpleasant... read more
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June 13, 2007I loved the concept of this movie and was surprised at Oprah's adaptation. She was wonderful. I could have lived without seeing Danny Glovers ass but you know.........This movie did the book justice as well.
Critic Reviews
November 6, 2002
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
June 18, 2002
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle
Something rare: a brave film about the emotional toll of slavery, the anguish of memory and the cruel divisions that still sear African American lives. Full Review
April 12, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
Demme's potent adaptation of Morrison's novel may be substantial, but it is also engrossing. Full Review
May 11, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
A knot of fierce emotions that is left for the viewer to untangle. Make the effort.
February 14, 2001
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Once this film gets its bearings, the unsentimental fierceness of its vision brushes obstacles and quibbles from its path. Full Review
January 1, 2000
Janet Maslin, New York Times
Demme succeeds uncannily well in bringing the novel's pulse to the screen. Full Review
January 1, 2000
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News
After next March, new editions of the book will boast a different kind of label - one that says 'Now an Oscar-winning motion picture.' Full Review
January 1, 2000
Susan Stark, Detroit News
It is an urgently intimate epic of the heart, a dramatization of a monumental journey of pain, love and, tentatively, hope that has scorching emotional impact. Full Review
January 1, 2000
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
The elaborate, soaring Beloved may alight on the ground with a tap rather than a thud, but land it does, after a harrowing, breathtaking flight. Full Review
January 1, 2000
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
The film's success lies mainly in its fidelity to its source: It never tries to avoid or sidestep the madness Morrison so bravely embraced. Full Review
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