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Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Kristin Scott Thomas, Naveen Andrews ... see more see more... , Colin Firth , Julian Wadham , Lothaire Bluteau , Nino Castelnuovo , Raymond Coulthard , Fritz Eggert , Clive Merrison , Jürgen Prochnow , Liisa Repo-Martell , Amanda Walker , Kevin Whately , Geordie Johnson , Philip Whitchurch , Matthew Ferguson , Hichem Rostom , Lee Ross , Peter Ruhring , Torri Higginson , Dominic Mafham , Jason Done , Sonia Mankaï , Rim Turki , Sebastian Rudolph , Sebastian Schipper , Anthony Smee , Roger Morlidge , Clive Morrison , Simon Sherlock , Thoraya Sehill , Sondess Belhassen , Salah Miled , Abdellatif Hamrouni , Samy Azaiez , Habib Chetoui , Phillipa Bay , Paul Kant

Anthony Minghella wrote and directed this award-winning adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's novel about a doomed and tragic romance set against the backdrop of World War II. In a field hospital in Italy,... read more read more... Hana (Juliette Binoche), a nurse from Canada, is caring for a pilot who was horribly burned in a plane wreck; he has no identification and cannot remember his name, so he's known simply as "the English Patient," thanks to his accent. When the hospital is forced to evacuate, Hana determines en route that the patient shouldn't be moved far due to his fragile condition, so the two are left in a monastery to be picked up later. In time, Hana begins to piece together the patient's story from the shards of his memories; he's actually Count Laszlo Almasy (Ralph Fiennes), of Hungarian nobility and an explorer working with a group mapping uncharted territory in North Africa. An Englishman, Geoffrey Clifton (Colin Firth), soon joins Almasy's team; travelling with him is his lovely and spirited wife, Katherine (Kristin Scott Thomas). Katherine and Laszlo soon fall in love, which leads Laszlo to betray his friend, his country and all that is dear to him. Meanwhile, Hana and the Patient are joined by Kip (Naveen Andrews), a Sikh with a gift for defusing mines, and Caravaggio (Willem Dafoe), an intelligence agent who knows some of Laszlo's most shameful secrets. The English Patient won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress (Juliette Binoche). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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81% liked it

77,291 ratings

Critics

83% liked it

58 critics

R, 2 hr. 42 min.

Directed by: Anthony Minghella

Release Date: November 15, 1996

Keywords: romantic

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DVD Release Date: March 24, 1998

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Stats: 5,253 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (5,253)

  • TheDudeLebowski65
    February 17, 2012
    TheDudeLebowski65
    The English Patient is a film that I really want to enjoy. Unfortunately, I really couldn't get into the story. I do enjoy a good drama/romance, but Unfortunately this one simply just didn't do it for me. I applaud the acting, as I thought there was good performances here. Unfort... read moreunately I didn't very much enjoy the film. I didn't see what the hype was about. I thought the film was quite boring with good acting. I really wanted to get into this, but simply couldn't. For me the greatest romance of all is Casablanca. Everything else seems to be derivative. The English Patient is pretty boring, don't get me wrong, I love films that take time to develop its story, but this film could be much shorter. I felt that the film dragged on, and took far too long to get to the point. Unfortunately this films performances can't save this turkey. Sure people will say this is a sweeping romantic epic, but I thought it was a dud. Like I previously stated, there is only one true romance film, Casablanca. That film is a real classic. However I can't say the same for this film. This film tried too hard at manipulating your emotions and it just didn't work, at least not for me. I felt that The English Patient was a film too wrapped up in its romantic storyline, and it simply jerked your chain to try an sweep you off your feet. I wasn't impressed with this and felt this was a mediocre film with great acting.
  • fb701560354
    January 26, 2012
    fb701560354
    Based on the book of the same name, The English Patient is a sweeping drama that is complex, moving, and very powerful. It's breathtakingly shot, and the score by Gabriel Yared is one of the most beautiful I've ever heard. Juliette Binoche, Ralph Fiennes and Kristen Scott Thom... read moreas give emotional, powerful performances as well.
  • cosmo313
    August 28, 2011
    cosmo313
    Ooooh, what have we here? It's a big, sweeping romantic epic rooted in history that's also a literary adaptation (which doesn't surprise me). I can see why this won so damn many Oscars (among other awards).

    In all seriousness though, I need to be honest. This type of film isn'... read moret really my thing, but I am able to recognize when something is (mostly) well made when I see it. That is the case here. I enjpyed some of this film, and it's good in palces, but not overall. I understand that it's Oscar bait, and the nominations (and some of the wins) were deserved, but I think a far stronger film overall (Fargo) should have taken the top prize.

    All of the technical aspects are well done, and the acting (by a good cast) is okay, but nothing truly amazing. The main issues I have are that the story isn't extremely compelling or original, the film is over long and tedious, and rather boring. Tighten this sucker up, and maybe restructure it, and I might have a better opinion of this thing.

    Also, I liked the historical aspects of the movie a lot more. It should have been about the characters in the context of history instead of a doomed love story. The non-love stuff was the most interesting. With the structure, this film does lots of skipping between different time periods. Nothing wrong with that, but I think it might have been better to tell this one in a more straightforward way. Also, I noticed that many films (especially ones that have been nominated for or won major awards) tend to use this structure. It's like it is a requirement for these types of epic films or something. It's odd.

    Look, I didn't hate this film, and I do admire it for being the type of film it is, especially since this sort of thing isn't done too often anymore (and not all that well it seems). I just think it's overblown and overrated.
  • ajv2688
    July 9, 2011
    ajv2688
    I saw this romantic drama on TV a few years ago, and it seemed very good from what I saw of it, but I need to see the rest of the film sometime.
  • jamers2011
    June 16, 2011
    jamers2011
    Excellent! One of the most stunning, epic, classic romance films I have ever seen. Winner of 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress, this is a must see! (Even if you are a dude).

    This is definitely a chick flick, but it's extremely ... read morewell made. The cast is brilliant, especially Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas. The cinematography is stunning, the musical score is incredible and touching. The story is great, as is the script. The film is also a geat period piece.

    I recommend this film, even if it's not your type. It's excellent!
  • jennifxu
    May 2, 2011
    jennifxu
    Pretty much everything I expected it to be. Read: Oscar movie.
  • DreamExtractor
    April 24, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    What a enjoyable romance. The English Patient is the only war romance I can think of that doesn't suck. It has Ralph Fiennes who steals the show. The plot was amazing but a bit too long. The acting from everyone was great. And for once some good romantic tensions between two... read more actors, man this movie was good and deserved the Oscars.
  • neverteaseaweasel
    September 1, 2010
    neverteaseaweasel
    You know, every once in a while a big, sweeping romance is called for, a bit of steamy passion 'tween star-crossed lovers. The problem is that while The English Patient flies under the banned of eternal love, there really isn't much by way of love and romance. I didn't care about... read more any of these people together as a couple. They all remained individuals, pleasant ones, but completely on their own. I guess, I really did like this movie to a point. It is just a good, solid movie all around. It has a competent cast and they are all typically great. However, the film is just too long, too generic, and even boring at times. As a result, I cannot bring myself to care about it all that much.
  • FrizzDrop
    August 2, 2010
    FrizzDrop
    I know, it won all those Oscars, and is cinematic gold blah blah blah. Still, 2.5 hours of angst is too long.
  • movieguru12
    December 10, 2009
    movieguru12
    A beautiful love story. I decided to watch this because I had never seen It before and always wanted to. I'm glad I did because the acting and the movies story was phenomenal. I really would like to watch this movie again! :)

View All The English Patient Reviews

Critic Reviews

David Ansen
January 29, 2008
David Ansen, Newsweek

Out of each of these uprooted characters are spun stories of love, loyalty and betrayal. Full Review

Richard Corliss
January 29, 2008
Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine

The cast is superb: Binoche, with her thin, seraphic smile; Scott Thomas, aware of the spell she casts but not flaunting it; Fiennes, especially, radiating sexy mystery, threat shrouded in hauteur. Do... Full Review

Todd McCarthy
January 29, 2008
Todd McCarthy, Variety

A respectable, intelligent but less than stirring adaptation of an imposingly dense and layered novel. Full Review

Jeff Millar
February 10, 2007
Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle

This is the real thing, and real things don't come along very often, so you'd better snap them up when they do.

Jonathan Rosenbaum
February 5, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

For all the film's effectiveness as a love story, I often felt I was being hurried through a busy itinerary. Full Review

Rita Kempley
February 5, 2007
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

The result is completely intoxicating. Full Review

Peter Stack
June 18, 2002
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle

Torrid, witty, passionate and intelligent. Full Review

Peter Travers
May 12, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Get ready for the great romance of the movie year.

Kenneth Turan
February 14, 2001
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

The English Patient captivates as only the grandest and most consuming passions can. Full Review

Janet Maslin
January 1, 2000
Janet Maslin, New York Times

A stunning feat of literary adaptation as well as a purely cinematic triumph. Full Review

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    • Katharine Clifton: We die containing a richness of lovers and tribes, tastes we have swallowed, bodies we have plunged into and swum up as if rivers of wisdom, characters we have climbed into as if trees, fears we have hidden in as if caves. I wish for all this to be marked on my body when I am dead. I believe in such cartography - to be marked by nature, not just to label ourselves on a map like the names of rich men and women on buildings. We are communal histories, communal books. We are not owned or monogamous in our taste or experience.
    • Count Laszlo Almasy: Every night.. I cut out my heart... But in the morning it was full again.
    • Count Laszlo Almasy: Swoon... I'll catch you.
    • Count Laszlo Almasy: I just wanted you to know: I'm not missing you yet.
    • Katharine Clifton: You will.
    • Count Laszlo Almasy: New lovers are nervous and tender, but smash everything. For the heart is an organ of fire.
    • Count Laszlo Almasy: There is no God, but I hope someone watches over you.
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The English Patient Trivia

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