Ladies in Lavender

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Ladies in Lavender

PG-13,

2005,

1h 43m,

Drama/

Romance

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Watchlist

64%

90 Reviews

Tomatometer

66%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

90 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Aging spinster sisters Ursula and Janet discover a young man near death on the beach by their home in a small Cornish fishing village. Taking him in, they discover that he is Andrea, a violinist from Kraków, Poland, who had been swept off an ocean liner on which he was sailing to a fresh start in America. Although Ursula feels an unfamiliar spark of infatuation for the handsome young musician, propriety suggests the attraction must remain unspoken.

Critics Consensus

A charming, if slight, period drama that quietly showcases fine performances by its two stars.

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Eleanor Ringel Cater

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jun 4, 2005

B

A fascinating and involving chamber piece for two superb actresses.

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Steven Rea

Philadelphia Inquirer

Jun 2, 2005

3/4

A wistful little thing about regret, jealousy and love.

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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

May 28, 2005

B+

Brilliantly subtle performances of stunning skill and beauty. These women are anything but simple and their scope is as broad as the ocean outside their home.

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Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

Jun 2, 2021

3/5

The two Dames at the heart of the movie could hold viewers' attention making tea, and it's their performances that elevate what is otherwise a consistent, but not particularly memorable production.

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Ellie Lucas

The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)

Jun 5, 2019

3/4

Gives two of the cinema's greatest grande dames a chance to show off their enormous talents.

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Jim Lane

Sacramento News & Review

Aug 7, 2008

3/5

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Kylo L

May 22, 2018

A love that cannot be unfolds. Charles Dance tries his hand at directing with the lovely Ladies in Lavender. A straightforward plot that is nicely directed leaves you with a pleasant movie. It's as delightful now as I when I first saw it. I am a younger man and I enjoyed it like my older mother who adores this film. It's quite well made. Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are terrific as sisters that take in a wounded Polish man played quite sweetly by a young Daniel Brühl. Dench and Smith portray these women with an earnest sincerity. They are quite funny and tender, while also able to act heartbroken in a subtle manner. They carry Ladies in Lavender. Brühl plays innocent, yet mischievous for a sweet and quirky performance. I also enjoyed the eager and demanding role from Natascha McElhone. All in all, a well cast movie. Beautiful music swells in the air in the gorgeous natural scenery for this English countryside setting. Dance directs his surroundings with a light dreamy quality for an easy watch. The score is superb and nicely used, while never being overbearing. I enjoyed Ladies in Lavender. It is simplistic and never tries to achieve something deeper, but it remains highly entertaining. It is worth a single watch certainly.

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Poe S

Mar 23, 2018

Lovely simple film. Some characters' backgrounds leave some unanswered questions, but the film is still sweet and poignant.

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Draco R

Feb 5, 2018

Perhaps overly deferential to underwhelming source material, Judie Dench is not given nearly enough time to show us the deep pain and loneliness of an old maid, everything is set as if to avoid engaging our deepest emotions.

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Harry P

Jan 7, 2018

Wonderful film, engaging from the first few minutes to the end. The Dames needed little direction I'm sure but Charles Dance directed with a sure but light touch .. have just seen it for the third time and loved it even more.

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Han P

Dec 21, 2017

Intriguing, good pace, good tension, brilliant acting.

Kylo G

Jul 10, 2017

Watched this with my wife. At first I thought Chic Flick! Which it is. But it is a good chic flick.

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Charles Dance

Director

Judi Dench

Ursula Widdington

Maggie Smith

Janet Widdington

Daniel Brühl

Andrea Marowski

Miriam Margolyes

Dorcas

Natascha McElhone

Olga Daniloff

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Synopsis

Aging spinster sisters Ursula and Janet discover a young man near death on the beach by their home in a small Cornish fishing village. Taking him in, they discover that he is Andrea, a violinist from Kraków, Poland, who had been swept off an ocean liner on which he was sailing to a fresh start in America. Although Ursula feels an unfamiliar spark of infatuation for the handsome young musician, propriety suggests the attraction must remain unspoken.

Director: Charles Dance
Producer: Nicolas Brown, Elizabeth Karlsen, Nik Powell
Screenwriter: Charles Dance
Distributor: IDP Distribution
Production Co: Scala Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Strong Language)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 29, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.8M
Runtime: 1h 43m

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