Framescourer
I haven't read Pushkin. However, I can imagine that this film is a faithful adaptation of the narrative, if nothing else. It is a film entirely at the service of telling the story around which the atmospherics - the romance - of rejected and lost love is fitted. On the face of it this doesn't sound like a problem. The experience of watching the film is one of odd gear shifting: narrative advance; pause to brood; narrative again, and so on. There's a sense of going through the motions, of professionalism. It's as if the players had been dropped into their characters, told the plan and faithfully carried it out. The only real exception to this is Liv Tyler, who manages all the facets of Tatyana with emotional homogeneity. Everyone else is studied. Fiennes is intense as Onegin but not particularly convincing. This, I'm afraid strikes me as a role - indeed, an entire project - predicated on the success of his brooding, conflicted aristocrat in Minghella's English Patient. I suspect a different director, such as Minghella, would have changed that relationship with the role. Indeed a better director might have insisted on a better script in order to assume the burden of storytelling properly and allow the actors to get on with their job. 5/10
Boris Todorov
Russians consider Pushkin's "Evgenii Onegin" one of the peaks of their literature, but to British drama actors/directors/composers Fiennes the work remained just a curiosity which could be easily brought to screen for a nice, and unambitious family project. Where Russian readers and western students of Russian culture see a vision of the decadence of Russian aristocracy, and a condemnation of the Ancien Regime, both in social, and cultural terms, the Fiennes saw a nice romantic interlude. The limited scope of the filmmakers'interest explains why the movie is successful in just one aspect - the two love scenes between Onegin and Larina are great, actually much better than what Russian actors would perform in the place of Fiennes and Tyler. But that's that. Everything else, including the duel, or the scandal between Lensky and Onegin, is dull, insipid and rather un-Russian. Fiennes obviously misunderstood the meaning of being "tired of life". Pushkin's Onegin was not a self-centered, self-sufficient and utterly satisfied English gentleman who speaks patronizingly to everyone in the country because "he knows things". He was a model for generations of Russian "malcontents": in a rigidly conservative society playing the "tired of life" was a social stand, not a psychological state. Onegin was a passionate man and his aloofness was a deliberate pretense (not that much different from Hamlet's delusive craziness). In short, the Fienneses had better screen a romantic drama without referring to Pushkin's masterpiece. Their movie is nice, watchable and enjoyable (well, Liv Tyler stars in it!), but their rendition of Pushkin's characters is so dissatisfying, the great poet might easily take offense.
George Parker
"Onegin" tells of an enigmatic, inscrutable, and jaded aristocrat (R. Finnes) in 1800's St. Petersburg, Russia and his stuttering relationship with a beautiful woman (Tyler). With all the frills of a period costume flick this elegant but hollow and plaintive drama of unrequited love relies too much on its title character and too little on content and story. For most film fans, "Onegin" may just be a beautiful bore. However, for the serious film buff into unusual/peculiar dramas, this film may be a worthwhile watch with its depth of character, bleakly beautiful scenics, and usual storyline. This project received a lukewarm reception from the public and good critical reviews. In English with no CC's and Spanish subtitles only. (B)
Armitaged
This is one of the best period films to come out of the industry in 1999. I think Liv Tyler really showed her acting chops in this work, and Ralph is extraordinary in practically anything he does. Don't miss seeing Toby Stephens and Lena Headey as Vladimir and Olga. I saw this movie on tv a few years ago and I still can't forget how beautifully-done it was. It is incredibly under-rated and deserved more accolades than it received. I highly recommend this film because it has lush scenery, great and powerful performances, and a truly unforgettable story. "If you but knew the flames that burn in me which I attempt to beat down with my reason. " -onegin
AD
