70
Metascore
26 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertStephen Fry brings a depth and gentleness to the role that says what can be said about Oscar Wilde: that he was a funny and gifted idealist in a society that valued hypocrisy above honesty.
- 80Time OutTime OutAs Wilde, descending from would-be-doting husband and father to follower of his own 'nature', and finally ruined and disgraced martyr on the tree of English hypocrisy, Fry is utterly convincing.
- 80VarietyDerek ElleyVarietyDerek ElleyToplining British comedian/wit Stephen Fry in a once-in-a-lifetime role as the brilliant, acerbic playwright, and mounted with a care and affection in all departments that squeezes the most from its $10 million budget, movie is a tony biopic that manages to combine an upfront portrayal of the scribe's gayness with an often moving examination of his broader emotions and artistic ideals.
- 78Austin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenAustin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenWhat's most memorable about Wilde is Fry's near-perfect encapsulation of the artist. It's a performance equal to the legend it portrays.
- 75ReelViewsJames BerardinelliReelViewsJames BerardinelliUltimately, while Wilde lacks the depth and substance of the best biographical features, it's nevertheless a strong enough contender to deserve a trip to the local theater.
- 75San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleSan Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleWhile Wilde captures its subject's singular charm, it ultimately doesn't do justice to his complexity.
- 75Boston GlobeJay CarrBoston GlobeJay CarrStylish, sad, opulent, brilliant, and clear-eyed, Wilde does justice to its complex subject. It should stand as the definitive biofilm for years to come. [05 Jun 1998, p.D6]
- 60EmpireWilliam ThomasEmpireWilliam ThomasApart from a sprinkling of Wilde's legendary bons mots and a few fleeting visits to theatres where audiences cheer Lady Windemere's Fan, there is disappointingly little here to suggest the complexity of his mind, the range of his writing or, crucially, the importance of being Oscar.
- 42The A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThe A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThere are many fine works by and about Wilde, and if you haven't read them, you should. Nearly all are preferable to this one.