Coriolanus

2011

Ralph Fiennes' directorial debut, Coriolanus, scripted by John Logan, updates one of Shakespeare's more difficult plays without sacrificing the Bard's original dialogue. Set in modern times, the movie stars Fiennes as the title character, a fierce General able to fight Rome's most dreaded enemies as well as quell civil unrest from a lack of food. When politicians convince Coriolanus to become a political leader, his natural fierceness and lack of political instincts lead to him being disgraced by other politicians and eventually forced to leave Rome after being branded a traitor. He then joins with his former enemies to invade Rome, and the only person who may be able to talk him out of this revenge plan is his mother (Vanessa Redgrave). The film, which features a portion of the play's dialogue transferred into the mouths of talking-heads on television news shows, played at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. more..

Director: Ralph Fiennes

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Vanessa Redgrave, Gerard Butler,Brian Cox, Jessica Chastain

 30 Reviews  16 Awards

Reviews

  • With its warring factions, citizen uprisings, guerrilla insurgencies, political intrigue, bloody warfare, family tensions, and homoerotic subtext, Coriolanus is one of the year's best political thrillers.

    Lisa Schwarzbaum - Entertainment Weekly

    19 January 2013

  • Think "The Hurt Locker," which shares a cinematographer in Barry Ackroyd with no damage to the Bard's bruising poetry. Neat trick.

    Peter Travers - Rolling Stone

    19 January 2013

  • One of the pleasures of Fiennes' film is that the screenplay by John Logan ("Hugo," "Gladiator") makes room for as much of Shakespeare's language as possible. I would have enjoyed more, because such actors as Fiennes, Vanessa Redgrave and Brian Cox let the words roll trippingly off the tongue.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    19 January 2013

  • Coriolanus leaves an acrid, unfinished taste. Fiennes, making his directorial debut, gets into the meat of the thing, and he takes advantage of the bluntness of the text; even Shakespeare newcomers will be able to follow along.

    Ty Burr - The Boston Globe

    19 January 2013

  • Then too there's the sheer pleasure of hearing these words spoken by an actor like Mr. Fiennes, whose phrasing is so brilliant, you might be tempted to close your eyes if his physical performance weren't equally mesmerizing.

    Manohla Dargis - The New York Times

    19 January 2013

Awards

  • Jessica Chastain

    Austin Film Critics Association (2011)

  • Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer

    BAFTA Awards (2012)

     

  • International Jury

    Berlin International Film Festival (2011)

     

  • Best Supporting Actress

    British Independent Film Awards (2011)

  • Actor of the Year

    Central Ohio Film Critics Association (2012)

Lists

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