
Mr. Turner explores the last quarter century of the great if eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851). Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by a housekeeper he takes for granted and occasionally exploits sexually, he forms a close relationship with a seaside landlady with whom he eventually lives incognito in Chelsea, where he dies. Throughout this, he travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits brothels, is a popular if anarchic me... (Full plot summary below)
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Mr. Turner explores the last quarter century of the great if eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851). Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by a housekeeper he takes for granted and occasionally exploits sexually, he forms a close relationship with a seaside landlady with whom he eventually lives incognito in Chelsea, where he dies. Throughout this, he travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits brothels, is a popular if anarchic member of the Royal Academy of Arts, has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty.
Leave your thoughts about Mr. Turner.
| Time OutDave CalhounAs ever with Leigh, Mr Turner addresses the big questions with small moments. It's an extraordinary film, all at once strange, entertaining, thoughtful and exciting. |
| The SpectatorDeborah RossWhen you have Spall doing the grunting, and Mike Leigh at the helm, as both writer and director, such gruntiness can be quite sublime, as can snorting and huffing. |
| Radio TimesLeslie FelperinAnchored by a masterful performance by Timothy Spall in a role he was born to play, and gilded by career-best effort from DoP Dick Pope, working for the first time on digital for Leigh to bridge the gap between the painting and cinematography, Mr. Turner manages to illuminate that nexus between biography and art with elegant understatement. |
| Daily Mirror (UK)David EdwardsI confidently predict Timothy Spall will be lifting a Bafta, if not an Oscar, for his brilliant performance as 19th-century painter JMW Turner in this affecting biopic. |
| Sunday Times (UK)Camilla LongIt is such an extraordinary revelation, a breathtaking and acutely observed meditation on the intricacies of Victorian life, complete with a tour de force by Timothy Spall as the painter JMW Turner. |
| Times (UK)Kate MuirIf there is one film you should see on the largest screen possible this year, it is Mr Turner, which is not merely the portrait of an artist but a full-frontal, joyous bellyflop into the seascapes of his paintings. |
| Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsLeigh's film — one of the year's best — honors its subject in all his tetchy ambiguity. |
| culturevulture.netEmily S. Mendel... one of the most memorable and intriguing films I've seen in a long time. Mike Leigh should be congratulated for the creativity and artistry of this film. |
| FILMINK (Australia)Colin FraserLike Turner's own paintings, [Spall] creates a series of impressions that, when seen from the right angle, create an astounding vision. It is truly remarkable, and it is unlikely that you'll see its kind again. |
| Globe and MailLiam LaceyPerformances are still the heart of Leigh’s work, and at the heart of this film is an extraordinary performance by Leigh’s frequent collaborator, the British actor Timothy Spall. |