66
Metascore
16 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertThe film has many virtues, but for me the most enchanting is simply the lust with which it depicts a bold and colorful era in history.
- 75Washington PostDesson ThomsonWashington PostDesson ThomsonScreenwriter Walters and director Hoffman superbly replay the mood of Tremain's lively, well-written novel.
- 75Entertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumEntertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumBlinking his puppy-moist eyes and grappling with an English accent, Downey struggles so manfully in the role that one cuts him a lot of slack; working earnestly on her Irish brogue and mussing up her cupcake demeanor in the service of verisimilitude as a wise madwoman, Meg Ryan’s performance is, refreshingly, less precious than she’s been in a long while.
- 75San Francisco ExaminerBarbara ShulgasserSan Francisco ExaminerBarbara ShulgasserHoffman proves himself a master of complex scenery, crowd control and graceful direction. He succeeds in making a conspicuously lush and rich movie out of what was reportedly a less than kingly budget.
- 75Boston GlobeJay CarrBoston GlobeJay CarrFor all its shortcomings, Restoration is miles beyond most historical epics. [26 Jan 1996, p.51]
- 75Chicago TribuneMichael WilmingtonChicago TribuneMichael WilmingtonIf one judged movies purely on the basis of photography and sets, Restoration would deserve a place near the top. [26 Jan 1996, p.C]
- 70Time OutTime OutThis adaptation (by Rupert Walters) of Rose Tremain's brilliant Booker-shortlisted novel is a lot better than rumours about its frantic, lengthy post-production might have suggested. Engaging if uneven.
- 63Washington PostRita KempleyWashington PostRita KempleyWriter Rupert Walters's episodic narrative is decidedly corny—especially the later chapters—and yes, it's as creaky as old bones. But its weaknesses are offset by the film's elaborate re-creation of plague-ridden London.
- 50San Francisco ChroniclePeter StackSan Francisco ChroniclePeter StackThe movie takes on a somber, fitful atmosphere of straining epic proportions. But it strays into an episodic bog that leaves it gasping for dramatic life.
- 40The A.V. ClubThe A.V. ClubDowney seems subdued in the film's central role, as if he's out of his league when it comes to dramatically stretching as an actor. Even when all decked out in foppish finery, looking absolutely ridiculous to the objective eye, he can't find a way to focus your attention on him. Instead, in looking at him, all you can do is wonder: How much did those duds cost?