Occasionally becomes pretentious and shrill -- sometimes Mr. Wright isn't aware that his material is so good that he doesn't need to comment on his characters.
80
Village VoiceJ. Hoberman
Village VoiceJ. Hoberman
Kaufman's earnestly overblown celebration of the Marquis de Sade.
80
Film.comPeter Brunette
Film.comPeter Brunette
The dialogue is sparkingly witty, and Phoenix and Winslet are excellent in what are, after all, meant to be fairly one-dimensional roles.
75
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Stack
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Stack
Rush is amazing throughout this absorbing, provocative film.
70
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Rush is too sinfully good for the drama he's in.
67
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Quills bleaches the danger -- and fascination -- out of De Sade, turning him into a kind of mad saint of ''Masterpiece Theatre'' porn.
25
New York PostJonathan Foreman
New York PostJonathan Foreman
Resembles a period version of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" - played dead straight.
Soon becomes a sadistic experience in its own right. Experiencing this pretentious wallow -- overwritten, under-thought and overdone -- is a very sophisticated form of torture.