Behind the Candelabra

  • 2013


MOVIE IS distinctive entertaining fascinating capable metaphorical
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75 %
95 % Certified Fresh
$ 13 Million
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Positive Reviews 78
Negative reviews 7
Average Rating 4.0/5
distinctive entertaining fascinating capable metaphorical

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  • Positive
  • Negative
3.0
At every turn, Damon is matched by Douglas, who gives one of the best performances of his career, work so vital its been easy to forget hes capable of .. Av Club
4.5
Steven Soderberghs final film Behind the Candelabra is a spectacular portrait of the relationship between the famed pianist Liberace and his lover Sco .. We Got This Covered
4.4
Thematic kin to Clint Eastwoods terrific J. Edgar, Behind the Candelabra is powerful, funny, and emotionally rigorous, and though it might act as a fi ..
1.5
And thats where we leave it, with Scott sitting at Lees funeral, imagining the beloved, delusional virtuoso floating away on glittery cape wings.
4.5
Theres a solid, patient, confident quality to this movie thats rarely seen in modern mainstream cinema. Vulture
4.5
also starring Damon) and beautifully unsettling The Girlfriend Experience, Behind the Candelabra doesnt build to a satisfying and resonant climax.
4.5
The movie suggests that Thorson, because of his run of foster families as a kid, really doesnt have a sense of home. Paste Magazine
4.0
In a performance truly free of vanity and unlike anything hes done before, Douglas does his best work in years here. IGN
5.0
This is luxury cinema in the lucid Soderberghian style. His analytical camera turns Liberaces Vegas mansion, with its golden furnishings and marble co .. Telegraph
2.5
And certainly not every actor can convincingly rock sequined pants and an ermine cape.
3.0
Theres never a sense Douglas or director Steven Soderbergh is after a caricature, but theres still the sense that we sometimes get one. Ny Daily News
1.5
Candelabra shines a light on things that might have occurred, but it never quite illuminates them. Philly
4.5
Behind the Candelabra is great fun, and even though the production and costume design are heavy on mirrors, gilt furniture, and sequins, it stops shor .. Village Voice
3.0
Douglas seems to be having fun playing such a flaming swishy character and hams it up. Sover
2.0
Although a glacial pace ultimately undermines the passions of the characters, the picture does supply tangy performances from stars Michael Douglas an .. Blu Ray
4.5
No one saves face in director Steven Soderberghs ghoulishly entertaining, opulently produced Behind the Candelabra, HBOs grandest, gaudiest and most f .. Tv Guide
4.4
As young as Damon may look, hes a man, not a boy, and hes far too old to convey a childs vulnerability and immaturity and the damage this affair must .. Usa Today
4.0
What lasts longest in the mind is not the films bold gay love scenes but its affectionate tip of the hat to a great, unapologetic American eccentric. Radio Times
4.5
Together they create complex chemistry that feels startlingly intimate and truthful. Shadows On The Wall
3.8
Douglas doesnt just mimic Liberaces mannerisms. He transforms the quiet moments into an affecting portrait of a performer whose time in the spotlight .. News Day
4.5
Everything is pushed right to the edge, and that it doesnt topple over in a flaming heap is tribute to a pair of brilliant performances though Damons .. News Day
3.8
Not exactly wild horses, hes talking about un housebroken, yappy little dogs. New York Post
4.5
Behind the Candelabra doesnt quite fit into the biopic genre simply because it is so good. Boston
4.0
The film famously heralds Soderberghs self imposed retirement from cinema as the lauded director considers other pursuits, including a focus on televi .. Smh
4.0
And in the metaphorical sense Liberace doesnt have secrets from us, the audience. Guardian
4.5
Its Wildes love that dare not speak its name translated into a conspiratorial cross between the mafias omerta and the US militarys dont ask, dont tell .. Guardian
4.0
And, even now, many Hollywood stars dont dare to admit theyre gay. Daily Mail
4.5
total avoidance of camp and his deeply sympathetic treatment of both major characters is a way... to make Liberace and Thorson people, not stereotypes .. Salon
4.0
Amongst the sequins and sass, Soderbergh finds a tenderness that has sometimes been missing in his films. Flim List
4.5
In the hands of a lesser filmmaker, this is a project that might have gone terribly wrong, but ranking high on the entertainment meter, it smacks of a ..
3.0
If the script can at times seem slight, Douglas and Damon are superb. Boston Herald
4.0
Douglas captures all the schmaltzy, unctuous charm of Liberace, tinkles the ivories as if to the manner born and sports a fabulous line of flamboyant .. Express
5.0
Its a cautionary tale but not a preachy one, told with affection and sympathy courtesy of Richard LaGraveneses intelligent, humorous and concise scree .. Express
4.0
The performances by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon are wonderful. The fug of jealousy and drug fuelled paranoia is very well maintained. The Irish Times
4.5
Hugely entertaining, the film walks the line between hilarious kitsch & character study. Douglas performance is brilliant, sympathetic, an act of impe .. Blogs Indie Wire
4.0
Douglas pulls out all the stops while somehow avoiding caricature in a glittering celebrity portrait. If Soderberghs swansong doesnt always mine great .. Total Film
4.0
He presents a complex man capable of great generosity as well as an innate spitefulness when crossed. Standard
3.0
Its rare that I hate an HBO movie, but its been a long time since I loved one. Until now. Hit Fix
3.0
As well as a touching and tough minded love story, Behind the Candelabra is a sympathetic study of a man defiantly resisting his own significance. Hit Fix
3.0
If this really is the end of the road for Soderbergh, then what a class act to finish on. Film School Rejects
4.5
Its ultimately a story about the power imbalances in relationships, and the quietly devastating way that couples can build one another up, only to tea .. Film Ink
4.0
Still, Liberaces final curtain call is a poignant reminder of how easy it is to get lost under bright lights. Digital Spy
1.5
Behind the Candelabra isnt a smear job, but its not a revelation, either. Kansas City
4.0
No US cinema release means no Oscar nomination and thats offensive. Flicks
4.5
This biopic about the pianist showman Liberace may look almost painfully camp, and sometimes it is, but its also a remarkably honest depiction of an i .. Contact Music
2.0
Soderbergh takes something as hoary as a celebrity biopic and turns it into a magnificent opus composed of bold overtures and brassy melodies all punc .. Patriot Ledger
4.0
Douglas and Damon perfectly navigate the entire lifespan of a relationship from giddy freshness to screaming fights. Antagony & Ecstasy
4.0
Soderbergh and LaGravenese go deep beneath this voyeuristic fascination with wealth, fame, and the secret lives of celebrities. The Dissolve
4.5
When theyre getting along, one believes theres at least something approximating love. Hollywood Chicago
4.0
And thats even before the cheek and chin implants get inserted, in some wincing surgical scenes.) Sbs
4.0
Michael Douglas plays Liberace to perfection, wrestling away from early suspicions that his performance is a fur coat and no knickers caricature, to a .. What Culture
4.5
Odds are you wont be able to take your eyes off director Steven Soderberghs luridly entertaining peek into the relationship between legendary pianist .. Mercury News
4.0
Every scene of Soderberghs film is sprinkled in sequin dust, topped by a finale that Liberace himself might have enjoyed. Scots Man
4.0
Light but not slight, it is ultimately tender and sensationally acted, with both stars giving career topping turns. Metro
4.5
What this all adds up to in respect of his treatment of Thorson isnt clear, but youre invited to consider the implications. The Ooh Tray
4.5
He draws from his actors rich performances, and doesnt fall into the trap that undoes other biopics. Streaming Quickflix
4.5
The glitter and kitsch, and jaw dropping performances by Michael Douglas as the middle age Liberace and Matt Damon as his much younger boy toy Scott T .. Wsj
4.5
Douglas is more than acceptable, but Damon has made an unforgettable character. Scott Thorson is unknown and he comes out of the dark as the story tha .. New Republic
4.5
Thorson has consistently denied that hes gay, which doesnt quite square with the thesis of this movie. Bfi
4.5
The stunning and quite intimate performances by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon are award worthy. Denver Post
4.5
But what will stick out for most people are two wickedly good performances from Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. Ion Cinema
4.5
The rampantly heterosexual Douglas might seem a stretch as Liberace, but from that first moment on the Vegas stage he nails the character, which quick .. Entertainment Time
5.0
Douglas is simply brilliant here. Its far more than an impression he simply disappears into the role of the troubled showman. Daily Star
4.0
Behind the Candelabra is a fascinating peek into the secret life of an icon; the sad (reportedly) last hurrah of a cinematic maverick and proof that D .. Graffiti With Punctuation
4.5
One of the great joys of this film is how fantastically immersive it is. Spectator
3.5
The lifestyles of the rich, famous and queer get a provocative examination in Steven Soderberghs Behind the Candelabra. Honey Cutts Hollywood
3.0
But, dont underestimate the considerable talents of everyone else behind Behind the Candelabra. Movie Chambers
3.0
While everything looks splendid, the film engages less the longer it goes on. True story or no, the final act treads very familiar territory. Sky
4.5
Yes, lover as Liberace was gay although that doesnt come as much of a surprise. Battle Royale With Cheese
2.0
For the most part theyve pulled it off, with Douglas absolutely fearless as the bejeweled, closeted, legendary Vegas bauble while Damon effectively na .. Uncle Barky
5.0
The film feels like an epic biopic, with so much detail, humour and emotion crammed in. Hey U Guys
4.5
Richard LaGraveneses script is admirably faithful to its source, Thorsons oddly poignant 1988 memoir of the same name.) Cinema Scope
4.5
The result is far more complex and engaging than traditional biopic approaches. Cinema Autopsy
3.0
Review: To borrow from the films title allusion, behind the candelabra of Steven Soderberghs detailed, lustrous account of Liberaces late life affair .. Patrick Nabarro
5.0
A mixture of extraordinary humour, fluent directing and edge of seat performances Birmingham Mail
4.5
Irish comic actor ODowd (born 1979) is a delight to watch and an apt vehicle for Guests distinctive, wry humor. World Socialist Web Site
2.0
If his private fishbowl was constricting, Liberace countered it by the magnificence of his stage persona, the showmanship outweighing the secrecy. The Monitor
4.4
Excellent performances by Douglas and Damon highlight this tale of love and need. Ohio
4.0
...a glitzy, glamorous pseudo biopic which plays like a legitimate love story more than a tantalizing tell all, and as swansongs go, its sensational. Technology Tell
4.5
As deeply entertaining and creative as it is socially enlightening. Windy City Media Group
4.5
Part of the magic in Soderberghs thoroughly entertaining biopic on the life of flamboyant piano virtuoso Liberace comes from the way it strives to be .. Electric Sheep Magazine
4.0
Behind The Candelabra isnt Soderberghs flashiest movie, he plays things very straight visually.
4.5
Michael Douglas dazzles as Liberace, hard to imagine a more dynamic screen performance this year. Can this really be the hard nosed heart throb who pl .. UTV
5.0
Regardless of the storys degree of historical accuracy, no doom laden celebrity biopic has ever featured so much salacious fun. Nor has there been a f .. Birmingham Post
3.0
One of strengths is in the way he subverts traditional narratives and finds interesting moments that other directors wouldnt think twice about. Glenn Dunks
4.5
Although Behind the Candelabra may be Soderberghs swan song, its an uncanny resurrection of the creature that was Liberace.



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