Fanny and Alexander | Rotten Tomatoes (original) (raw)
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Critics Consensus
Ingmar Bergman conveys the sweep of childhood with a fastidious attention to detail and sumptuous insight into human frailty in Fanny & Alexander, a masterwork that crystalizes many of the directors' preoccupations into a familial epic.
Kevin Maher Times (UK) A series of exquisitely written and often lavishly staged set pieces punctuated by the punishments of Alexander... Rated: 4/5 Dec 2, 2022 Full Review Michael Blowen Boston Globe In "Fanny and Alexander," Ingmar Bergman has put the magic back into his lantern. Apr 27, 2018 Full Review Melissa Anderson Time Out Rated: 5/5 Nov 17, 2011 Full Review Tom Hutchinson Radio Times The result is an unmissable experience from a master film-maker. Rated: 5/5 Jul 9, 2024 Full Review Dilys Powell Punch For over two hours one watched, spellbound, a story of two children enclosed in the memories and the experiences of their elders. But really it is the birth of the Ingmar Bergman cinema which one is watching. Oct 2, 2023 Full Review Brian Susbielles InSession Film An incredible piece of a cinematic achievement. Mar 8, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews
Sybe D A masterpiece, but: the television series from which the movie was cut, is even beter! (available on the good old DVD) Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Isaiah Y One of Ingmar Bergman's best films Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Thomas V This film is long but never boring, both joyous and quite sad, harsh but also exuberant. It's lushly filmed and the performances are solid, especially Alexander. I quite liked it and I understand why it's considered one of the greats. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/04/23 Full Review Johan A Fantastic representation of scandinavian christmas rituals. Brilliant actors and direction. Loved it. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/30/22 Full Review dave s What is Ingmar Bergman's best film? Persona? The Seventh Seal? Cries and Whispers? Or could it be Fanny and Alexander, Bergman's semi-autobiographical story of growing up in early 20th-century Sweden? The first act of the film is a joyous celebration of what it is to be young as young Alexander (Bertil Guve) rollicks through life with the expansive Ekdahl family, a bourgeois group who embrace the joys of music, food and theater. However, when his father dies and his mother marries a stern bishop, he finds himself at the mercy of the cruel whims of his rigid stepfather. It is a visually stunning film, shot by Bergman's regular cinematographer Sven Nykvist, the first half filled with vibrant colors, the second half with drab tones, clearly representing the contrasts in Alexander's early life and punctuating the significant impacts of the adult influences in our formative years. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review william k Lovingly detailed and obviously autobiographical period piece is something of a summary of Bergman's previous work, made by a matured director in full confidence of his talents; immensely enjoyable and entertaining. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Fanny and Alexander (1982) Fanny and Alexander (1982) Fanny and Alexander (1982) Fanny and Alexander (1982) Fanny and Alexander (1982) View more photos
Synopsis As children in the loving Ekdahl family, Fanny (Pernilla Allwin) and Alexander (Bertil Guve) enjoy a happy life with their parents, who run a theater company. After their father dies unexpectedly, however, the siblings end up in a joyless home when their mother, Emilie (Ewa Fröling), marries a stern bishop (Jan Malmsjö). The bleak situation gradually grows worse as the bishop becomes more controlling, but dedicated relatives make a valiant attempt to aid Emilie, Fanny and Alexander.
Director
Ingmar Bergman
Producer
Jörn Donner, Daniel Toscan du Plantier
Screenwriter
Ingmar Bergman
Distributor
Embassy Pictures
Production Co
Persona Films, Cinematograph AB, Gaumont, Svenska Filminstitutet, SVT Drama
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Swedish
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 17, 1983, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 7, 2017
Runtime
3h 8m
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