That was an excellent one.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The British have long been known for top-notch period dramas: the lovely clothes, the palatial homes, every detail of food and drink and music spot-on. So far so good. But how did the director manage to turn a rattling good political/social story set at a time of great unrest in all of Europe and slow it down to a trudge through the sludge?Perhaps part of it was the camera work, particularly all those shots through windows that "just happen" to blur the one thing the viewer needs to see? Or the terrible sound, which allows us hear every footstep and slurp of wine, but always blurs the dialogue at its most vital point? The needless implied lesbian sex scene? Or simply the wooden performances on the part of all the actors? Shoddy directing, shoddy writing--of course it got an Oscar.To be honest, for a story where so much might have happened not a lot goes on.Longest 98 minutes I've sat through in a long time.

I saw this movie in cinema and this is the way to do it!On one side, this movie is not well researched. Nearly every actor does not match with the role. Keira Knightley is not the 18th-century sex-bomb, you would expect from the contemporary paintings. But the hole political role of the duchess is not told in this movie. So you can not understand why in one scene is an great audience. Charles Grey was a young boy, when the duchess married the duke of Devonshire and this is the reason why the first scene in the movie is complete nonsense - like nearly all the story line. The duke was not a old men in this time, and the duchess was significantly older than Mr. Grey etc.. The dark side of the duchess, her faults (drugs, gambling etc.) were not told. So the story of the movie is something like a lie.On the other hand, there are very nice costumes. OK, you cannot see why the duchess of Devonshire was so famous for her costumes because she has all the film quiet normal and mostly informal dresses for the period. I think, it's a nice film for women. If you forget, the background and the historical life of the duchess of Devonshire - perhaps than nobody would see the film in cinema. So they needed a title. The life of the real duchess was quiet interesting full of adventures, illness, journeys, political arguments, intrigues etc.. But here is only a story of a nearly stupid rich women in some problems with her brutal husband. I admired the locations and the costumes but as a movie without any real interesting conflict and mostly boring not really motivated actors its hard to look at it without regret.

a beautiful film. not great or remarkable. only beautiful. for costumes and correct acting. for the light to dark rooms of period. for the flavor of Anna Karenina. and for the atmosphere before the storm. a movie like a jewel from 18 century. more complex than a nice adaptation of a book, almost fascinating for the science of Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes to explore theirs roles possibilities, special for performance of Charlotte Rampling and for the air of portrait of a life. a movie like a drop of perfume. noble, seductive, charming. and a different tool for discover the past in a profound way.that is all. a beautiful film about a special universe and remarkable force of a woman to be herself .

On the face of it life for Georgiana Spencer is going to get even better as William, The Duke of Devonshire; the most senior peer in England was to marry her. The problem was he had little interest in her apart from her ability to provide him with a male heir. Their relationship worsens when she produces two daughters but no sons. Life at home may be strained but she is one of the most popular in London society; drawing a crowd where ever she goes and even getting involved in politics. She also draws the attention of up and coming politician Charles Grey; at first they are just friends but that changes after she has produced an heir for the duke and he has not only started having an affair with Georgiana's friend Bess but actually moved her into the marital home. Being that this is the eighteenth century standards are quite different and the duke does not see her behaviour as mirroring his; he is just concerned that the gossip about his wife's affair will become public; he gives her an ultimatum; she will stop seeing Charles or she will never see her children again.This isn't the sort of film I usually watch but I'm glad I did as I rather enjoyed it. Keira Knightley does a fine job in the title role; showing both the joy and despair of the duchess at various stages of the film. Ralph Fiennes is very good as the duke; a man who clearly has difficulty showing emotions and whose only real desire is to have a son... the only time he appears genuinely animated is when he is talking to Bess's sons. As one would expect from a quality period drama everything looks great; beautiful houses in beautiful settings inhabited by beautifully dressed people; even the numerous servants are dressed in impressive attire. It isn't all beauty though; the way society treats women of the day is fairly shocking and at one point the duke rapes his wife and nobody does a thing. If you like period dramas this is certainly worth watching; even if it isn't your favourite genre you may find yourself enjoying it; I know I did.