As Arthur Goring -- "the idlest man in London" -- Rupert Everett sparkles brightest in the diamond necklace of Hollywood Brits adorning An Ideal Husband.

| May 27, 2022

Parker's shuttlecock technique only succeeds in throwing Wilde's cascading rhythms seriously out of whack and makes it hard to attend to the language as fully as one would like.

| Jun 18, 2012

The bright, crisp design, Wilde's arch eloquence and a classy company help to camouflage the shortcomings.

| Mar 2, 2011

Quality comedy with a sprinkling of romance, skilfully assembled by a director with a clear feel for the material. Performances are universally great and the dialogue, of course, is superb.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jul 20, 2010

It's lavish, clever entertainment, a welcome opportunity to laugh without shame.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jul 20, 2010

An enjoyable, minor, lustrously shot revamping of Oscar Wilde's play about the perpetually interlocked manners of love and deception.

| Original Score: B | Jul 7, 2010

It's a pleasant diversion but sadly, little more than a chance to hear Rupert's barbed wit.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 15, 2009

The exquisite teamwork and byplay make the film such a delight to watch.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 18, 2009

All the other performances -- from Cate Blanchett, Minnie Driver, Julianne Moore, John Wood and Peter Vaughan -- are first rate.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 7, 2008

Smooth-flowing direction, a shrewdly pruned script and a top-flight ensemble cast that visibly relishes both the dialogue and one another's perfs make this a tony item for upscale, mature audiences.

| Jun 19, 2008

Certain stretches truly sparkle, but the movie is not as inventive as The Winslow Boy, nor as relaxed and goofy as Midsummer[night's Dream].

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 26, 2006

Rupert Everett goes buck wild (okay, Oscar Wilde) in this Victorian comedy of manners and romance.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 6, 2005

Parker has made a sensible cinematic translation of Wilde's play, intercutting scenes which would have been played consecutively on the stage.

Full Review | Jul 21, 2005

An ideal alternative to the onslaught of Hollywood summer films.

| Original Score: B+ | Apr 9, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 20, 2003

It is sad that this kind of dialogue is seen so infrequently in modern films; Wilde had a way with words unparalleled in this century.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Feb 8, 2003

“An Ideal Husband” is one of those rare gems that isn’t seen by as many people as should see it. It appeals to many different kinds of people...

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jan 29, 2003

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Nov 7, 2002

Alas, something went wrong between stage and screen...

| Original Score: 2/4 | Oct 15, 2002

A movie whose few imperfections never detract from its elegant characters and intriguing plot.

| Aug 2, 2002