Atmospheric and brooding drama telling the true story of Effie Gray's marriage to John Ruskin. Amazing cast and thought-provoking story.

Very depressing and really thought Effie and Everett would get together. Didn't like the ending, Wasted movie night.

I don't understand the very low ratings and comments about how boring and slow the movie is. My guess is that these reviewers watch fast-paced movies that focus on action and constant scene changes rather than the story. This movie tells a story. Viewers need to pay attention, listen to the dialogue, and think.

This movie was VERY slow moving. The worst part about it is that after all of that long drawn out waiting, the ending leaves you completely unsatisfied. The acting was good. It was just that the script moved too slow and the storyline needed a lot of work to be interesting.

La interpretación de Dakota como Effie es sublime, consigue atrapar mi atención durante toda la película.

Going by the synopsis of Effie Gray, it hyped up the movie more than what it actually ended up being...boring!

Spoilers: Love both Fanning sisters, though Elle's talent and skill have outstripped those of Dakota. We could call Dakota's take in this period, 19th-century piece understated, but that might just be cover for quiet, even dull. Her pretty face doesn't tell us much throughout. And how does a female from Scotland avoid that thick brogue and sound British? It takes us a long time to get from a weird top-notch art historian and critic who waxes eloquent in prose about his angelic bride, to hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, enough to revamp the law on marriage and get a legal annulment, which should have feminists cheering. Her lawyer said he had never heard of this before, a woman still a virgin after years and years of marriage, as most men can hardly get out of the wedding to get their hands on their wives, as it should be. But this talented and family-rich Londoner Ruskin seems to have liked young girls, yes girls, but once they budded into women, not so much. We see no evidence of him smooching, etc. with girls or even men, but the odd person out surely is Effie, whom Ruskin, as this is based on a real story, not just ignores Effie, but beats her up verbally. She eventually falls for a painter friend of her husband. At a time when she couldn't just say f--k you and go get a job, we can feel her frustration, but she seems to take the ordeal not that badly, though it wears on her health, as she even loses hair over it. Luminous Emma Thompson becomes a sympathetic ally, and she even wrote this script. When Effie finally is unmarried, she marries the painter, who seems to touch her, as they have kids. The enormity of the accomplishment of leaving the security a rich house, where Ruskin's parents dote on their son all his life and where he works, away from Effie, is the story, but it seems to get short shrift in the movie. Times were tough, as Euphemia's Scottish family had a dozen or so kids and most died very young. Who calls a kid Euphemia, nicked to Phemy or Effie?

Excellent movie. Beautifully written, shot and acted. Complex relationship.

I love period dramas. Especially romances

I actually enjoyed this. I didn't know where it was going or if she would get out, and the ending was satisfying without being ridiculous or outlandish in any way. Nothing was overplayed, but that made it more real. You could really, really hate the main guy because he was like a real life threat. The fact that it was a true story helped with this. Some of the plot lines get lost, like the obsessive relationship the husband has with the mother, or the art, but the main story of the two main characters is very well done.

I want to claw at the walls when films like this are so misunderstood and thus get poor ratings. Yes, the film is somber, but the narrative is keenly alive in Effie's internal world, brilliantly captured by Dakota Fanning. In fact, the whole cast plays out their inner torments to great effect, and I was riveted from start to finish. These are the things women had to endure in the 1800s, and had Thompson's character not come to Effie's rescue, providing both a legal and medical escape, it's almost certain Effie would have been shut away in an asylum by her sexually twisted husband, which often happened to headstrong women in this era. We take heart that in this true story, Effie found her way out, but many women remained trapped in sick and loveless marriages, with no power whatsoever to affect change in their own lives. Although women have come a long way since the 1800s, most females will intuitively understand Effie's hell, as many wives still suffer in abusive marriages that threaten to devour them. Kudos to Thompson for her screenplay and to director Richard Paxton for bringing this moody and atmospheric story to life.

Effie Gray's main strength is also something of a weakness. Of the many period romance dramas saturating release schedules, not many could possibly attest to possessing such a lack of ambition beyond a character-based drama centered around fact. The story is quite bare and straightforward, but well-executed through a series of exceptional performances. Emma Thompson lights up the scenes that she graces with her presence, while Dakota Fanning puts in a solid leading role job. Greg Wise seems old for the man he plays, but I liked his complicated role and its blend of detachment and genuine emotion. Suchet and Walters as his parents struggle in shallow roles, but their presence was welcome. The same goes to an even greater extent in the case of Robbie Coltrane. I was not as fond of Tom Sturridge, and his role threatened to derail the film entirely. Similarly to Dane DeHaan in Tulip Fever, his character only produces intrigue as an object of desire rather than anything Sturridge achieves on the screen. Despite the iffy character, the main themes and Fanning ensure that the film remains interesting throughout. Thompson wrote a realistic version of a deteriorated marriage and the difficulties that sexual politics and belittlement brought to a woman's life in the 19th century, removed from all of the bells and whistles of sleeker, more bombastic productions.

yes I suppose it is a bit sombre but this was upper class Victorian Britain and it does illustrate well the morals of the time. Trapped in an unloved and unconsummated marriage but worse still living with dour starchy in laws effie gray flees to someone who really loves her

I usually love slow movies like this but I feel like it led to nowhere. Incredibly boring. You keep waiting for some form of passion and it never comes. I was at least hoping to see her and the other guy together but they never show. I did like the costumes, art and views but that's about it.

Wonderful movie told beautifully about the suffering and torture of woman I could hardly do anything about her condition. Even though I was in the 1800s it's still true today family movie. Of course men would never understand it that's why if you look below all the bad reviews are from man clueless truly

I thought the movie portrayed several things very well--from an emotionally abusive situation that was escalating to the entrapment women have felt in these sorts of situations when they are isolated, economically dependent and more. It's not the most uplifting movie (until the end), but the scenery is beautiful and the acting is convincing.

Mostly a very depressing movie. The characters were not likable at all.

At the opening monologue I thought wasn't going to like the movie. I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the movie and wanted more at the end. Of course after the movie I had to look up information about the lives of Ellie Gray, Rushkin and Millais. I thought Dakota Fanning's acting was very well done. I was surprised to see the low reviews here on Rotton Tonatoes. IlThe Google reviews are much higher and more in line with my review.

Sadness overcome by strength! Very well done period piece, brilliantly acted, and a fascinating story of a emancipation. Maybe it would be more interesting if the Movie gave us more about the scandal that resulted from Effie's desicion to divorce her husband. The Movie ended before the scandal, but despite that a great Movie to watch.

This is a much better movie than these ratings indicate. It is a particularly well written and acted period drama that accurately portrays the stiflingly suppression of women of the 1800's and their rights concerning marriage. Bravo Emma Thompson writer and star. It is in many ways a poetic beautiful movie and it is disturbing that it has been so poorly rated and received. Perhaps if it would have had at least one horse drawn carriage chase it would have fared better!