At its best, De-Lovely evokes a time, a place and a sound with stylish wit and sophistication.
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
As a bio-pic, De-Lovely is pretty standard, run-of-the-mill stuff (albeit with an interesting framing device). However, as a "best hits" collection of Cole Porter's music, it is unparalleled.
75
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Kline, though, does give one of the great movie performances of the year so far.
70
VarietyTodd McCarthy
VarietyTodd McCarthy
Benefits greatly from Kevin Kline's outstanding performance as the ultra-sophisticated songwriter whose resilient marriage anchored a complicated double life.
70
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
A sprightly musical revue built around Cole Porter songs and a few biographical tidbits culled from his extraordinary life.
63
PremiereLaine Ewen
PremiereLaine Ewen
Though director Irwin Winkler takes pains to accurately present Cole's life (unlike "Night and Day," the 1946 biopic starring Cary Grant), the film has its shortcomings. First of which is pushing the love story, when it's clear Linda's feelings aren't reciprocated.
50
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
If Porter's songs are so timeless, why does the movie sound like something that might have played on VH1 five years ago?
50
L.A. WeeklyElla Taylor
L.A. WeeklyElla Taylor
If you're a Cole Porter fan you might like the songs in De-Lovely, but as a portrait of an unusual marriage it's de-lumbering, de-liberate and de-cidedly flat.