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Ladies in Lavender

PG-13 Released Apr 29, 2005 1h 43m Drama Romance List
64% Tomatometer 92 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Aging spinster sisters Ursula (Judi Dench) and Janet (Maggie Smith) discover a young man (Daniel Brühl) near death on the beach by their home in a small Cornish fishing village. Taking him in, they discover that he is Andrea, a violinist from Krakow, Poland, who had been swept off an ocean liner on which he was sailing to a fresh start in America. Although Ursula feels an unfamiliar spark of infatuation for the handsome young musician, propriety suggests the attraction must remain unspoken. Read More Read Less
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Ladies in Lavender

Ladies in Lavender

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Critics Consensus

A charming, if slight, period drama that quietly showcases fine performances by its two stars.

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Critics Reviews

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Empire Magazine Rated: 3/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Roger Moore Orlando Sentinel It's a British period piece, full of the sylvan Cornish coast and countryside, vintage motorcars, steam threshers and sensibilities. Pity they left out a compelling plot. Rated: 2/5 Jul 8, 2005 Full Review Steve Davis Austin Chronicle Rated: 2/5 Jul 5, 2005 Full Review Kat Halstead Common Sense Media The two Dames at the heart of the movie could hold viewers' attention making tea, and it's their performances that elevate what is otherwise a consistent, but not particularly memorable production. Rated: 3/5 Jun 2, 2021 Full Review Mattie Lucas The Dispatch (Lexington, NC) Gives two of the cinema's greatest grande dames a chance to show off their enormous talents. Rated: 3/4 Jun 5, 2019 Full Review Jim Lane Sacramento News & Review Rated: 3/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (476) audience reviews
Alexandra H I very much enjoyed this film. The beauty of nature and community life in the English countryside shines through everything. Both Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are superb and enjoyable to watch. The violin music is lovely. Altogether, an engaging and pleasant watch. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/28/24 Full Review Cornel P Nice Story, great Entertainment, brillantly playing Dench and Smith. Those WHO think that only a problematic subject IS good for entertainment, are proven wrong with THIS charming movie...because ITS NEVER boring!💪 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/15/23 Full Review fer b I absolutely loved this movie. There is a message in it many people nowadays need to hear. There is a natural and unnatural way of things. Trying to manipulate nature and reality to fit an unnatural outcome could have horrendous consequences. In the end all the characters fall in place as they should and natural balanced is achieved. There is pain and sorrow in the human cycle of life but it all makes sense in the end when you are able to take a step back and embrace nature. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Beautifully filmed and touching. There are plot issues, but still very much worth the watch for the acting and scenery alone. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/21 Full Review Audience Member I tried watching this ages ago, but never got very far and now that I've seen the entire movie, I'm not sure why I didn't enjoy it the first time. It could be because I'm older now and the story finally resonated with me. But whatever the reason, I'm glad I gave it another try. This is a beautiful and heartwarming movie about two elderly sisters who find a badly injured young man (Andrea) washed up on the shore. They take him in and take care of him until he becomes part of their family. They learn that he is Polish, but they teach him how to converse in English and then discover that he has a wonderful talent for playing the violin. He meets a woman who is so impressed with his talent that she wants him to use it on a bigger level. The thing I liked most about this movie was the scenery (the seaside was gorgeous), but I absolutely loved Judi Dench. She was my favorite of the two sisters, and she had a sweetness and innocence about her. *spoiler* She develops feelings for Andrea and had it been done differently, it could have taken the movie in a completely different direction. However, the way it was presented was sweet and very subtle and led to a few touching moments I really loved this movie and I'm glad I gave it another try. It was definitely worth it. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review funk l A gentle movie. Slow but absorbing. If you like Maggie Smith and Judy Dench, then it is one to watch and with a glorious classical soundtrack as well. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Ladies in Lavender

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Aging spinster sisters Ursula (Judi Dench) and Janet (Maggie Smith) discover a young man (Daniel Brühl) near death on the beach by their home in a small Cornish fishing village. Taking him in, they discover that he is Andrea, a violinist from Krakow, Poland, who had been swept off an ocean liner on which he was sailing to a fresh start in America. Although Ursula feels an unfamiliar spark of infatuation for the handsome young musician, propriety suggests the attraction must remain unspoken.
Director
Charles Dance
Producer
Nicolas Brown, Elizabeth Karlsen, Nik Powell
Screenwriter
Charles Dance
Distributor
IDP Distribution
Production Co
Scala Productions
Rating
PG-13 (Brief Strong Language)
Genre
Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 29, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 15, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.8M
Runtime
1h 43m
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