Popular reviews

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  Review by Allison M. 🌱 ★★★½

  "I suppose you could see this painting as a suicide note."

  Really liking Velvet Buzzsaw, an art film that apparently a lot of others hated, The Burnt Orange Heresy is the same type of film: it's not horror, but it's not a crowd-pleaser. I admit I didn't love the direction it took, but everything the film was built upon was such a steady foundation.

  "That is the power of the critic."

  It is similar in tone to House of Games, where the lead explains his own racket and continues to do it even when you're convinced he's gone straight. James Figueras (Claes Bang) is the worst: charming and conniving, intelligent yet utterly base. He persuades Berenice Hollis (Elizabeth Debicki) to…

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  Review by davidehrlich ★★

  A slinky but inert Euro-thriller that splits the difference between Abbas Kiarostami and François Ozon in a futile effort to forge both of their talents, Giuseppe Capotondi’s “The Burnt Orange Heresy” is a movie about the value of art that offers little in the way of artistic value. What it does have — in spades — is Elizabeth Debicki swanning around the well-monied banks of Lake Como as a mysterious connoisseur whose sultry exterior may (or may not!) hide another meaning under its surface.

  Beguiling even as the silly film around her struggles to square high-brow gloss with low-rent delight, the bird-like “Widows” actress manages to soar above the rest of the action without insisting the material is far beneath…

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  Review by marcricov ★★ 1

  Ironic that this movie is all about art and it literally feels like watching paint dry.

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  Review by julia ★ 1

  this was bad. but like, elizabeth debicki is 6’3

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  Review by Hot Take Nick ★★★ 16

  “It’s quirky details that carry the day.” 

  I wanted to see this primarily after seeing Elizabeth Debicki’s great performance in Tenet. And she was really good in this too. But I’m conflicted about how I feel about this movie overall. Part of me found this really interesting and engaging. Another part of me thought this movie felt rushed, poorly executed, and could have been a lot more than it was. 
  Like the twists were great and the main plot points were too but everything in between felt like there was something missing. 

  Also, it has Mick Jagger in it. 

  Honestly, I don’t really have much else to add for this one. Positive or negative thoughts aside, it’s definitely an interesting watch.

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  Review by Alex Billington ★★★★½

  The more I think about it, the more I love The Burnt Orange Heresy. The third act is bad and almost ruins the film, but the rest of it is built upon such compelling mystery and intrigue. I feel like every single line in the film might be deceptive, or a lie, you have to read between the lines to really figure out what's going on.

  And for those who love it as much as I do, the film has some serious Zima Blue references throughout the first half. It's a crafty commentary on art and the truth of art much like Zima Blue, complete with numerous mentions of the color blue and a pool. Made me giddy watching it…

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  Review by cait ★★

  a claes bang/elizabeth debicki art romance feels like someone looked deep within my soul and found the film premise that would satisfy me most…. so how come this is so awful??

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  Review by melanconia ★★½

  Most people are not what you'd expect.

  A bit dull.
  Elizabeth Debicki is so perfect.

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  Review by dodi tupaki ★★ 1

  ultimately, this movie depends on whether it is able to sell you the main character’s obsession with art, and that he needs one of Debney’s paintings. unfortunately, i wasn’t really buying into it, so most of it fell flat for me. it does raise a few interesting points about art and its interpretation, but otherwise it was rather forgettable.

  (let the records show that i mainly watched this for miss Elizabeth Debicki, and she did not disappoint. also that if she sleepily leaned against me and held my hand i’d die on the spot. ugh, some men really don’t appreciate what they got)

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  Review by 𝐂.𝐁 ★★★

  I enjoyed this more than I was expecting. The story was interesting  and the settings really played into this. I quite like Claes Bang and I felt he worked really well with Elizabeth Debicki and both held this together really well. Definitely worth a watch.

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  Review by Matt ★★

  Elizabeth Debicki's second 'so, what the hell is meant to be happening? i'm a bit bored' film of the year and another weird thriller about art crime from Claes Bang.

  A cripplingly dull first hour grew into something a little more interesting but by the time the pieces came together and provided an ok finale...I found myself not really caring anymore.

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  Review by Matt Orenstein ★★½ 1

  Did not have the moves like Jagger.