Tolkien

Name: Tolkien
Genre: Biography, Drama, War
Released: May 10, 2019
Duration: 112 min
Rating: 48
Cast: Al Bollands, Anthony Boyle, Colm Meaney, Craig Roberts, Derek Jacobi

2019

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 37 Critics

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 24 Ratings

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5.0	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 24 Ratings

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Tolkien (Trailer 2)

Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: May 10, 2019

Starring: Al Bollands, Anthony Boyle, Colm Meaney, Craig Roberts, Derek Jacobi, Genevieve O'Reilly, Guillermo Bedward, Harry Gilby, Kallum Tolkien, Laura Donnelly, Lily Collins, Mimi Keene, Nicholas Hoult, Pam Ferris, Patrick Gibson, Ty Tennant

Summary: Tolkien explores the formative years of the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school.

Director: Dome Karukoski

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, War

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 112 min

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Awards & Rankings

85	#85 Most Discussed Movie of 2019

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Chris Nashawaty

May 3, 2019

Hoult brings a quiet, romantic intensity to the young Tolkien (pronounced ‘Tolkeen’, who knew?), Lily Collins does a lot with a little as his first love Edith, and the Hobbit horde will gobble up all of the easter-egg references peppered throughout the movie. Read full review

Austin Chronicle Josh Kupecki

May 8, 2019

The performances are wonderful, especially Hoult and Collins, who exude a charming chemistry, and fans of both the books and the films will find pleasure in this look at the early life of the man whose work still influences artists to this day. Read full review

Ty Burr

May 8, 2019

Tolkien gives us the passing of a vanished England and the loss of a generation but not quite enough about what was won, by him for us, nor the mystery of how he won it. Read full review

David Ehrlich

May 3, 2019

While it still dilutes Tolkien’s memory by molding his life to the narrow dimensions of a middle-brow feature that’s too safe for the arthouse and too small for the multiplex, at least it does so in a sincere attempt to trace the etymology of Tolkien’s work, and to emphasize that where stories come from can be as meaningful as where they take us. Read full review

Glenn Kenny

May 9, 2019

Tolkien manages several scenes of credible emotional delicacy. Read full review

New York Post Sara Stewart

May 7, 2019

Would it have been tacky to visually play up the connection between Tolkien’s harrowing experiences on the WWI battlefield and his depiction of Mordor in the books? Perhaps. Beyond the briefest of allusions, Karukoski tastefully leaves that to the imagination. But this — like much of the film — is a tastefulness that induces sleepiness. Tolkien’s estate was not supportive of this film, understandably: The legendary author’s work is memorial enough. Read full review

ScreenCrush Matt Singer

May 9, 2019

None of the life we see J.R.R. Tolkien live in the film illuminates his great works of art — or even makes for a particularly compelling tale. Read full review

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User Reviews

MIM309

Jun 21, 2019

We enjoyed it. I can see why, in a world of too much CGI and rehashed tropes, this received mixed reviews. Nevertheless, it was a subtle exploration of the foundations upon which Tolkien's creative persona was built. It helps if you understand that LOTR was never intended to be just aWe enjoyed it. I can see why, in a world of too much CGI and rehashed tropes, this received mixed reviews. Nevertheless, it was a subtle exploration of the foundations upon which Tolkien's creative persona was built. It helps if you understand that LOTR was never intended to be just a fantasy story. The pacing was a bit odd and the plot had a few obscure goat tracks, but over all it was enjoyable.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

PJPaz

May 14, 2019

Reading some of these reviews is astonishing: what do we, as a collective modern audience, still bring to films? It's as though some of these professional critics didn't really watch the film (e.g., "None of the life we see ... illuminates his great works of art". Really?) and as though someReading some of these reviews is astonishing: what do we, as a collective modern audience, still bring to films? It's as though some of these professional critics didn't really watch the film (e.g., "None of the life we see ... illuminates his great works of art". Really?) and as though some of these amateur film goers simply want it to be a different film (e.g., knocking it because it doesn't shed "any light on Tolkein’s genius for creating myths that... inspired some brilliant films by director Peter Jackson." Holy mackerel. And even worse: "You can't make a movie about JRRT and pretend that christianity doesn't exists". Puh-LEEZE). Clearly, we've devolved to the point where our attention spans are equal to a 3-month old blowfish and our historical sophistication is comparable to a sixth-grader's. If, on the other hand, you were fortunate enough to see the recent Tolkien exhibit at the Morgan Library in NYC, you know that this film beautifully and accurately portrays the essential Tolkien and shows how all his extraordinary skills - as a story-teller, mythologist, philologist and linguist, artist and (I know this is boring, guys, but deal with it) a father - were the raw material for the classic novels he wrote. Highly recommended.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

phatandy

May 16, 2019

I knew nothing about JRR Tolkien's personal life and now I do. I got glimpses in how he used some of it in his writing. I also enjoyed learning about his group of friends and how the relationship with his girlfriend/wife developed.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

GinaK

May 13, 2019

An uninspired bio-pic about JRR Tolkein that provides all the facts in pleasant detail without shedding any light on Tolkein’s genius for creating myths that caught the popular imagination and inspired some brilliant films by director Peter Jackson. So, in this sense, the movie was a totalAn uninspired bio-pic about JRR Tolkein that provides all the facts in pleasant detail without shedding any light on Tolkein’s genius for creating myths that caught the popular imagination and inspired some brilliant films by director Peter Jackson. So, in this sense, the movie was a total failure. On the other hand, the actors were excellent, especially Nicholas Hytner, who was very likable, if not particularly witty or charming or driven. His Tolkein spent very little time actually writing (consider the hundreds of pages JRRT supposedly generated) or thinking about his characters. He is shown in the trenches during the First World War, but he seemed to have spent almost the entire time in a quiet corner with Trench Fever. It was hard to believe he wrote anything, especially inspired novels. For me, the fault was with the script since the cinematography was beautiful, all the actors were excellent, and the direction told the story pleasantly and efficiently. This film should have been a lot more interesting than it was.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

JLuis_001

May 16, 2019

A period biographical drama made under all the rules of the book which makes it pretty basic and devoid of more interesting stuff.
And in spite of having a very decent quality in its manufacture and the solid performances of the cast, there's really nothing special about it.
In part, it's aA period biographical drama made under all the rules of the book which makes it pretty basic and devoid of more interesting stuff.
And in spite of having a very decent quality in its manufacture and the solid performances of the cast, there's really nothing special about it.

In part, it's a problem because I personally love Tolkien's books but his personal story? Not really, therefore adding the elements this film was completely insubstantial.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

May 13, 2019

Does anyone really want to see a biopic about famed author J.R.R. Tolkien? From the almost empty theatre last nite, apparently not. This narrative is a relatively straightforward and decidedly unoriginal approach to the genre, starting with his boyhood, tracking him thru WWI, including theDoes anyone really want to see a biopic about famed author J.R.R. Tolkien? From the almost empty theatre last nite, apparently not. This narrative is a relatively straightforward and decidedly unoriginal approach to the genre, starting with his boyhood, tracking him thru WWI, including the love of his life and ending with his first words of "The Hobbit." Nicholas Hoult does fine in the title role, but the leaden direction and uninspired writing don't add much "life" to his life. His experiences weren't that extraordinary and this film offers no real reason to care.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

valrond

May 14, 2019

Completely removed the Christian Faith from JRR Tolkien, when it was an integral part of his life. You can't make a movie about JRRT and pretend that christianty doesn't exists.

7 of 10 users found this helpful73

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