2004·Drama·1h 54m
6.9
★
The story of John Wilmot, a.k.a. the Earl of Rochester, a 17th century poet who famously drank and debauched his way to an early grave, only to earn posthumous critical acclaim for his life's work.
Directed by Laurence Dunmore
dying and death
london, england
poet
monkey
alcoholic
libertine
syphilis
17th century
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Johnny Depp
Rochester
Samantha Morton
Elizabeth Barry
John Malkovich
Charles II
Rosamund Pike
Elizabeth Malet
Paul Ritter
Chiffinch
Stanley Townsend
Keown
Francesca Annis
Countess
Tom Hollander
Etherege
Johnny Vegas
Sackville
Richard Coyle
Alcock
Tom Burke
Vaughan
Hugh Sachs
Ratcliffe
Crew
Michael Nyman
Original Music Composer
John Malkovich
Producer
Peter Samuelson
Executive Producer
Lucy Bevan
Casting
Linda Lichter
Legal Services
Arran Brownlee
Storyboard Artist
Corran Brownlee
Storyboard Artist
Mark Southworth
Stunts
Jonathan Fawkner
Compositing Lead
Popular Reviews
52 reviews
Narmin
2.0★ · 03/19/26
Aesthetically pleasing, emotionally dull.
This film feels like trying to force something too big into a space that clearly can’t hold it. The story they’re trying to tell would have worked much better as a series. Even with its runtime, everything feels rushed you barely get time to process anything, and some subplots don’t land even when they’re literally spelled out. The relationships and character development mostly happen off-screen. And even calling it “development” feels debatable.
Nothing more than a waste of time. But at least it taught me one thing: don’t trust random edits you see on social media.
This film feels like trying to force something too big into a space that clearly can’t hold it. The story they’re trying to tell would have worked much better as a series. Even with its runtime, everything feels rushed you barely get time to process anything, and some subplots don’t land even when they’re literally spelled out. The relationships and character development mostly happen off-screen. And even calling it “development” feels debatable.
Nothing more than a waste of time. But at least it taught me one thing: don’t trust random edits you see on social media.
Aesthetically pleasing, emotionally dull.
This film feels like trying to force something too big into a space that clearly can’t hold it. The story they’re trying to tell would have worked much better as a series. Even with its runtime, everything feels rushed you barely get time to process anything, and some subplots don’t land even when they’re literally spelled out. The relationships and character development mostly happen off-screen. And even calling it “development” feels debatable.
Nothing more than a waste of time. But at least it taught me one thing: don’t trust random edits you see on social media.
This film feels like trying to force something too big into a space that clearly can’t hold it. The story they’re trying to tell would have worked much better as a series. Even with its runtime, everything feels rushed you barely get time to process anything, and some subplots don’t land even when they’re literally spelled out. The relationships and character development mostly happen off-screen. And even calling it “development” feels debatable.
Nothing more than a waste of time. But at least it taught me one thing: don’t trust random edits you see on social media.
3
Avery
4.0★ · 04/19/26
Perfect example of show, don’t tell. The characters spend the whole movie talking about the wild and interesting life John gets up to but we hardly see any of it. The cool thing about movies is that you can actually show us the interesting parts of the story you don’t have to just describe them. Great performances but they couldn’t compensate for the bad writing and ugly colour grading.
Perfect example of show, don’t tell. The characters spend the whole movie talking about the wild and interesting life John gets up to but we hardly see any of it. The cool thing about movies is that you can actually show us the interesting parts of the story you don’t have to just describe them. Great performances but they couldn’t compensate for the bad writing and ugly colour grading.
tia rochelle
8.0★ · 01/23/26
i feel like i need to repent and i wasn’t even there
i feel like i need to repent and i wasn’t even there
Konstantina Efstathi
10.0★ · 01/07/26
Syphilis: the movie
Syphilis: the movie
Apollodora
7.0★ · 07/28/25
What can I say, I love films about the geniuses of the past. That said, this is the dullest movie (colour-wise) that I have ever seen.
What can I say, I love films about the geniuses of the past. That said, this is the dullest movie (colour-wise) that I have ever seen.