Still the most lavishly offensive of Greenaway's films.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (1989)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:30
Fresh:28
Rotten:2
Average Rating:7.4/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 4 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Master director Greenaway (THE PILLOW BOOK) outdoes himself with this grisly fairy tale. The thief, Albert Spica, (Gambon) is a gangster, repugnant and boorish, who holds court at the same table in... Master director Greenaway (THE PILLOW BOOK) outdoes himself with this grisly fairy tale. The thief, Albert Spica, (Gambon) is a gangster, repugnant and boorish, who holds court at the same table in his opulent restaurant every night surrounded by his lackeys (Tim Roth and the late Ian Dury included). When his cultured and repressed wife Georgina (Mirren) becomes magnetically attracted to a solitary diner in the restaurant, the two begin a secret affair under the nose of her dangerous husband. With the help of the restaurant's chef, the time the lovers share is kept secret from the vicious Albert...for a while. Despite the breathtaking production design and artful camera work, this violent, disturbing and very darkly comic work is not for everyone. Those with the stomach for it, however, will reap generous rewards. [More]
Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon, Richard Bohringer, Alan Howard
Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon, Richard Bohringer, Alan Howard, Tim Roth, Ciaran Hinds, Ian Dury, Gary Olsen
Director: Peter Greenaway
Director: Peter Greenaway
Screenwriter: Peter Greenaway
Composer: Michael Nyman
Producer: Kees Kasander
Get This Movie
Reviews for The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover
Highly stylized and elegant Jacobean revenge tale over adultery and jealousy that rolls against the taste buds like a mouth full of hot pepper.
The Cook, the Thief. His Wife and Her Lover is a dark and grim morality play about our insatiable appetite for cruelty and power.
Singular and unforgettable, but also grotesque and hyper-inflated; hard to pass up, but harder to sit through.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| 19% 19% | Transformers: Revenge … |
| 55% 55% | Orphan |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 88% 88% | Ballast |
| 66% 66% | The Merry Gentleman |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Moviefone looks back at 7 films that have paved the way for movies like 2012.

BuzzSugar rattles off their 10 favorite current actors with celebrity pedigree.

The AV Club looks back at a dance sequence from the only movie written by... Dr. Seuss?

The Men Who Stare at Goats star answers your questions on TIME.com.



Top Critic


