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04/29/09
O (2001)
63 %
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 122
Fresh: 77
Rotten:45
Average Rating: 6/10
Consensus: Though well-intentioned and serious in its exploration of teen violence, O is an uneven experiment that doesn't quite succeed.
Theatrical Release:Aug 31, 2001 Wide
Box Office: $15,540,020
Synopsis: A contemporary retelling of Othello, Shakespeare's timeless tale of treachery and jealousy, O will perhaps introduce a new audience to the genius of William Shakespeare and some of his most... [More]
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Mekhi Phifer, Julia Stiles, John Heard
Director: Tim Blake Nelson
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Reviews for O
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11/19/08
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10/18/08
The presence of old lags Martin Sheen and John Heard just beggars belief. What were they thinking?
07/06/08
This arty melodrama is not likely to make teenage America get down with Shakespeare.
03/31/08
Top CriticIt's highly enjoyable and well acted, with the Iago figure better motivated than in the original play, no single line of which has been retained except for the odd echo.
03/25/08
This transferral of the tragedy of the Moor to a contempo American high school is something that never should have gone further than a class assignment to see if it could be made to work.
03/25/08
Top CriticHelmer Nelson has fashioned a clever premise, helped along by a smart ensemble that manages to highlight Shakespeare's work without parodying it--no small accomplishment.
03/01/07
Hartnett never allows him to become a hissable villain, keeping Hugo shy of our sympathies, yet his every move is utterly believable.
12/30/06
Long on the Shelf, O is well directed and decently acted, but its narrative, while more or less faithful to Shakespeare, tried to do too much, pushing the characters and their emotions to unreasonable and unconvincing extremes.
09/17/06
Credit, none the less, to the film-makers' game, unpatronising approach, and to Phifer and Stiles as compelling innocents.
01/26/06
Leave it to Hollywood to make a bold, challenging film for teens (and adults) only to let it collect dust on a shelf as proposed release dates were set, then scratched, many times over.
01/09/06
A well crafted and thoughtful film.
01/09/06
There’s an air of authenticity to the proceedings here, and stylistic pretension never obscures good storytelling.
05/21/05
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02/24/04
Let the film stand on its own and not amiss controversy.
05/13/03
An intriguing experiment on paper, but a throwaway onscreen.
03/10/03
While O does contain some good performances and a creative sense of direction by Tim Blake Nelson, the film never really becomes anything more than a curiosity.
01/10/03
The film's top acting kudos go to Mekhi Phifer.
12/17/02
This is definitely worth watching, thanks to the performances and Nelson's direction.
10/30/02
Latest News for O
July 21, 2008:
Brush Up On Your Shakespeare With Our List Of The Bard's Best Films
Friends, readers, Tomato-fans, lend me your ears. Not stepping o'er the bounds of modesty, we at RT humbly present to you the Greatest Shakespeare Movies, a list of the Bard's... More...
June 28, 2006:
Bosworth and Bloom to Brave the Depression Together
Orlando Bloom and Kate Bosworth are two seriously photogenic young stars who've never worked together. That's about to change. The pair will co-star in a Depression-era drama... More...
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