Plantiana Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Justina The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

classicsoncall I didn't know if there was even the slightest chance this was based on a true history so I searched for the name of Nicolo Bussotti and learned that the character in the movie was fictitious, although parts of the red violin's origins WAS based on the life of Antonio Stradivari who lived during the era that opened the story. I rather enjoyed this picture and the way it traced the violin's history through the centuries, along with the tarot card gimmick that introduced each of the major turning points in the instrument's history. Most of the narrative appeared to fit historically, although I did have to laugh when the Oxford violinist Pope (Jason Flemyng) declared his lustful desire for Lady Victoria (Greta Scacchi) by stating "I feel a composition coming on". That was just such a concession to modern dialog that it disrupted the continuity of the scene for me. I'm still chuckling about it.What I wasn't prepared for in the story was it's twist finale, given Charles Morritz's (Samuel L. Jackson) scholarly and professional approach to determining the violin's authenticity. As the instrument's restorer (Don McKellar) proclaims that "This is the single most perfect acoustic machine I have ever seen", there's still no indication that the pair would conspire to pull off the crime of the century. The film's ending with Morritz making a clean getaway rivaled the revelation made regarding another Samuel Jackson character, that of Elijah Price, in a movie that came out just a couple years after this one titled "Unbreakable". He was even a collector of sorts in that movie too.

brooksrob1 I choke back tears of passion as the last notes are played...I find it hard to hold them back as I read the reviews and comments of others who were touched by the story. I saw this in 98 when it was first released on VHS, At the time I enjoyed Samuel Jackson's other works, so I figured I'd give it a try. If you love music, especially Classical or music that has a violin base, and you can discern the sound of what a beautiful violin sounds like; you'll be swept up in this epic tale. The story is profound in its beauty IMDb wasn't around when I watched it the first time. After just completing watching it I just wanted to add my two cents...:) Music is life!

xrayman42 All I can say is WOW! This is truly a masterpiece of cinema. I watched this on a whim one evening and I am so thankful I did. The story is superb, the acting is excellent, and the music score was just "outstanding"! This is the kind of film that true hardcore movie buffs revel in finding while having to sift through the so many bad ones made over the years. But if your lucky enough to find it then you will find that it does not disappoint! If only they made more films like this one. If anything you might come out feeling a little more educated in the art of classical music.lol But seriously folks this is a must see film for anyone looking for a very entertaining movie of substance. It has it all,.. sadness, happiness, danger, love, anger,etc....! it is truly one of the best! If you haven't seen it then you are truly missing out.

tometh I am a movie fanatic with over 1000 titles in my private collection. I spend a lot of time on IMDb reading movie reviews to decide about what to order. This movie would rank in my top 5 favorites and the only one so far that I have taken time out to review like this. The story is so unique, incredibly well drawn, directed and acted and you have absolutely no way of guessing at what will happen next (this is one of my top criteria for great movies - that of being non-formulaic and unpredictable). The story begins at an auction house where a masterpiece antique violin is being auctioned off. The viewer is then taken back through the life story of the violin and the lives that it touched over 200 years. I have seen this movie several times and I never fail to marvel at my re-enjoyment of watching it. Great story, great acting, great music, unpredictable and unique. It doesn't get any better!! It amazes me that while this movie gets high marks and outstanding reviews that it isn't rated even higher.