Amadeus 1984

Critics score:
95 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Glenn Lovell, San Jose Mercury News: Still a work of consummate artistry and craftsmanship. Read more

Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune: The subject of artistic creation is typically handled badly in the movies.... [Amadeus] treats the subject of creativity in a fresh way. Read more

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: Reminds us that movies can be lyrical as well as vulgar, ambitious as well as playful, brilliant as well as down and dirty -- just like Amadeus himself. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: A gloriously colorful confection of music, theater and emotion. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: As Mozart, Tom Hulce, though extremely American in looks and voice, gets better and better as the drama progresses. Read more

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: Peter Shaffer's shrewdly orchestrated cultural evening gets a steady, dignified, moderately dull treatment from Milos Forman. Read more

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: Forman's tormented, iconoclastic subjects are often pitted against iconic or impersonal antagonists, but Amadeus' conflict remains rivetingly intimate, in spite of its sumptuous, larger-than-life settings. Read more

Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News: Remains a beautiful, deftly directed and superbly acted version of a witty and poignant drama. Read more

F.X. Feeney, L.A. Weekly: This dark, exuberant epic is nearly 18 years old, yet remains the most popularly successful film ever to render the inner life of an artist. Read more

Jack Mathews, New York Daily News: The performance of Abraham, who won the Best Actor Oscar for it, is monumental, and so is Forman's direction. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: It is arguably the best motion picture ever made about the process of creation and the creator. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: In a film of grand gestures, some of the finest moments are very subtle. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: In any incarnation, Amadeus is beautiful to behold. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: The principal additions ... are more Amadeus, but not better. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: Like the composers the film so wondrously depicts, Amadeus: Director's Cut is a divine work in need of a little earthly restraint. Read more

Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine: A grand movie entertainment. Read more

Colin Shearman, Time Out: The entire cast speaks in horribly intrusive American accents, but Forman makes some perceptive connections between Mozart's life and work. Read more

Trevor Johnston, Time Out: Sheer craftsmanship is the film's key strength. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: On a production level and as an evocation of a time and place, Amadeus is loaded with pleasures. Read more