Best movie of this year hands down!

A Disappointing Continuation

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

I... Really don't know how I should feel about this movie. If you wanted a film about Darwin's work in this film; it fails miserably and falls hard. VERY LITTLE about Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection (ten minutes all up from memory... if that).That said, when it comes to his relationships to his friends, peers and especially family (one of his daughters and wife specifically); the film is not just successful, it is just TRIUMPHANT! I actually forgot that the movie was supposed to show Darwin questioning nature, the bible, etc. It is just a brilliant drama about a husband and father...But for a film that's meant to be about Darwin's societal changing theories which lead to more scientific methods and acceptance to other beliefs about how life works, the movie focuses WAY too much on personal relationships.That said again, I was so invested with Darwin's family story that when a few scenes happened (I won't spoil anything here), I cried-no, BAWLED my eyes out! It was just so heart wrenching!This brings me to another surprisingly strong point in this movie: The acting! The performances from the entire cast is nothing short of magnificent. If this was an original film with all ties to Darwin dropped: I guarantee you that Paul Bettany would have won best lead actor at all of the major award ceremonies, he was just that compelling. I believe the same thing would have happened with Jennifer Connelly too. She was very solid as well, I could really feel her hardships. Of course Benedict Cumberbatch was good (it's Cumberbatch for God sake, what did you expect?). Teresa Churcher, Jim Carter, Bill Paterson-Large part, small part, everyone was in top form. But the one who really stood out was Martha West... WOW did she steal the show! She was so free spirited, charmingly eccentric and when the role called for it, physically feeble to the point where you wanted to call the Make-A-Wish foundation. Why she is not in more films is both a mystery and an insult to me. What a terrific talent!So to sum it up: It has little to do with Darwin's science and a lot about Darwin's personal relationships... and the latter is surprisingly terrific!If you want a film to do with Darwin's theories; there are other films that did it so much better. For those who want the slice of life tale about a man and his family; this is in my top 5... Maybe even my top 3.

This movie tells the story of a man and his wife struggling to cope with the death of their beloved and wonderful daughter Anne in 19th century England. This quiet, warm and rich film is filled with the details of their home and family life, their relationship ups and downs, their illnesses, their children, their emotional and intellectual life...and their grief. At times it becomes very moving.This movie is beautifully acted. It is riveting from the very start. The last biography I've seen to achieve this level of sophistication was "The Iron Lady".It happens that this is also the true story of Charles Darwin and his wife Emma in the years prior to the publication of "Origin of the Species". The film documents his epic struggle to overcome his physical and psychological turmoil to finish his manuscript.In addition to all this, we're treated to steady but measured doses of the content and background of his theories. You come away from this movie with a deep understanding of the background and social impact of his theory, one of the most important ideas in history. It seems Darwin knew from the start what his theories meant, and it shook him to the core. And of course, behind every great man....I'm thinking this movie is worth about 8.5. As often seems to happen, I don't understand the lower score on IMDb.

These types of films are excellent! It is a shame they do not make them more often.I am really interested in Charles Darwin and his work. This film gave some insight in what he did and how he lived. It follows a very interesting period of his life, and a very interesting conflict he had between atheism and religion after his work was made public.Cinematography is great and plot is interesting. Costumes are excellent and acting is excellent as well.I would recommend this film to anyone who wants to study Charles Darwin and his work, as well to the general public.A very good film.

The is no grand point to this Anglophile psychodrama, just a supposed glimpse into the private world of a man nearly annihilated by the theory he developed. Unresolved guilt divides him from the comforts of faith, friends, and family until a cathartic quack treatment allows him to grieve the loss of innocence personified in his daughter, and restores his libido.Bettany's previous role as Dr. Stephen Maturin so resembles Darwin that this seems almost a sequel, though of a completely different genre. Connelly as his effectively estranged wife adds a voyeuristic piquancy to an otherwise ironically "supporting" role.