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The Importance of Being Earnest

Play trailer Poster for The Importance of Being Earnest PG 2002 1h 37m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
55% Tomatometer 112 Reviews 72% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Two young gents have taken to bending the truth in order to put some excitement into their lives. Worthing has invented a brother, Earnest, whom he uses as an excuse to leave his dull life behind to visit Gwendolen. Moncrieff decides to take the name Earnest when visiting Worthing's young and beautiful ward, Cecily. Things start to go awry when they end up together in the country and their deceptions are discovered.
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The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest

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Critics Consensus

Oliver Parker's adaptation of Oscar Wilde's classic play is breezy entertainment, helped by an impressive cast, but it also suffers from some peculiar directorial choices that ultimately dampen the film's impact.

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Critics Reviews

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Charlotte O'Sullivan Independent (UK) Nov 15, 2017
A more serious problem is that Parker doesn't trust his material and - under the guise of pointing up Wilde's subversive wit - has opted to play safe. Go to Full Review
Robert Koehler Variety Mar 26, 2009
[An] utterly miscalculated film adaptation of Wilde's play. Go to Full Review
David Ansen Newsweek Nov 1, 2007
This may be a less than ideal "Earnest," but it still has delights... Go to Full Review
Daniel Mendelsohn The New York Review of Books Aug 20, 2018
Parker's film implicitly endorses the conventional morality that the play-a drama, let us not forget, by the author of "The Truth of Masks" and "The Decay of Lying"-so hilariously lampooned. Go to Full Review
S. Jhoanna Robledo Common Sense Media Mar 15, 2011
3/5
Romance and deception in Wilde's clever comedy of manners. Go to Full Review
Jim Lane Sacramento News & Review Aug 7, 2008
3/5
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Audience Reviews

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Robert P @Superbad Oct 10, 2026 The Importance of Being Earnest is a 3.5 star Movie! See more
Keith B B @Okbullard Dec 11, 2025 This film is boring, slow, very tedious and not at all funny. Don't with this tripe. See more
Jerod S @jeroduptown Oct 25, 2025 Slick rendention of Wilde's work that doesn't do a whole lot. See more
alan g @agenser May 14, 2025 Why do these egotistical directors think they can do better than the source material? There is a reason why Wilde's play is a classic. Stop tampering with the original. You do not have the talent to improve it. Fair movie. Good cast. Bad script. See more
Ethan T @RT27166968 Aug 9, 2021 This Wilde adaptation brings out the farcical, fun frivolity of the original material in a fresh, new manner that both further enlivens proceedings and adds a few perplexing features. The cast all shine in various moments and seem wholeheartedly committed to the amusement. Firth and Everett, O'Connor and Witherspoon, Dench, and Massey and Wilkinson are all well-cast and solid at worst. Dench, especially, demands attention in all of her scenes and delivers every line as if it were made for her. The music provides great enjoyment, and Wilde's source material an immense advantage for any period comedy. Yes, some moments fall flat and some additions to visuals a bit unnecessary, but this film is a lark. See more
Apr 24, 2021 Memorably faithful as an elegantly fresh reminder on why it's enjoyably funny thanks to a nice cast, albeit the inner additions that may have not been necessary as they only added on to the cheesy side of "affair". (B) See more
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The Importance of Being Earnest

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Cast & Crew

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Oliver Parker

Director

Rupert Everett

Algy

Colin Firth

Jack

Frances O'Connor

Gwendolen

Reese Witherspoon

Cecily

Judi Dench

Lady Bracknell

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The Importance of Being Earnest

Poster Art The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Two young gents have taken to bending the truth in order to put some excitement into their lives. Worthing has invented a brother, Earnest, whom he uses as an excuse to leave his dull life behind to visit Gwendolen. Moncrieff decides to take the name Earnest when visiting Worthing's young and beautiful ward, Cecily. Things start to go awry when they end up together in the country and their deceptions are discovered.
Director
Oliver Parker
Producer
Barnaby Thompson
Screenwriter
Oliver Parker, Oscar Wilde
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Fragile Films, Miramax Films
Rating
PG (Mild Sensuality)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 22, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$8.4M
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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