Rating: 
Summary: What a quirky, fun movie!
Review: I drove an hour out of my way to see this film since it was not playing anywhere in my city, and it was well worth the drive. Unlike most movies today that rely heavily of special effects to carry the film and the performances therefore suffer, this film had a great script and the acting was wonderful. Colin Firth and Rupert Everett were histerical. I highly recommend this film to those who need an alternative to the special effect laden films out right now.
Rating: 
Summary: Neither important nor earnest
Review: Since I worship the ground Colin Firth walks on, it pains me to only give this movie one star. It pains me even more to tell you that I would give it zero stars if I could. I know and love the Oscar Wilde original, and have read it a number of times, and seen it both in the prior 1952 movie incarnation and as produced live on stage. Perhaps those unacquainted with the play will enjoy this cinematic fribble for what it is, but I could not. I left before the end because the entire movie was inexcusably bad. In an effort to "open" the story up, to inject some excitement, the director has ensured that this movie has lost the two things it should be glorifying: a mildly uncomfortable irony about interpersonal relationships, especially those involving love, and the stiffling nature of social class, in which one can be a debt-ridden loafer and lay-about as long as one's parentage is not a hand-bag.This cast list reads like a dream. In addition to the delicious Mr. Firth, Judi Dench as Lady Bracknell, Tom Wilkinson as Dr. Chasuble, Anna Massey as Miss Prism, Edward Fox as Lane. (More about Mr. Everett and the young ladies later.) One expects caviar from the likes of these fine actors, only to be served day old cod chowder. One example - The pre-nuptial interview between Jack and Lady Bracknell should be a series of giggles, but the audience I was part of never responded. The production values here (and in fact throughout the part of the movie that I stayed for) are overly ornate - large rooms, large paintings, large costumes, and two female secretaries sit in on the audience, even though Lady Bracknell also has a checklist. On both points the scene is totally wrong - having employees present destroys the intimate and therefore intimidating nature of the interview, and multiple business-like elements make Lady Bracknell look scheming rather than superior. I am unforgiving of Rupert Everett's sleepwalking through a role he might have gotten something out of. He seems to rely increasingly upon his handsome face, his slippery voice and his languid posture to suggest a character type but he is unconvincing at best, and totally boring at worst. Reese Witherspoon is a charming if light actress completely miscast here. The accent does not feel natural, so all of her speeches come across as, well, speeches. Frances O'Connor gives the part a brave try but is given so many thankless scenes that her attempt to create a character is overwhelmed. The tattoo parlour scene is abominable, and driving down to the country in a car alone is unthinkable, even for a headstrong girl of that era. The director needs to go back to film school, I think, to remember that material has its own life and you cannot shoehorn it into a different formula without killing it. This is Wilde, man, and the addition of brothels and automobiles and hot air balloons and tattoo parlors does not add to what is there, but detracts from and destroys it. Even the music of the soundtrack is intrusive, "cute" if you will, without seeming in the least appropriate. This is a comedy of manners and word play that has been devoured by frequent scene changes, costume changes and new venues, none of which do anything other than overwhelm the characters. I have always said that I would pay to watch Colin Firth read the phone book. Another cinema legend bites the dust. A ten dollar ticket, and after a hour, I ran home to watch Bridget Jones Diary instead. Now there is an American with a credible English accent, a story that is light and tender, and a Colin Firth performance that bears repeated watching. I honestly can't even recommend IMPORTANCE as a rental.
Rating: 
Summary: A Witty and Positive Movie
Review: I was pleased to see a movie with wit, humor, and a good cast of actors and actresses. I'm so tired of violently graphic movies. I will admit that many of the updated touches were a little foolish and unnecessary. Also, I do wish someone would explain to me why this movie is being released in a very limited number of theaters. It is so funny and positive. We need more movies like this. JH
Rating: 
Summary: Everything but Jim Varney
Review: I think that the producers of the flick, mindful that it would be a summer release competing with attacking clones and spidery superheroes, felt they had to jazz it up. They couldn't in good conscience have Rupert Everett scaling Big Ben--now there's a great image--nor could they have Colin Firth dueling with ninjas and floating above ground a la The Matrix. So, to make some $ at the box office, they dumbed down the script and hired Reese Witherspoon. I guess they've read all the magazine profiles that point out what a polite, educated, refined Southern girl she is. Well, they deduced: if English Vivien Leigh could do a Southern accent, then Reese must be able to do a British one. Alas, 'tis not the case. The film is long, only intermittently funny, and desperate to be current. What a fine cast--with the exception of Reese--and what a terrible result. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, "There's only one thing worse than talking about this movie, and that's SEEING this movie." An utter disappointment. Thank goodness poor Jim Varney has passed away. I fear they would have dragged him in for a visual pun: Ernest Goes to the Country.
Rating:
Summary: AWESOME
Review: This movie was absolutely wonderful! I was laughing the whole time!! Definately a purchasable movie!! Colin Firth and Rupert Everett are a riot!! Go see it today!!
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious Good Fun!
Review: In Victoria era England, life can be both dull and exciting, especially when it comes to being Earnest. Not earnest as in the adjective, but as in Earnest the wild imaginary brother of wealthy Jack (Colin Firth) who escapes the drudgery of life in the country by going to London to bail Earnest out. Actually he says that's what he is doing, but when he gets there he changes his name and his dress to bash around London society keeping up Earnest's reputation as a dashing rogue. A great deal of his time he spends with his friend Algy (Rupert Everett) who is the nephew of a very wealthy woman. Algy, however, is not wealthy and owes great deals of debt to society. But, like his friend Jack, Algy also has a means of escape - Bumbrey. Bumbrey is Algy's imaginary invalid friend who Algy is constantly visiting as an excuse to get away from unpleasant situations.
Even though they manage to constantly get away with their lies, both Jack and Algy soon discover that they may need to change their game plans. Jack, as Earnest, is madly in love with Gwendolyn (Frances O'Connor) but because of her mother's desire for none but the best for her daughter, Jack is ripped off the list of possible suitors because he knows not his parentage. Therefore, he decides to kill off "Earnest" and return to the country and try a different approach at winning Gwendolyn. Unfortunately, Algy, who needs to escape his debtors and wishes to meet Jack's beautiful ward Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), decides to come to Jack's estate masquerading as "Earnest".
As the situation becomes more and more confusing everyone finds that they love Earnest, but none of them are quite sure whom "Earnest" is. Splendidly adapted from the play by Oscar Wilde, "The Importance of Being Earnest" is hilarious good fun that wins points and lacks bad language and sexuality. With a star-studded cast, comic script, and lighthearted music provided by Charlie Mole, this film is one that teens and adults can all enjoy. Warning: This movie only has a PG rating, but there is a sexual comment and a very brief scene of nudity as a woman gets "Earnest" tattooed on her behind.
Rating:
Summary: Extremely Well-done Film!
Review: Go see it if it is playing near you--you will not be disappointed. The film was one of the best I've seen in quite a long time--positively delightful, well-acted, and thoughtfully crafted. Rupert Everett, Reese Witherspoon, and Judi Dench all give excellent performances, and the rollicking, playful soundtrack perfectly suits the plot and storyline.
Rating:
Summary: Oh, to be Au Courant
Review: You know, I've never read Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest", and I've never seen the classic movie starring Dame Edith Evans. These omissions spared me the abject torture my friend Stephanie felt while this current movie was being unfurled before us. She was expecting such an awful lot more than I, you see, and didn't get it AT ALL. Well, though I may not be schooled in the earlier two products, I can nonetheless form some sort of judgement about what I saw last week, and here it is. They tampered with that with which they ought not to have tampered. Things I don't believe are in the original play: Bad under-balcony serenading by Colin and Rupert complete with guitar strumming; hot air balloon lawn-landings; motorcarring by female leads wearing funny goggles; whorehouse relaxations; daring runnings-through the streets with capes billowing behind a la Jack the Ripper; fantasies in a Pre-Raphaelite setting; tatooing of buttocks. I knew these had to be additions, you see, because this is a famous drawing room comedy. We're not often in the drawing room here, pity to say. I almost hesitate to see the earlier movie, because this was just so silly that I'm afraid to see if Wilde were really not so very clever after all, but just silly himself. I have liked all these cast people in previous outings, but only Dame Judi emerged with her dignity intact, except I didn't like that loud laughter of hers at the end. So, you see, while others may value being au courant and sticking in all sorts of "improvements" to "update" an already famous play, I would much rather have been treated to the Real Thing, however tame it might look on camera. It's all supposed to be in the dialogue, you know.
Rating: 
Summary: The critics are wrong.
Review: The local critics panned this movie, but I think they're stuffy and wrong. I took my 11-year-old daughter to see it, and we both enjoyed it. She enjoyed the obvious physical comedy and gorgeous costumes and sets; I enjoyed the witty dialogue, which mostly went over her head. It's probably not the definitive version of Wilde's play, but it is laugh out loud funny.
Rating:
Summary: The Importance Of Being Earnest is Earnestly fun!
Review: I have never laughed this hard in a movie, my word my cheeks hurt! I had expected serious and got seriously funny. This is what movies used to be, can't wait for the DVD!
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