Rating: 
Summary: Two Wonderful Actors...One Playing The Other!
Review: I wasn't really a Charles Chaplin fan when I saw this movie. I simply could not sit through a silent film. I found nothing special about them or in them, at that rather immature point in my film experiences. But I was (and still AM!) a huge Robert Downey Jr. fan, and couldn't wait to see his portrayal of the Tramp. I'll admit I WAS curious about this rather controversial fellow, Chaplin. I'd heard so many things about him and didn't know what was true and what wasn't. Was he a womanizer? Was he truly a communist sympathizer booted out of our nation for what certain parties in the government felt was the peoples' safety? So many questions, and such an enigmatic person, regardless of my feelings about the silent film genre. MY GOODNESS!!! The movie swept me away!!! Downey's portrayal of Chaplin's most beloved character The Tramp and his portrayal Chaplin the man were both superb, and that was certainly not an easy trick! (Which is even more obvious once you're read Chaplin's Autobiography upon which this movie is based...I read it soon afterward...and I also recommend it without hesitation! My 1st Edition hardback, a gift from my wonderful husband, is my most treasured in my collection!) I say not an "easy trick" to portray both, because they were totally different people! You'll see how shy he was in his "real life", and how, through his acting, he found a way to communicate with others that he never quite succeeded at in life, until very late when he met his beloved wife Oona. Since childhood his life was filled with hardship and heartbreak, and it's no wonder he had such difficulty with women! The man was a visionary when it came to movies; a genius far ahead of his time. Also, he was incredibly patriotic; as an immigrant from England, he truly loved this country for all of the freedoms we all so often take for granted, having never lived without them. The irony is that he was one of the many unnecessary and tragic victims of McCarthyism; and also a personal target of Hoover's rather "weird" agenda, who would it seemed, stop at nothing to get Chaplin out of the US at which he did of course succeed as we all know. There are other really wonderful parts of this film! It brings the silent stars to life for us. People like America's Sweetheart, Miss Mary Pickford, and that famous swashbuckler who was a dear friend of Chaplin's, Douglas Fairbanks. The three teamed together to form United Artists. Kevin Kline is DELIGHTFUL as Doug...you'll love his portrayal of Fairbanks, and the tale of their friendship is endearing to the point of tears from joy and sorrow. What this movie did for me personally? It opened my eyes. It showed me the value of the entertainment still to be found in the clever work done in silent pictures. It started my journey to learn as much as I could about Sir Charles Chaplin, whom I've found to have been a dear man, and a frustrated, perhaps even somewhat crazed genius so ahead of the times, that the very nature of his work was what consumed him. I dearly treasure my copy of this movie and his Autobiography! I also treasure the man who brought Chaplin back to life for us all...God Speed Robert.
Rating:
Summary: Another Downey, Jr. Review
Review: I'm back again. This is a movie I was reluctant to see. Sure, Robert Downey, Jr. in a starring role is too good to pass up, but Charlie Chaplin? It's like, who is that? That silent film guy? Please. But, nonetheless, I rented the video. And was more than pleasantly surprised. "Chaplin" is an extraordinary movie, right up there with such epics as Braveheart, The Patriot, and Titanic. A star-studded film, "Chaplin" is touching, funny, sexy, and bittersweet. It delves into a subject that some might find boring, but it makes Charlie Chaplin more palpable to a younger generation. Now, instead of being just "some silent film guy", people can see him as what he truly was: An incredibly talented man who shaped slapstick comedy forever. An excellent cast includes Moira Kelly, Milla Jovovich, Kevin Kline, Dan Aykroyd, Paul Rhys, Geraldine Chaplin (Chaplin's real-life daughter), James Woods and Marisa Tomei.
Rating:
Summary: Chaplin is a must see.
Review: If you ever wanted to know the real Charlie Chaplin, this is the movie to see. After viewing this movie, I became an admirer of Mr. Chaplin. From his harsh beginnings, to his transition from silent films to talkies, and his ups and downs on the way, it is all covered in this movie. A combination of the true history of the film era and an inside look at those surrounding it. Downey Jr. could not have captured Chaplin any better. I deffinitely recomend watching this triumphant tale of a great man.
Rating:
Summary: Robert Downey Junior - The Bad Boy at His Best
Review: If you're anything like me, the almost semi-annual relapse and recovery of Robert Downey Jr. has been an interesting periodic feature of the morning news. After a while one begins to question why does Hollywood put up with him when there is no shortage of talented actors desperately trying to make it in Hollywood? Why would producers and studios, who are so financially dependent on their productions going off without a hitch, take yet another chance on Robert Downey, Jr? Then I saw Chaplin, and I understood. The intensity and power of the Robert Downey's performance in this film is the stuff of Oscars and true movie legend! It's both a beautiful performance and a beautiful film! Somehow Sir Richard Attenborough got out of Downey the kind of performance that can sustain a career, and a legend. But Sir Richard's mastery didn't stop there. He got spectacular performance out of everyone, including a young, pre-X-Files David Duchovny. (I know I misspelled that. But you know who I mean.) In summation, Robert Downey's performance is every bit the equal of James Dean's in Giant, East of Eden or Rebel without a Cause, and maybe that's what we should keep in mind. For unlike Dean, another self-destructive personality, Robert Downey has not driven off the cliff yet, and hopefully he never will.
Rating:
Summary: Great movie about a great actor
Review: It's a shame that Robert Downey cannot find more scripts like Chaplin. This film proved to me that if Downey can set his mind on more positive things. He could could create magic like he did in Chaplin. He definitely deserved the Oscar nomination.
Rating:
Summary: A Diamond In the Rough
Review: Love him or leave him, this is Robert Downey, Jr.'s finest performance. He should have won an Oscar for his heartfelt portrayal of the late, great Charlie Chaplin. I'd never truly known Mr. Chaplin's work or his zest for it until seeing this movie. It is timeless must-own. Great cast. Rich script. Grab some popcorn (of the old-fashioned variety), sit back and sink in.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but cursory, biography of Chaplin
Review: Of course, any movie would be a 'cursory' look at the 88-year-long life of Charles Chaplin. This movie attempts to cover too many areas of his life and is therefore shallow. However, Downey is incredible. He not only bears a distinct resemblance to the young Chaplin, but his performance is uncanny. Diane Lane as Paulette Goddard has a striking, glamorous presence. Dan Aykroyd as Mack Sennett is amusing. However, who decided to cast Moira Kelly as Chaplin's beloved wife Oona? She is mousy and nondescript--both in her appearance and in her demeanor--while Oona was neither. This movie will give the viewer a brief overview of Chaplin's life, but read a good biography to learn more.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie, Price, & you'll be pleasantly surprised!!!!!!
Review: Robert Downey Jr. (known as Larry on Ally MacBeal) is a natural genius of an actor who becomes Charles Chaplin in this classic movie. (Downey was nominated for Best Actor (he was robbed) Charlie Chaplins life was complicated and controversal at the least. Being remembered in front of the camera is his legacy ( The AFI (American Film Institute) voted 3 of his movies; Gold Rush 1925, City Lights 1931 & Modern Times 1936 into the Best 100 Movies in the Last 100 Years in 1998). His private life outside of making movies was his vulnerable side. This movie shared with us his career and genius of the man known as the "Little Tramp. So buy this movie (a great value almost 3 hours long) and learn about the most famous silent screen star "Charlie Chaplin" brillantly played by Downey. As a treat Geraldine Chaplin (Charlie Chaplin's daughter) plays Charlies mother in the movie.
Rating:
Summary: So-so
Review: Robert Downey Jr. is brilliant and Moira Kelly is (briefly and gloriously) naked. That's all you really need to know if you're looking forward to anything. Otherwise, another dull by-the-numbers biopic from Attenborough.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Film
Review: Robert Downey Jr.'s acting ability is uncanny. He never fails to 'become' the character that he is portraying, and in this film, he truly became Sir Chaplin. I have been a fan and collector of Charlie Chaplin movies for years, and wasn't quite sure what to make of a film based on his personal life; but I am impressed. Very impressed.
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