Rating: 
Summary: No secrets here.
Review: I haven't seen Rea since his role in "don't reveal the secret!" Crying Game, although I've heard that he did well in Still Crazy. Guenevere, though, explores an odd mentor-lover relationship between starving artist Rea and blue-blood, WASPy Polley. The age difference here wasn't the only issue, oddly enough--rather it was the strange turns that inevitably develop between people who knowingly enter a relationship where tutoring is an intended part of the romance. Rea's artist has a long history of shacking up with young women and turning them into "true" artists, be they painters, sculptors, dancers, or in Polley's case, photographers. And although I normally would balk at the willingness with which these women handed themselves over to Rea's well-worn lines and drunken philosophies, Guenevere managed to avoid the squeamishness that I feel, for example, whenever I see Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones together. Be sure to pay attention to Jean Smart's dead-on analysis of daughter Polley and Rea's relationship; it's eloquent and brutal.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent and bittersweet -- stays with you
Review: I was really impressed with this movie, but wasn't a big fan of the very artificial scenes that provided the movie's epilogue (for me they really robbed the story of its power). Other than that, though, "Guinevere" is a gem, and a unique one. It's beautifully photographed, and although the story itself is bittersweet and deals with a cliched situation, nothing about what we see is a cliche. Audrey Wells has written a wonderful script here, warm and funny, sensitive, and very honest, and it's gorgeously acted by Polley and Rea. Polley's sweet, nervous, and insecure Harper is the key to the story -- awkward and shy and filled with self-doubt, she's really unlike anyone I've ever seen Polley play -- her characters, even in Atom Egoyan's films, are usually so confident. It's fun to see her act the goofy kid here, giggly and nervous and all hands and feet. And Stephen Rea (whom I've loved ever since "Crying Game") is equally good, and in fact probably has the tougher job of making us like this guy who really should be fairly repellent. The fact that he somehow remains someone to care about -- that the script cares enough not to make him a villain, but a complex person - really elevates the film to another level. Whether or not it's a comfortable topic, his character does honestly care about Harper, and he is one of the few characters in the film who seems to realize how special she is. "Guinevere" also features a gorgeous soundtrack by Christophe Beck (and featuring Sarah Polley on vocals!), is beautifully photographed (Polley has never looked prettier), and features a great supporting cast. Jean Smart, as Polley's onscreen mother, is especially worth noting: She turns in a performance so biting and proper and acidic and yet secretly painful that if she isn't nominated for a supporting actress Oscar, there is no justice. Her big scene with Rea is, on its own, worth the price of the film.
Rating: 
Summary: i like sarah polley
Review: i watched this movie because i am a huge fan of sarah polley's. and once agian i wasn't dissapointed by her acting. polleys beautifully casted as a confused high classed twenty one year old woman with low self esteem named harper. what was so great with polley in this film was her ability to act with her face alone. her characters emotions were never in doubt. its just a shame that her counterpart stephen rea couldn't do the same. rea plays a bohemian artist that "recruits" women half his age and teaches them to be like himself in a way. i felt as if he had the same drab face on all the time, which makes it very hard for the audience to feel sympathy for his characters. this film had its good moments, including a hilarius scene at the dinner table of harper's house. but all in all, there wasn't anything to entertain the audience. no one really cares about any of the characters. and with a totally useless ending, this movie is not recommended.
Rating:
Summary: May-December in an artist's loft
Review: If you have seen the anthology film "New York Stories", you may recall the memorable Martin Scorcese segment about the older painter (Nick Nolte) and his young female "protege" (Rosanna Arquette). "Guinevere" is basically an extended feature-length meditation on the same story; it just swaps a photographer for a painter and a San Francisco locale for NYC. Stephen Rea portrays the manipulative Svengali with his usual glazed, expressionless mask (one of those actors who directs all his energy into the character's "rich inner life", or just a consistently wooden performer? Discuss). Sarah Polley gives an understated performance as Rea's young "student".Some of Woody Allen's "Manhattan" territory is also retread, but the performances are compelling enough to keep your interest. There is a near Oscar-worthy supporting performance from Jean Smart, as Polley's outspoken mother, who really eats up her limited screen time; she is quite memorable in a key confrontation with Rea's character where she verbally takes him apart, but in a sly and subtle fashion. The movie is marred by slight over-length and a final scene that seems out-of-place and a bit too theatrically "stagey"; but definitely is worth a look on a slow night.
Rating:
Summary: May-December in an artist's loft
Review: If you have seen the anthology film "New York Stories", you may recall the memorable Martin Scorcese segment about the older painter (Nick Nolte) and his young female "protege" (Rosanna Arquette). "Guinevere" is basically an extended feature-length meditation on the same story; it just swaps a photographer for a painter and a San Francisco locale for NYC. Stephen Rea portrays the manipulative Svengali with his usual glazed, expressionless mask (one of those actors who directs all his energy into the character's "rich inner life", or just a consistently wooden performer? Discuss). Sarah Polley gives an understated performance as Rea's young "student".Some of Woody Allen's "Manhattan" territory is also retread, but the performances are compelling enough to keep your interest. There is a near Oscar-worthy supporting performance from Jean Smart, as Polley's outspoken mother, who really eats up her limited screen time; she is quite memorable in a key confrontation with Rea's character where she verbally takes him apart, but in a sly and subtle fashion. The movie is marred by slight over-length and a final scene that seems out-of-place and a bit too theatrically "stagey"; but definitely is worth a look on a slow night.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Film, Great Performance!
Review: It would be all too easy for Guinevere to have been a cheap lolita sex film... But the film stays away from the expected, keeping things both clean and realistic at the same time. Polley is the biggest surprise, delivering a tour de force performance. I see a great future for her.
Rating:
Summary: This movie rocks
Review: Lots of compellinh performances especiallt the goddess Sarah Polley who will be a Superstar one day.This movie proves why indie movies rock
Rating:
Summary: a real treasure
Review: Many have either misunderstood or overlooked this gem. If only Hollywood had the brains and/or balls to put out such gems. I loved this movie and could easily watch it many times over. The dialog was intelligent, piercingly truthful. Bravo to the screenwriter! All of the actors: Stephen Rea, Sarah Polly, Jean Smart, Gina Gerson gave compelling, strong performances.
"Guinevere" is the nickname given by Stephen Rea's character (Connie), an alcoholic bohemian type way past his prime, to his significantly younger female companions. See the King Arthur and Guinevere analogy? You see the relationship fraught with the parasitic and symbiotic moments. Jean Smart, who played Guinevere's mom, gave an amazing monolog dissecting the nature of such a relationship. For those reviewers who said that this film was unrealistic; I disagree. Anyone who has ever found oneself fascinated by inappropriate, older lovers at some point in one's life will understand this film. Some of my friends and I have been "Guinevere" for our own reasons, and we saw the emotional truth in this film.
Rating:
Summary: A sad movie with its O my gosh sceams.
Review: My thought it why did she keep on staying with him when she new he had done the same thing with all the other girls. He took pictures of there nude bodys and called them all Guinevere And set them up in some kind of art class and what not and wanted them to stay with him or wanted to try to maintain a 5 year relasion ship. But no girl stayed with him that long. After they new but if they did now they never left him at least not for a while. But on how the movie is well I do think the acting was a little bit blah by some people and more shiney by others. The story did have its fine moments so to speak. On a scale of 1-5 I give it a 4 1/2 4 and a hafe. I say if you first pick is gone then choose this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Great Performances by Jean Smart,Sarah Polley & Stephen Rea
Review: Sarah Polley is great as terribly insecure and naive young adult involved in a relationship with a much, much older man. Rarely have I seen such an accurate portrayal of an insecure young adult on film. The supporting cast is good as well especially Jean Smart who deserved an Oscar nomination for one scene alone. I also liked the relatively honest portrayal of the older man/younger woman relationship (warts and all). This is rare in Hollywood where relationshps with 30 year age differences are commonplace with seemingly no problems (unless, of course, the woman is the older party and any age difference is noted.) However, this is far from a perfect movie. Parts of the movie are slow and pretentious. I never believed that this character had what it takes to be accepted into Harvard Law School at only 20. The worst part is the ending which is completely ridiculous. I was hoping to see an ending explaining how Polley's character had evolved into a confident woman but that didn't happen. I would give the performances 5 stars but the ending brings the movie down to a 3 star movie.
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