Rating: 
Summary: Well-done but not historically accurate
Review: This film bears somewhat the same relation to the Marquis de Sade as "Amadeus" did to Mozart. It uses the Marquis as a vehicle for a political statement about censorship and hypocrisy, and bears only a tenuous relationship to written history. Read the other reviews to gauge the impact on viewers, and understand that the film is many things to many people. Worth seeing for Rush's and Phoenix's fine performances, the period decor, and the cinematography, if nothing else. The lurid excesses of the Marquis' writings are downplayed in favor of the message that power, when it takes the form of oppression of individual freedom of expression, is the real evil. Caveat: sometimes stomach-churning scenes of blood and torture.
Rating:
Summary: political allegory for censorship
Review: “Quills” was a grotesque, yet intriguing flick. You’ve probably read about the detail of the plot and acting in other reviews, so I’ll skip right over that stuff.What intrigued me most about “Quills” was its political message. Yes, it’s about censorship, but it’s more specific than that, too. It’s also a commentary on the current nature of politics and the recent attempts from the conservative sectors of the nation to attack Hollywood for its production of violent and sexual material. The Marquis de Sade (Geoffrey Rush) writes the filthy material. In the film, he’s seen as a genius; his work liberates his readers from the repression of the period (and of this one, too). (After all, the buxom maid, Madeline – Kate Winslet – is able to release her suppressed passion for the Abbe through the Marquis’ writings.) He’s the artist, insane, reviled, locked away. Dr. Royer-Collard (Michael Caine) is the right-wing politician/party functionary and censor. He arrives at the asylum with strict orders from the Emperor Napoleon to stop the writings of de Sade. Dr. Royer-Collard’s true intentions become manifest as the film progress: he seeks to control the asylum itself, and exploit it for his own profit. The Marquis only offers a tool by which he can leverage control away from the asylum’s proprietor, the Abbe Colmier. Abbe Colmier (Joaquin Phoenix) is the liberal, the humanist. Filled with good intentions and a firm belief in God and goodness, he runs the asylum with a compassionate touch. He encourages the inmates to take up the arts of singing, acting, and – in de Sade’s case – writing, in belief that these activities help quell the demonic lunacy of the inmates. He has no ulterior motive, other than to comfort his fellow humans. Dr. Royer-Collard is quickly seen as a hypocrite. He attacks de Sade for his immoral writings, yet lives an immoral life, having purchased a 14-year old orphan girl for a wife from a nunnery, and proceeds to bar her door and window and rape her at night. Caine’s character distinctly evokes the shameless hypocrisy of modern-day Republican Congressmen Gingrich and Hyde, who attacked the President for marital infidelities despite their own sordid and unfaithful histories. And the Abbe is a political naïf. He never discerns the Dr’s Machiavellian intentions and allows the Dr. to snatch away the asylum and ruin him in the process. He never even suspects the Dr’s motives, and believes everything told him implicitly. Again, this behavior resembles the current-day Democrats as they stand mutely by while the younger Bush tramples the electoral process and the environment and sells out California to the energy companies that contributed heavily to his campaign. The movie is clearly a warning to the political left in the U.S. ....
Rating: 
Summary: A seductive gorey movie
Review: You are suduced by this movie because of the marqis desaud. But then you find out it is gorey and a sudductress all on its own. It is a strange but fasinating movie. Not just the movie its self but you get this feeling that you are right there when that stuff is happening. You feel all these emotions. It is acted out so well.I loved this movie and I say this is a must see.
Rating:
Summary: Winslet and Phoenix Get to Shine
Review: Quills is a very good film in almost every respect and to be recommended enthusiastically. What impressed me most, though, were the performances of Kate Winslet and Joaquin Phoenix. I was extremely underwhelmed by each of them in their performances in the box office spectaculars Titanic and Gladiator, respectively. Here I was spellbound by each of their portrayals and would now place them in the first rank of contemporary performers. Working with less one dimensional material, each of these artists shows a particularly great ability to act with depth and authenticity. In fact, their performances both compare favorably with that by Michael Caine (in a lesser role), who is certainly one of the finest of his profession. All of which brings me back to the point of departure, that Quills is a very good film which brings out the best in its performers.
Rating:
Summary: stunning
Review: one of the most brilliant films of the year, this is a truly disturbing and gut-wrentching masterpiece...the script is wonderful, the performances powerful, and the ending truly shocking...gives you lots to talk about afterwards, a definite recommendation, SEE THIS!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Best Movie of 2000
Review: Geoffrey Rush steals the show once again in Quills, a tale of the last days of the Marquis de Sade. This film has everything - a love story, suspense, action and especially laughs. It was much more humourous than I had expected. Not only is Geoffrey Rush captivating but he is supported by an amazing cast of characters. Kate Winslet, Madeleine, shines as a curious and naughty washer girl who befriends the Marquis and steals his manuscripts out of the asylum; Joaquin Pheonix is stunning as well as Abbe, the director/priest of the asylum who is secretly in love with Madeleine; and Michael Caine gives a devilish performance as the man who wants nothing more than to stop the Marquis at any cost. The story, with its many layers and subplots, plays out very surprisingly in places. As you watch you may think, 'why am I watching this', and then the story turns again and everything is made clear. Don't be put off by the very beginning - keep watching and it gets sinfully good.
Rating:
Summary: fantastic, fantastic
Review: I've seen the dvd once, and i can't just wait to watch it a second, a third....The protrayal of the characters were very engaging and kate winslet played a remarkable simpleton chambermaid caught up between the politics of the marquee and the doctor in the asylum. Don't hesistate, buy the dvd to believe me.
Rating: 
Summary: Rather obvious tale of repression, censorship, and hypocrisy
Review: Although the performance by Geoffrey Rush as the infamous Marquis de Sade was outstanding. And Joacquin Phoenix is once again quite believable (one of the better young actors). The story seemed to me very predictable without offering anything aside from the basic premises of sexual repression, religious doctrine insofar as peity and guilt are concerned, and stately hypocrisy. Frankly the film failed to keep my interest because the only surprises came as a result of the graphic nature of the violence that was displayed.
Rating:
Summary: The most underrated film of 2000
Review: This film was positively brilliant! I did not truely appreciate it until it ended. It was actually a film that caused me to think...was the Marquis a madman or genius? The acting is superb and Rush is brilliant as the Marquis. Some of the scenes may be shocking and disturbing, but taking in the context of the film, they work beautifully. Why didn't the Academy snatch this gem up?
Rating:
Summary: The Marquis invented the trashy romance novel
Review: This is actually a very interesting movie. What you have is a character that virtually invented the trashy smut we love to read today. However, the pesky church always gets in the way and locks up the most clever of novelists. I'm not sure what poetic license was taken to make this movie - but it doesn't lack for good acting. Rush and Phoenix are riveting as foils to one another. Much legend has been given to the Marquis de Sade. This is the kind of movie that makes you want to know more about this man - and read his works. Good movie for a rental
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