Rotten
We get movie scenes within movie scenes, and Rush as Sellers breaking character to become Sellers' mom or Edwards, commenting on Sellers, and it all draws too much attention to itself.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Never judge a man by his cover.
2004 · 2h 2m · Not Rated
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Directed by
Stephen Hopkins
Free account saves your watchlist and ratings.
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Overview
The turbulent personal and professional life of actor Peter Sellers (1925-1980), from his beginnings as a comic performer on BBC Radio to his huge success as one of the greatest film comedians of all time; an obsessive artist so dedicated to his work that neglected his loved ones and sacrificed part of his own personality to convincingly create that of his many memorable characters.
Director and cast
- Stephen Hopkins Director
- Geoffrey Rush as Peter Sellers
- Charlize Theron as Britt Ekland
- John Lithgow as Blake Edwards
- Miriam Margolyes as Peg Sellers
- Stephen Fry as Maurice Woodruff
- Stanley Tucci as Stanley Kubrick
- Emily Watson as Anne Sellers
- Henry Goodman as Dennis Selinger
- Steve Pemberton as Harry Secombe
- Sonia Aquino as Sophia Loren
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
69%
Tomatometer
Rotten
Sustains interest most of the way, but combination of an unsympathetic central figure and patchy recreation of events involving numerous famous people makes for an ambitiously told life story that finally doesn't cut it.
Todd McCarthy, Variety
Fresh
While In Competition entry The Life and Death of Peter Sellers is a wonderfully entertaining film, the one thing that's missing is Sellers' singular ability to be hilarious.
Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter
More films
In Good Company (2004)
Comedy · Drama · Romance · PG-13
Dan Foreman is a seasoned advertisement sales executive at a high-ranking publication when a corporate takeover results in him being placed under naive supervisor Carter Duryea, who is half his age. Matters are made worse when Dan's new supervisor becomes romantically involved with his daughter an 18 year-old college student Alex.
- Runtime
- 1h 50m
- Director
- Paul Weitz
- Cast
- Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson
IMDb
6.5
Rotten Tomatoes
83%
Metacritic
66
Great Expectations (1998)
Comedy · Drama · Romance · R
Loosely based on the Charles Dickens' classic novel, "Great Expectations" is a sensual tale of a young man's unforgettable passage into manhood, and the three individuals who will undeniably change his life forever. Through the surprising interactions of these vivid characters, "Great Expectations" takes a unique and contemporary look ...
- Runtime
- 1h 51m
- Director
- Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast
- Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hank Azaria
IMDb
6.8
Rotten Tomatoes
41%
Metacritic
55
Stardust Memories (1980)
Comedy · Drama · Romance · PG
While attending a retrospect of his work, a filmmaker recalls his life and his loves: the inspirations for his films.
- Runtime
- 1h 29m
- Director
- Woody Allen
- Cast
- Charlotte Rampling, Jessica Harper, Marie-Christine Barrault
IMDb
7.2
Rotten Tomatoes
66%
L.A. Without a Map (1999)
Comedy · Drama · Romance · UNRATED
An aspiring Hollywood actress, on a visit to a charming North England town, has a brief fling with the town undertaker, who also writes obituaries for the local paper. Returning home, where she works as a waitress at a Japanese restaurant, she tells everyone about the handsome "writer" she met on her trip. Unfortunately, he decides to ...
- Runtime
- 1h 47m
- Director
- Mika Kaurismäki
- Cast
- David Tennant, Steve Huison, Julie Delpy
IMDb
6.2
Author! Author! (1982)
Comedy · Drama · Romance · PG
While facing the stress of his original play being produced on Broadway, playwright Ivan Travalian deals with having to raise his son, his stepdaughters, and his stepsons.
- Runtime
- 1h 50m
- Director
- Arthur Hiller
- Cast
- Al Pacino, Dyan Cannon, Tuesday Weld
IMDb
6.2
Rotten Tomatoes
50%
Metacritic
42
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Crime · Drama · Thriller · R
Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as...
- Runtime
- 1h 59m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn
IMDb
8.6
Rotten Tomatoes
95%
Metacritic
86
Philadelphia (1993)
Drama · PG-13
Two lawyers join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops, their courage overcomes the prejudice and corruption of their powerful adversaries.
- Runtime
- 2h 6m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jason Robards
IMDb
7.7
Rotten Tomatoes
81%
Metacritic
66
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Mystery · Thriller · R
Years after his squad was ambushed during the Gulf War, Major Ben Marco finds himself having terrible nightmares. He begins to doubt that his fellow squad-mate Sergeant Raymond Shaw, now a vice-presidential candidate, is the hero he remembers him being. As Marco's doubts deepen, Shaw's political power grows, and, when Marco finds a mys...
- Runtime
- 2h 10m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber
IMDb
6.6
Rotten Tomatoes
79%
Metacritic
76
Stop Making Sense (1984)
Documentary · Music · PG
A concert film documenting Talking Heads at the height of their popularity, on tour for their 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues." The band takes the stage one by one and is joined by a cadre of guest musicians for a career-spanning and cinematic performance that features creative choreography and visuals.
- Runtime
- 1h 28m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison
IMDb
8.7
Rotten Tomatoes
100%
Metacritic
94
Something Wild (1986)
Comedy · Crime · Romance · R
A free-spirited woman "kidnaps" a yuppie for a weekend of adventure. But the fun quickly takes a dangerous turn when her ex-con husband shows up.
- Runtime
- 1h 54m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith, Ray Liotta
IMDb
6.9
Rotten Tomatoes
92%
Metacritic
73
Comments
Talk about the film with other members