The Professor and the Madman

source: The Professor and the Madman

I love my unabridged Oxford English Dictionary and I loved the book by Simon Winchester. Against all odds, this film lived up to both. Two masterful actors, bad boys shoved into Victorian manners, brought these quirky characters to life. But it was the script, credited in part to John Boorman, that carried the film, using the power of words that the OED celebrates. Mel Gibson and Sean Penn get their share of great lines, but even Jennifer Ehle as Murray's wife gets a star turn. Everyone else is great, too (Eddie Marsan makes the most of his small role!).

Hey, I enjoy a Marvel comics flick or action adventure as much as the next guy but this is a REAL movie watching experience. The story is amazing, surprising and true! The interest and the tension is created by the characters and relationships. It makes you think and it makes you feel.The acting is superb. I was surprised to see it on Prime because it's a new movie with big time actors and I haven't heard a peep about it. I can tell you that it's better than most of the Best Picture nominees over the last two years and the acting performances easily rival the winners. I hope it gets the accolades it deserves.

I turned this on when I was tired. I didn't think I was in the mood to watch something like this at all when I found it on Starz. I even started watching something else on my iPad I thought would grab me more. The iPad was out of juice and died. I was going to change the channel, but next thing you know I was sucked in and watched the whole thing. it was the same thing as happened when I read the book. It just sucked me right in. The book had more about the dictionary, which did not diminish it, but it's no surprise they had to have less of that in the movie. This story is remarkable. It sounds too fantastic to be real, but quite the contrary, it's too fantastic not to be. No one could make this up.

I am getting sick from the commercial movies.. it's enough .. and it's the time to watch a nice movie like this. Two of the best actors as expected, heart touching and very well presenting a great life project till now. Human brain and emotions is unpredictable and it's really hard to get to know how it works. Worth to watch ...

I don't think the story can be described with simple words but one actually has to let himself be entirely driven by the movie to sense its depth. The story has more than one dimensional drama that provokes hard questions about the sense of creativity, redemption, friendship, family and loyalty. Above that the story was carefully written and performed to depict the strength of the English language. The language used in the movie was more than just a tool of expressing ideas and more than just a subject, but it has a unique character. Mel Gibson and Sean Penn really put their best in this movie, and Natalie Dormer's role here was so amazing and is superior to her performance in the GOT series by a heavy factor. Bravo Natalie!

There are no words to describe this beautiful movie. Well cast and award winning acting. Watch it, it is well worth your time.

Great acting especially Sean Penn , very touching story and very thoughtful emotions Nothing in history is granted to us easily

This was a very good and interesting movie. Sean Penn and Mel Gibson was just amazing in this movie. I heard of the movie a while back and thought it was a ridiculous idea. How in the heck can you make an interesting movie about a dictionary? Well they did it. My wife and I both was amazed at the acting that Mr Penn did. At the end of the movie my wife and I looked at each other and said "Wow" LoL Not a car chase nor guns or bombs going off and I still enjoyed the heck out of this movie. My wife and give it 👍👍

Both Sean Penn and Mel Gibson out did themselves. For a 2:22 movie, time went by very fast. That is how intense the movie was. The music was accordingly excellent and many scenes where very moving and magnificently done. This is a must-see movie no matter what rating it has been given. An excellent movie.