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The Piano

1993

Jane Campion

Holly Hunter, Anna Paquin, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill ...

7.4

49,799

Drama. Romance Set in 1851, a mute Scottish woman (Hunter) arrives in colonial New Zealand for an arranged marriage, with her precocious young daughter (Paquin) and beloved piano in tow. When her practical new husband (Neill) refuses to transport the piano to their home, the woman reluctantly agrees to a sexual relationship with a neighbor (Keitel) as a means of gaining access to the instrument.

	Author	Review
United States	Roger Ebert rogerebert.com	"The performances are as original as the characters (...) It is one of those rare movies that is not just about a story, or some characters, but about a whole universe of feeling (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 4)"	POS
United Kingdom	Philip French The Guardian	"It's shot in an exquisite, painterly fashion (...) From the start this intimate fable of colonial life takes on a mythic resonance (...) This haunting tale is superbly acted"	POS
United States	Vincent Canby The New York Times	"Prepare for something very special (...) The film looks deceptively small, but in character it's big and strong and complex."	POS
United Kingdom	Geoff Andrew Time Out	"The whole film puts a fresh spin on the traditional love story (...) For once, a modern film treats erotic passion honestly."	POS
United States	Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times	"An uncompromised view of the world by a writer-director whose command of the visual and emotional aspects of filmmaking is fearless and profound."	POS
United States	Hal Hinson The Washington Post	"Evocative, powerful, extraordinarily beautiful (...) The erotic tension that Campion brings to these scenes is nearly excruciating"	POS
United States	David Stratton Variety	"'The Piano' confirms Campion as a major talent, an uncompromising filmmaker with a very personal and specific vision."	POS
United Kingdom	Matt Mueller Empire	"Strong performances and hauntingly beautiful scenery and score elevate Campion's restrained drama (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader	"Assured and provocative"	POS
United States	Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly	"Hunter has an austere, powerful presence, like that of the great silent-film actresses (...) A brooding romantic melodrama of almost classical grandeur"	POS
United States	IndieWire	"'The Piano' is above all a masterwork of subtlety, exposing the intricate network of human emotion that governs us all."	POS
United States	James Berardinelli ReelViews	"'The Piano' has powerful emotional themes resonating through it (...) [It] is a solid motion picture with a universal message and occasional splashes of genius (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"	POS

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