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QUILLS (R)

Reviewed December 15, 2000 - Check out the Quills Website.

Studio Synopsis: A fictional work that reconstructs the unknown fate of the Marquis de Sade, the writer and sexual deviant who was imprisoned in Charenton Asylum for the last 10 years of his life, QUILLS is a creative period piece from director Philip Kaufman (The Right Stuff). In the film, the Marquis de Sade (Geoffrey Rush) befriends the director of the asylum, Abbe Coulmier (Joaquin Phoenix), and both share affections with the asylum laundress, Madeleine (Kate Winslet). But when Napoleon sends in a doctor (Michael Caine) to cure the Marquis of his supposed madness, the Marquis's rebellious character only grows stronger.

Fuzzydog Review: Brilliant acting combined with a visceral and often disturbing story make Quills a difficult movie to assess.  Indeed, there's lots to like in watching Rush, Phoenix, Caine and Winslet chew into their characters, but the perverse, often too-violent nature of this film may take the fun out of it for many people.  Quills isn't for everyone...more twisted than seductive, it's an experience that leaves you feeling like you've seen a potentially great film that somehow got away from itself.  Worth a recommendation, but a slightly cautious one...this one isn't for the weak stomached...