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Restoration

Restoration (1995)

December. 29,1995
|
6.6
|
R
| Drama Romance

An aspiring young physician, Robert Merivel found himself in the service of King Charles II and saves the life of someone close to the King. Merivel joins the King's court and lives the high life provided to someone of his position. Merivel is ordered to marry his King's mistress in order to divert the queens suspicions. He is given one order by the king and that is not to fall in love. The situation worsens when Merivel finds himself in love with his new wife. Eventually, the King finds out and relieves Merivel of his position and wealth. His fall from grace leaves Merivel where he first started. And through his travels and reunions with an old friend, he rediscovers his love for true medicine and what it really means to be a physician.

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GurlyIamBeach
1995/12/29

Instant Favorite.

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Memorergi
1995/12/30

good film but with many flaws

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Kidskycom
1995/12/31

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

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Murphy Howard
1996/01/01

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

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Kirpianuscus
1996/01/02

Its beauty is special. because it is defined by acting and photography and locations and plot. faithful to the novel, it is a travel across the England of Charles II Stuart in admirable manner. nothing surprising. only few revelations. Sam Neil is one of more expressive. and Robert Downey - new confirmation of his art. a film about the transformation of a man. touching. but with deep roots. so, a little gem.

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mark.waltz
1996/01/03

Sometimes as stunning as a museum visit, often turn away ugly, and filled with starts and stops that would be more potent as a limited series, where detail could have been greater. A lot is covered in two hours in this brutal look at an ugly time in the many chapters of world history. This takes place during the reign of the great restoration king Charles II of England and Great Britain, a ruler whose life had been part of "Forever Amber" and later the lengthy cable continuing series "The Stuarts", a major part of the often filmed "Nell Gwynn", and as notorious a ladies man as his distant cousin of a century before, Henry VIII. Sam Neill looks the part in the most commanding if ways, subtle in his nobility, yet flamboyant in his excesses.The era was a great time of change in England, and this story focuses on one particularly complex man. Robert Downey Jr. proves once again his great versatility as a great doctor, hired for the king's court, who looses his gift for medicine from an unrequited love for Polly Walker, part of an arranged marriage set up by the king. Downey is dismissed, goes off to treat those suffering from a plague, falls in love once more (with peasant girl Meg Ryan) and proves his strength as a doctor, even under the most tragic circumstances of his own life. There are moments when I had to turn my head, particularly a scene at the beginning involving a patient of Downey's whose chest cavity is open, exposing his innards as he stands erect. The plague scenes are realistically gruesome, with no hiding of the ugliness of that era. Charles' court is lavish, almost operatic in its sets, and the music is gloriously profound. Still, there's a missing element that makes it stand out as terrific, although it's a marvelously good try.

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TxMike
1996/01/04

The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is very often used to cover the whole reign of Charles II (1660–1685) and often the brief reign of his younger brother James II (1685-1688).So during this period it follows mostly the life of a young physician who falls into the favor of the King, then out again. The young physician is Robert Downey Jr. as Robert Merivel. The King picks him to care for his kennel of dogs after saving his dearest dog that was sick. This was not a preferred career path but you didn't say "no" to the King.The King is Sam Neill as King Charles II, and eventually as his affair with a woman begins to get attention, he decides to marry her to Merivel and send them away to their own private estate. Merivel was NOT to have any relations with his bride, but save her for the King's visits.The fly in that ointment was Merivel begins to fall in love with her, and the King not happy with that turn of events evicts him. So he has to knock around, eventually getting the chance during the great plague of London in 1664 to 1666 to practice medicine again. One he saves there is Meg Ryan as Katharine, thought my most to be insane but she just had deep fears motivating her strange behavior.This is an old movie, Downey Jr. was not even 30 yet when it was filmed. To me it started a bit slow but eventually picked up and the story is very interesting.

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haroldnmaude
1996/01/05

I'm not sure we saw the same movie and I'm puzzled.This is a tremendously rich, emotional film, very true to Rose Tremain's novel, and just wonderful.The casting is divine, and I thought Meg Ryan was fine as Catherine.Charles II is my favorite English monarch and Sam Neill portrayed him just as I pictured him.Robert Downey was Marivel to a T, as was David Thewliss as Pierce.The costumes and scenery were magnificent -- from the palace to the countryside and back -- and those fabulous Spaniels running through the palace and environs was just how I'd pictured England's most enlightened monarch's place to be!How anyone can find this movie to be anything less than a gem is beyond me.

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