The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

This dark and sad tale of a middle aged lady visiting Rome and getting involved with some questionable people has been made before with Vivien Leigh but this newer version is worth watching for a more modern approach. The cast is top notch and the on location shooting is good.Helen Mirren as Mrs Stone is terrific as always showing all the emotions and insecurities that the role needs. She strikes me as slightly more together than Mrs Stone should be though. It's a pleasure to watch Anne Bancroft in one of her last roles.Olivier Martinez is a strange choice being French Spanish. His accent is a bit off. Couldn't an Italian have been cast instead? Rodrigo Santoro is good in his small role.Overall worth watching even if you are familiar with the story.

Having waited many years for the DVD to finally appear I've now watched this movie for the third time. How could one not enjoy the gorgeous photography and scenery combined with marvelous actors and a lush music score? Sure, some of the final scenes were a bit silly but overall it was a delight to watch. Much better than the original version with Warren Beatty's terrible Italian accent. Helen Mirren's acting was great, as expected, but I also liked Olivier Martinez' performance as the handsome sleazy gigolo. His natural accent was perfect for this role. Rodrigo Santoro's haunting face of the urchin beggar was very intriguing. I felt that Anne Bancroft rather over-acted as the Contessa, however. A lovely DVD to watch with a few friends at home and then discuss afterwards. Not to be taken too seriously, just enjoy it.

Considering this was a made for TV, it does a respectable job of making itself comparable to the Louis De Rochemont-Jose Quintero production of 1961.Tennessee Williams' smarmy tale of the widow and the gigolo is enhanced by a fine cast. Helen Mirren's Karen is less physically attractive than Viven Leigh's, yet she's a strong actress and projects genuine pathos as the pathetic heroine.Olivier Martinez' Paolo is more personable and less edgy than Warren Beatty's, and has a more convincing accent. Anne Bancroft brings her own, distinctive interpretation of the Contessa, comparable to Lotte Lenya's.John Altman's score is serviceable (whereas Richard Addinsell's was hauntingly thematic). More standard is Robert Allan Ackerman's direction, compared to the distinctiveness of Quintero.Being a smaller screen work with a lower budget, this version of "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone" adds yet another offering of a basically unpleasant subject. Williams really seemed to like spinning these tales of once-beautiful, aging women, desperate for love and addictively pursuing affection, literally at any cost.

Tenesee Williams is marvelous, but this is really awful.I am a huge Mirren fan but she is miscast as an ageing fading "beauty".Olivier is' way too old at pushing 40 to be a young gigilo and I have real problems with his "acting" and not just in this movie.I have seen all his early French movies as well as his newer ventures into English.There is a harsh cold arrogance within him that yells male macho pig that lacks any depth or finer feelings.He seems always so stiff and unnatural,his acting is really wooden.( The scene where he lifts his hand to hit Helen/Karen had me in stitches ) The Santoro chap without uttering a word, was truly mesmerising and far more of a breathtaking hunk,one wonders what all the fuss over OM is really all about.The entire movie was wooden and forced.I truly loathed it.I am old enough to remember the original which was not that brilliant either, but knocked the socks of this sad re-make.I felt sorry for Mirren selling her huge talent up the river in this bilge and OM needs roles wherein he is and acts his 40 rather than this 'nonsense in this, and Unfaithful, of being a cheeky 23 year old which he patently is not.he looks his age.He seems very arrogant vain cold in all his movies..the French press call him the "Mannequin who wants to act".. which may be a bit harsh as they loathe him for his misogyinist treatment of their divine la Binoche..but grains of truth maybe.Given that I do admit as a TW fan this is the hardest story to get right on screen it seems..or maybe no-one can get the 'casting just right? Borrow it it is harmless viewing, but do not waste money buying DVD