Der Koch, der Dieb, seine Frau und ihr Liebhaber

A beautiful and weird film. The most captivating thing is the art design. (22.01.2012)

A well-made film, good filmmaking, good characters, good actors and no less good set-designs, but the whole thing is some absolutely crazy bullshit. (02.02.2013)

Peter Greenaway is a very peculiar filmmaker who irresistibly attracts refined aesthetes, countless film connoisseurs, and a numerous army of snobs (no offense, I know that you belong to the first two categories), while the average moviegoer shrugs and doesn't know what to make of his works. Greenaway doesn't so much make films as he stages images. Considered on their own, they can be regarded as the pinnacle of aesthetics, but it's all terribly stylized, pretentious, and detached from reality. The story itself is not important at all, and I think it would be better to visit a gallery rather than watch over 2 hours of a self-indulgent decadent plaything. The craftsmanship, meaning the set with plenty of clever details, the camera, and the cast, are worth 2 stars and a 40% overall impression. The rest is beyond me... (19.05.2011)

I don't think I've ever had such a dilemma about a rating. On the one hand, this film has a beautiful and unconventional production design, interesting costumes, and excellent performances led by an insane Gambon, who spouts one catchphrase after another and his endless monologues somehow mysteriously managed to keep my attention. But on the other hand, it’s not hard to realize after a while that the story is terribly stupid and absurd. It felt a bit like a Shakespeare tragedy with modern characters and dialogues about food and sex instead of piety and revenge. And if it hadn't been for the mention of Hitler and Churchill, I wouldn't have known what period the story is set in. If it was directed by David Lynch, it would be the clear king of WTF films and I would give at most one star for the actors, but as it is, it’s a very impressive movie whose artistic side has great charm, but will probably have a completely different effect on each unprepared viewer. For me, it’s right between 3 and 4*. (03.02.2013)

Another bizarre film I came across recently, which tests what the less resistant viewer is able to stomach. While Srdjan Spasojevič spewed his masturbation fantasies into the screenplay, Peter Greenaway shared with me his insane culinary-sexually-violent vision that reminded me of Mr. Creosote and my favorite Delicatessen. Helen Mirren may have remembered Brass's Caligula, but despite the frequent full-frontal nudity, I was more intrigued by her hairstyles. But none of the hairdos could beat the dead cormorant at the beginning of the film. The film also had a very disturbing effect on me - Michael had such well roasted skin... (08.01.2020)

One of those movies that depict something so disgusting that you just have to admire it. Here, human hatred and anger are portrayed incredibly strongly, literally bursting from the character played by Michael Gambon. Meanwhile, it is a film full of desire and love, but the monstrosity is depicted so perfectly that you don't even realize how Gambon became Dumbledore. (09.02.2016)