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Sophie's Choice
1982 151 min United Kingdom, United States of America R 16+
★8.0
Drama, Romance, War
Director: Alan J. Pakula
🎭 Based on
«Sophie's Choice»
byWilliam Styron
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
Stingo, a young writer, moves to Brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel. As he becomes friendly with Sophie and her lover Nathan, he learns that she is a Holocaust survivor. Flashbacks reveal her harrowing story, from pre-war prosperity to Auschwitz. In the present, Sophie and Nathan's relationship increasingly unravels as Stingo grows closer to Sophie and Nathan's fragile mental state becomes ever more apparent.
Budget:
$12M
US Gross:
$30.04M
Worldwide:
$30.04M
Starring
Meryl Streep
Actor
Kevin Kline
Actor
Peter MacNicol
Actor
Awards
Golden Globe 1983
— Best Actress (Drama)
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Actress
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Actress
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Costume Design
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Cinematography
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Original Score
Golden Globe 1983
— Breakthrough of the Year
BAFTA 1984
— Best Actress
BAFTA 1984
— Best Breakthrough
Key opinion
Sophie's Choice is widely regarded as a harrowing, deeply emotional drama centered on an iconic, career-defining performance by Meryl Streep. While the film is praised for its stark exploration of trauma and existential choice, some viewers find its heavy, oppressive atmosphere and pacing to be challenging experiences.
| Acting | Meryl Streep delivers a mesmerizing, transformative performance that anchors the film's emotional weight. | |
| Cinematography | Nestor Almendros’ cinematography creates a visually striking, somber atmosphere that effectively communicates the film’s bleak themes. | |
| Theme | The film succeeds as a profound, soul-shaking psychological drama that forces viewers to confront the cruelty of post-war trauma and existential burden. | |
| Acting | Kevin Kline is widely praised for his complex portrayal of the volatile Nathan, though opinions on Peter McNicol's performance are divided, with some finding him a weak or uncharismatic presence. | |
| Pacing | The slow, heavy, and often oppressive pacing serves the film's tragic tone for many, but others find the narrative progression too taxing or disjointed to sustain engagement. |