[The film] shows that Polanski has not dropped his fascination with Exterminating Angels – perhaps a reflection of his limited freedom of movement [It] marks Polanski’s return to the comedy-horror tone he established in The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 25, 2024

The latest film directed by Roman Polanski, Venus in Fur, is the fifth transposition of the novel The Venus of Furs (1870) in which a vision of the novel is presented that completely redefines it.

Full Review | Original Score: 8.5/10 | Jan 14, 2024

Charming, thought-provoking, and bound to incite conversation, Venus in Fur's greatest quality is that, through all of its devilish joys, Seigner and Amalric infuse the film with an unexpected depth of feeling.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Aug 5, 2022

Routinely nears perfection but misses the mark considerably with the conclusion.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Dec 4, 2020

Alexandre Desplat's original score is spry and energetic, dark and delightful.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4.0 | Sep 26, 2020

There are themes presented, mostly regarding feminism, sexuality, and gender roles, but I wonder what the film is actually saying about those themes?

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jul 20, 2020

A challenging, timely, and entertaining movie.

Full Review | Jan 8, 2020

A dark labyrinth of comedic mind games that does with words what something like Lady from Shanghai does with mirrors.

Full Review | Aug 30, 2019

An erotic firecracker of a movie; at once coy and vivacious, fascinating and mysterious.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 7, 2019

An unhealthy confection.

Full Review | Aug 7, 2018

Lighthearted as it is, Venus in Fur has the rare effect of filtering the viewer's life through its own extreme lens.

Full Review | Sep 21, 2017

Polanski deftly increases the tension incrementally like the gradual tightening of a boa constrictor around its prey.

Full Review | Sep 16, 2017

Venus In Fur is a saucy bit of chicanery, but so deft and entertaining, we're happy to be seduced.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 12, 2017

The ideological messages may continue to shift beneath our feet long after we leave the theater but the solidity of the impact of Venus in Fur will be what sticks.

Full Review | Aug 4, 2017

Between the excellent performances and Alexandre Desplat's sly score, Polanski's film nails the story's power plays, mind games and wicked humor, even if the latter becomes garish by the end.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 25, 2016

It's tempting to conclude that the entire thing is a rather distasteful joke at the audience's (and the actors') expense.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | May 16, 2016

[Venus in Fur] is the sexiest movie I've seen in a long time.

Full Review | Dec 7, 2015

Perhaps he is more drawn to Mr. Ives's quasi-feminist rationalization of sexual fetish than Sacher-Masoch's explanation of it as mastery over repressed feelings, and somehow sees parallels between the play and his own sexual felony.

Full Review | Oct 8, 2015

Polanski makes an intriguing battle of the sexes out of a filmed play

Full Review | Jun 21, 2015

Desire makes buffoons of us all. Now strike dear mistress, and cure his heart.

Full Review | Jun 9, 2015