Beautiful Creatures (2000)

37% of critics liked it
(59 reviews)
38% of users liked it
(3,001 ratings)

In this contemporary thriller set in Scotland, two women, Dorothy (Susan Lynch) and Petula (Rachel Weisz), bond over a dangerous encounter. Petula is being routinely beaten by her boyfriend Brian (Tom Mannion); Dorothy, after having left her unstable relationship with Tony (Iain Glen), accidentally… More In this contemporary thriller set in Scotland, two women, Dorothy (Susan Lynch) and Petula (Rachel Weisz), bond over a dangerous encounter. Petula is being routinely beaten by her boyfriend Brian (Tom Mannion); Dorothy, after having left her unstable relationship with Tony (Iain Glen), accidentally kills Brian in a fit of rage. In desperation, the two women forge a bizarre scheme to convince Brian's older, more powerful brother Ronnie (Maurice Roeves) that Brian has been kidnapped. Their plan hits a snag, however, when Detective Inspector Hepburn (Alex Norton) begins to suspect the women and offers to be on the take for their intended get-rich plan. Soon after, Tony also re-emerges and also wants in on the deal, leaving the two women to compose a different plan. A blackly comic film noir, Beautiful Creatures is the feature debut of director Bill Eagles. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: Bill Eagles
Written By: Simon Donald
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 6, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Oct 2, 2001
Studio: Universal Focus

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Writer and coproducer Simon Donald offers an efficient plot, and director Bill Eagles knows how to pace the actors and action while delivering it.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Emits an aura of contrived cool.
Jay Carr, Boston Globe
Too much style and not enough of anything else.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
The dialogue is banal and the characters are irritatingly dumb.
Jan Stuart, Newsday
Tedious and unfunny.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
Why should boys have all the fun in the movies?
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
The well of surprise is all but parched in the post-Tarantino seriocomic crime caper genre.
Brent Simon, Entertainment Today
The main problems with Beautiful Creatures lie in execution -- the film's baser machinations come across as nothing more than indie film quirks.
Harry Guerin, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
More Tom and Jerry than Thelma and Louise.
Brandon Judell, Bay Area Reporter
a sweet, violent B-movie funfest that strays from perfection here and there, yet still leaves you with a fond feeling for killing penised bullies
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A black comedy triggered with snide Guy Ritchie type of lowbrow British humor that is not as clever as it thinks it is.

Read all 11 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Bill C

2-1/2 Stars Best part of the movie is Pluto the slightly Pink dog does not Die. Low budget "Lock stock and two smoking barrels" painted on a "Thelma and Louise" canvas. Well paced and continually involving. Even if you don't like the Violence and the cliche… More
2-1/2 Stars Best part of the movie is Pluto the slightly Pink dog does not Die. Low budget "Lock stock and two smoking barrels" painted on a "Thelma and Louise" canvas. Well paced and continually involving. Even if you don't like the Violence and the cliche derivative male characters you won't turn it off until the end. Rachel Weisz character "Pentula" is trapped in a violent relationship with the brother of a mobster. Her character of a blonde ditz is so poorly developed, its hard to feel anything for her. Susan Lynch is much more dynamic of a character as Dorothy, the brains of the operation. The movie really turns into flat cliche when her heroine junky boyfriend shows up and shoots her dog. (But he's OK in the end)