Bernard and Doris

Bernard and Doris (2007)

  • 53% of users liked it
    (1,852 ratings)

Director Bob Balaban's fictional drama presents a speculative exploration of the relationship shared between wealthy tobacco heiress Doris Duke (Susan Sarandon) and her Irish butler Bernard Lafferty (Ralph Finnes) who, after just six years working as Duke's servant, was posthumously awarded… More

Play Trailer

Unrated,
Directed By
Genres
Drama, Comedy
In Theaters
Oct 17, 2007 Wide
On DVD
Apr 29, 2008
HBO

Critic Reviews

  • Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

    This stunner of a movie is so far under the radar you'll have to go to HBO to find it. Get crackin'. It's the hip antidote to multiplex junk such as Mad Money and Meet the Spartans.

  • Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com

    Bernard and Doris is a fun enough diversion, but it's wishy-washy and doesn't dig dive enough into comedy, tragedy, sympathy, suspense, or anything else to make it ultimately memorable.

  • Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

    Keeps sentimentality at a minimum, and takes its potential cliches (the rich hellraiser, the gay butler) and finds something fresh in them.

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Red L


    An OK movie - Bernard is an alcoholic gay butler who works for a tobacco heiress - Doris Duke. Over the years, Bernard lands up looking after Doris, and in fact when Bernard has a relapse, Doris cares for Bernard.

  • Walter M


    [font=Century Gothic]Is it just me or was Ralph Fiennes born to play a butler which he does with aplomb in the enjoyable "Bernard and Doris" which might have been even better if done as a stage play? Partly based on fact, Bernard Lafferty(Ralph Fiennes), a butler, had… More

  • Mark A


    Extremely interesting bio-pic about Doris Duke (Susan Sarandon) and the relationship she developed with her butler, Bernard Lafferty (Ralph Fiennes). Both of them fought their demons but found someone to care about and for in this fictionalized account of their bond and how it may… More

  • Sunil J


    I liked it. There are no real surprises but it's light, well-acted drama without being much of a downer. Not bad for a movie made for TV but HBO usually does better.

  • Audrey L


    A 2007 made for TV movie starring Susan Sarandon and Ralph Feines.A remarkably intriguing look at the unconventional relationship between Doris Duke,and her butler,based on the tobacco heiress' life.made for TV movies have been elevated to a new high by this high calibre movie… More

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