The White Crow

This is a relatively engrossing watch, with some good choreographed ballet dance performances and decent performances but the main character is less than entirely likeable, I think its fair to say and so I wasn't as intrigued by what happened to him, as I may otherwise have been. Its still interesting in terms of the culture and history of Russia and it felt a fairly well made film generally. I'd recommend this film if your particularly interested in it but it likely won't appeal to everyone (few films do, of course) but it is a somewhat thoughtful film.

A good portrayal of a fascinating period and artist. The herding of brilliant Soviet artists through the French customs by their authorities is a sad reminder of this era of oppression. It is a strange contrast - the brilliance of artists encouraged by the state in the USSR and Cuba, and the dour greyness of state control. I loved the portrayal of the relationships of Nureyev's friends, helpers and lovers. I can't get enough of Nureyev - it is great to follow up with performances on youtube and compare his art with other dancers, some who look like wooden plodders in comparison.

Ralph Fiennes appeared in episode role of a ballet teacher and also directed this biopic about the famous dancer Rudolf Nureyev, focusing on the part of Nureyev's life before his defection to the West. The last 20 minutes, taking place at the Paris airport, were shot perfectly in terms of tension, although most of viewers would be familiar with the outcome. Some other parts could've been shorter without damaging the movie, e.g. Rudolf's overlong sightseeing in Paris. Overall, it's an interesting drama with an authenticity as a big plus: the characters speak Russian and the lead role is played by Oleg Ivenko, a ballet dancer in real life.

Solid biographical pic highlighting the background leading to the defection of Nureyev; generates enough intrigue for a very well known outcome; strong dancing to bolster the solid drama

This a very powerful movie, truthful and straightforward. The strong personality of Nuriev just captivates the audience. The challenges he goes through are depicted so realistically but the spirit of Art and Liberty in dance, painting, and architecture is growing stronger. And finally, it wins.

Wonderful movie, and Oleg Ivenko is a delight to watch as an actor and a dancer. I think the timelines are masterfully woven together. I felt I was authentically taken to that world, and I was glad to be there.

You wouldn't think that a ballet dancer and the KGB would have much to do with one another - but in the 60s, I guess they did. True story of Rudi's defection and media sensation is alright - it's no nail biter or tear jerker. Just kinda there

It was a wonderful look into the life and personality of one of the most intriguing performers of the 20th Century. Mezmerizing dancer - larger than life. Oleg was superb as Nureyev - especially his dancing.

Whilst the dance sequences are excellent with Fiennes' adroitly showing the full body of the dancers so one can see every line, the rest of the movie is either dreary and jumps around the timeline far too much so it makes no sense for anyone not already very familiar with Nureyev's story, or there's unnecessary nudity and sexual scenes. Most who know of Nureyev will know he was gay - he died from AIDS before any drugs were developed for the condition - and so one does expect references to the man's homosexuality. However, there's a difference between scenes which are designed to explore a dancer's sexuality and ones which are just gratuitous and this film has many more gratuitous sex scenes than meaningful ones. The dancer who plays Nureyev, Oleg Ivenko, does an excellent job playing the famed - or infamous - dancer however the script itself isn't the best. This movie is really only for people who already know Nureyev's story and love dancing. Even then, there's too few scenes of dances or warm-ups, and the remainder of the movie seems very dreary by comparison. Those viewers who aren't familiar with Nureyev's story will struggle to understand exactly what the film is about. It's clearly about a Russian dancer but the rest of the story of Nureyev's life, including his defection to the West, is muddled and confusing even for viewers who know the tale. Fiennes is excellent as Nureyev's ballet instructor, playing a tersely spoken man who seems to be beaten down by life but nevertheless understands Nureyev's yearning for self-expression and, therefore, his defection. However, as a director - and this is Fiennes' third time directing a movie - this movie leaves much to be desired and the script should have been re-written to make it both comprehensible to any viewers as well as interesting. When the scene is not focused on dancing itself, whether warm-ups or on stage, the movie seems to drag on and actually becomes tedious if not actually boring, so that the viewers will only become interested when dancing occurs. This is a great pity because with an actor and director of Fiennes' calibre and the skills of dancer, Oleg Ivenko, this movie could have been so much better than it is.

Although the actor/dancer playing the great dancer looks and dances nothing like the man he is supposed to be playing, the lead still plays the role well and dances equally well, and the story is compelling. I can remember when Nureyev defected and seeing him with Fontaine in An Evening With the Royal Ballet.