Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- sensual
- wistful
- intimate
- romantic evening
- summer afternoon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film visually appealing and charming but divided over its thin characterization, inscrutable mystery, and romanticized treatment of youthful desire.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lucy arrives at the villa as a virgin and becomes the focus of intense adult fascination while exploring desire on her own terms.
The Italian hilltop villa houses an English artist, writers, sculptors, lovers, and transient visitors whose attention converges on Lucy.
Lucy uses her late mother’s diary and enigmatic poems to investigate her conception and identify her possible father.
The hilltop villa and Italian countryside provide the film’s dominant visual and emotional setting for Lucy’s transformation.
Films like Stealing Beauty, and why
The Dreamers
shared coming-of-age romance, sensual atmosphere, and young protagonist navigating adult desire
A Room with a View
shared Italian setting, erotic romantic drama, and emphasis on youthful self-discovery
Call Me by Your Name
shared lush period-inflected atmosphere, sexual awakening, and emotionally complex relationships
Movie Details
- Director
- Bernardo Bertolucci
- Release Date
- 1996-03-29
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (635)
Cast
- Liv Tyler
- Sinéad Cusack
- Jeremy Irons
- Jason Flemyng
- Joseph Fiennes
- Carlo Cecchi
- Donal McCann
- Jean Marais
- Rachel Weisz
- Anna Maria Gherardi
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Stealing Beauty about?
- A teenage American searches for her father and discovers desire, identity, and independence amid a seductive Italian villa community.
- What is Stealing Beauty like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Stealing Beauty as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Stealing Beauty violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Stealing Beauty.
- What did critics think of Stealing Beauty?
- Critics broadly found the film visually appealing and charming but divided over its thin characterization, inscrutable mystery, and romanticized treatment of youthful desire.
- Which films are like Stealing Beauty?
- Films with a similar feel include The Dreamers, A Room with a View, and Call Me by Your Name.
- How long is Stealing Beauty?
- Stealing Beauty runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Stealing Beauty?
- In United States, Stealing Beauty is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
