Bel Ami

Film4“A little too much restraint...” A brooding tale of sex and scheming that is brought to life by its cast. More playful than you might expect, it's still a deliciously dark period piece that stays true to the tone of the novel...

Empire“Barely a spark of soul to fuel its story...” This production, with a fine ensemble cast directed to theatrical performances, has little at its heart. Like Duroy, it might be pretty on the surface, but inside it is completely hollow...

The Telegraph“A strident note of sexual opportunism sounded over and over...” Nothing deepens; no one gets interesting; and we end right back where we started – not averse to R. Pattz per se, but wondering if this particular vehicle is quite the thing...

Radio Times“As thrilling as it is sumptuous...” A hauntingly beautiful triumph of content over style, this is Dangerous Liaisons meets Cruel Intentions with extra added credibility...

The Independent“Absolutely no emotional traction...” Donnellan and Ormerod, so assured when directing on stage for Cheek by Jowl, struggle with the challenges posed by a period movie. They can't sketch in scenes but are obliged to provide so much visual detail that the film soon creaks...

Evening Standard“A faithful literary adaptation...” The problems with Bel Ami — it does start to feel slow and insufficiently involving before the end — derive not so much from this creditable adaptation but from the utter cynicism of Maupassant himself. This is not in any way a romantic story...

Time Out“Spirited and sensible but little more than period fluff...” As a whirlwind of bonking and banquets, ‘Bel Ami’ is diverting and sometimes amusing, and Pattinson is adequate in the lead – pretty enough to convince as a womaniser but with enough of a hint of ambition and a moral vacuum behind the eyes...

Total Film “A beautiful but muddled re-do...” Full marks to Pattinson for tearing into his Edward Cullen persona with plenty of arse-bearing sex scenes and peevishness, but he often falls back on nostril flaring to convey the subtleties of the seduction, avarice, rage and duplicity...

The Observer“Fabulous-looking but oddly tepid...” The women he exploits with increasing confidence – Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Christina Ricci – are excellent, and superbly costumed. Something is missing, and that is Maupassant's acute and detailed social observation...

Guardian“An awful lot of hollow-eyed smouldering...” "You are trying to seduce me in church!" Kristin hisses redundantly; she winds up having to be girly, clingy and pathetic with Georges when it looks all too clearly as if she could eat Pattinson for her pre-breakfast amuse-bouche...