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www.rollingstone.com - : Don't be put off by Robert Downey Jr. in the funny hat. And stick with director Michael Hoffman and writer Rupert Walters, who have adapted Rose Tremain's novel of the 17th century, with high-stakes ambitions for this lively, lavish and grandly acted pageant. The film begins with Downey's Merivel, a student of medicine, putting his hand on a patient's exposed heart. His colleague John Pearce (David Thewlis) is amazed at Merivel's daring. So is King Charles II (a superbly sly Sam Neill), who sweeps him into the royal court, where Merivel degenerates into an idle party boy. For marrying Celia (Polly Walker), the king's mistress, on the condition that he will never bed her, Merivel is given an estate, a servant (Ian McKellen) and the freedom to debauch till he drops. The king's portraitist (Hugh Grant in foppish good form) is appalled. Merivel blows the deal by falling in love with Celia and rediscovering his passion to heal. more...
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www.boxoffice.com - : ''Our physician has become our fool,'' says a court onlooker of Robert Merivel (Robert Downey Jr.), natural-born healer turned near-harlequin by the ''treasures and temptations'' of being appointed royal Rx to England's Charles II (Sam Neill) in 1663 London. The monarchy has been restored, and the cultural Restoration has begun, but before Merivel will find his path again he will have to live through trial and tribulation: Husband in a marriage arranged by the king to hide a mistress (''Enchanted April's'' Polly Walker), he falls in unrequited love with her and is banished from his position; returning to private service with a physician friend (''Naked's'' David Thew-lis), he marries an emotionally and mentally unbalanced patient (Meg Ryan), who dies in birthing his child; as the bubonic plague crosses the land, he struggles to save as many lives as he can. more...
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Critic Reviews
