Chaplin

Telling the entire story of Chaplin's 88 years was probably a hopeless goal, but the biopic does offer the saving grace of a truly remarkable central performance by Robert Downey Jr. and some lovely moments along the way.

Robert Downey Jr sparkles as the British comedy giant but Richard Attenborough's film feels somewhat dutiful around him.

It's a monumental biopic that cheapens the hero's successes by glossing over the failures that surely also shaped the man.

An unfortunate melding of style and subject matter, too intent on turning the Little Tramp into an icon to be regarded with stately awe to do justice to the disturbing energy of his life.

A massive Hollywood biopic about a man who never quite seems there.

This is a disappointing, misguided movie that has all of the parts in place to be a much better one.

It's slick packaging around what is mostly warm air.

Attenborough's very traditional biopic is a disappointment.

With this reverential biopic, director Richard Attenborough has cranked out a many-reel, talky talkie.

Robert Downey Jr., does an impressive job as the title character, perfectly recreating Chaplin's range of English accents and mimicking, with astonishing precision, the gait and gestures of the Little Tramp.

For all the movie's undisputed competence, grand and inspired moments are thin on the ground.