Chevalier
The extraordinary story of Joseph Bologne, a Black maestro who rose to great heights in French society, is coming to the big screen. This biographical drama film tells the tale of a composer, violinist, and champion fencer born in Guadeloupe.
Dir: Stephen Williams
Cast: Kelvin Harrison Jr., Samara Weaving, Lucy Boynton, Alex Fitzalan, Minnie Driver, Sian Clifford, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Marton Csokas
104 mins · 2023 · Ireland, United States of America · Cert 12A · French, English
IMDb 6.5/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 76% · Metacritic 67/100 · TMDB 6.4/10 · Trakt 70%
Awards: 1 win & 7 nominations total
On Wednesday, 4 November 2026, the Duke of York's Picturehouse in Brighton will screen Chevalier, a film directed by Stephen Williams and starring Kelvin Harrison Jr, Samara Weaving, and Lucy Boynton. The film portrays the life of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, who defied the conventions of his time to become a celebrated composer and musician.
The film is a music, drama, and history genre, with a runtime of 104 minutes and a certificate of 12A. It features a blend of French and English languages, showcasing the cultural nuances of Joseph Bologne's life. With a score that combines 18th-century compositions with contemporary styles, the film's soundtrack is a highlight, paired with aesthetically pleasing cinematography.
Chevalier has received generally favorable reviews, with scores of 6.5/10 on IMDb, 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, 67/100 on Metacritic, 6.4/10 on TMDB, and 70% on Trakt. The film has also won one award and received seven nominations. Tickets are with the button beside the article.
Stills
What viewers say
Obione_TdG · 4/10
Very fake and unrealistic biography, seems a cheap TV drama in costume.
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miguelreina · 6/10
[Disney+] It loses the opportunity to portray a character as unknown as he is interesting, although surrounded by certain doubts about the veracity of some information, which comes from a novelized version of his life. However, the script reduces to an interracial love story in the context of the incipient French Revolution, and it seems that Joseph Boulogne is more interested in his social reflection than in his merits as a composer. There is a…
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marcs · 5/10
More romanticization than factual biography about a subject whose actual story would make an engrossing story on its own. Coupled with mediocre acting, direction, and editing and with dialogue peppered with modern idioms which come across as jarring given the period setting and additional music written for the movie that is not at all styled in keeping with that period, this entire movie falls flat and disappoints.
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Manuel São Bento · 7/10
MORE SPOILER-FREE MINI-REVIEWS @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/mini-reviews-2023-edition "Chevalier holds a screenplay by Stefani Robinson that doesn't escape the predictability of the usual biopic structure, but director Stephen Williams offers a careful, surprisingly captivating look at the life story of composer Joseph Bologne. A thematically sensitive yet tremendously inspiring narrative set to incredibly cathartic classical music…
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Nathan · 8/10
Chevalier may not revolutionize the biographical picture genre, but it is an incredibly well-crafted film that makes for an entertaining watch. Stephen Williams' direction was one of the biggest standouts of the movie, with his use of smooth transitions and camera work in a 3D space immersing the viewer in the world of the characters. The scene of Joseph Bologne composing his opera while falling in love with Marie-Josephine was a particular…
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CinemaSerf · 6/10
I was really looking forward to this, and after it starts with some compelling duelling violins between the eponymous "Joseph" (Kelvin Harrison Jnr.) and none other than the great Mozart himself (Joseph Prowen) that features some magical musical improvisations, I thought I was in for a treat. Sadly, though, t'was not to be. Essentially this is a rather plodding melodrama that could quite easily have been at the more musical end of an episode of…
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