The Only Leonardo DiCaprio Movie Everyone "Hated" Is This 24%-Rated Biopic With 'Harry Potter' Star
Perhaps it was roles like these that helped DiCaprio become who he is today.
Today, Leonardo DiCaprio's name is synonymous with success – his movies are almost always Oscar nominees, and the actor himself has long been considered a living legend. However, there is one movie in his career that he looks back on with embarrassment.
Agnieszka Holland's Total Eclipse, a biographical drama about the French poets Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine, flopped at the box office and remains one of the actor's most controversial projects.
Leonardo DiCaprio Says "People Hated" Agnieszka Holland's 'Total Eclipse'
In an interview, DiCaprio made it clear that Total Eclipse was a challenging experience for him:
“People hated it. [...] I think the only people who liked Total Eclipse were people who liked Rimbaud. But then, a lot of people who liked Rimbaud hated it, too. I don't really know what to say about Total Eclipse.”
Moreover, the kissing scene between DiCaprio and David Thewlis caused controversy because it distracted many from the film's content.
What Is 'Total Eclipse' About?
In 1871, the young Arthur Rimbaud (Leonardo DiCaprio) sent his poems to the renowned poet Paul Verlaine (David Thewlis). Delighted, Verlaine invites the 16-year-old genius to Paris.
The two men embark on a turbulent, destructive relationship full of passion, alcohol, scandal, and endless creative pursuits.
Rimbaud is a bundle of energy and a provocateur who deliberately destroys everything around him, including Verlaine's marriage and his own career.
'Total Eclipse' Was a Bold Experiment That Was Ahead of Its Time and Is Still Widely Misunderstood
Today, Total Eclipse can be watched as a document of the era and an important stage in DiCaprio's career. Before Titanic and his subsequent worldwide fame, DiCaprio chose risky projects – Rimbaud was his attempt to break free from the "vulnerable teenager" stereotype and play a character who creates chaos.
His character is irritating, deliberately provocative, irrational, and difficult to empathize with – but that's precisely the work's complexity and boldness.
Agnieszka Holland, known for her powerful political statements, found a topic in Rimbaud's story with which she could resonate: the challenge to society and the inevitable loneliness that follows activism.
Today, Total Eclipse, once "hated," appears as a daring art-house experiment.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Total Eclipse'?
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Total Eclipse has 24% from critics and 60% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.4/10.
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On Letterboxd, Total Eclipse scored 2.9/5.0.
Where to Watch 'Total Eclipse'?
Total Eclipse is available to stream on Prime Video and MUBI.
