AllMovie

Orlando is a witty visual spectacle with compelling ideas and a story with many gaping holes that are open to interpretation. The source novel by Virginia Woolf, written as a love letter to Vita Sackville-West, was adapted for the screen by director Sally Potter, who also composed the musical score. With a budget of four million dollars, Potter manages to re-create 400 years of European history, complete with royal landscapes and elaborate costumes. The inspired set was the work of experimental filmmaker Peter Greenaway's production designers, Ben Van Os and Jan Roelfs. The plot is generally overshadowed by the remarkably talented Tilda Swinton portraying the character of Orlando throughout different times, places, and genders. It is never explained why or how Orlando can persevere without aging and change from a he into a she, yet Swinton's performance remains convincing. The supporting characters never develop into much, despite such clever casting as Quentin Crisp playing Queen Elizabeth I. However lacking in narrative elements, Orlando is a humorous and fascinating study of gender identity throughout history, made with an observant and critical eye on the traditions of Victorian costume dramas.