. Director Istvan Szabo overplays his hand and traps [her] in a role that's all emoting, no emotion." Mark Kermode of The Observer said, "Annette Bening makes a claim for an Oscar nomination . . . Chewing up the scenery in lipsmacking form, she savours the ribald dialogue like an overripe wine, spitting venom and self-pity in equally bilious measures, lending much needed weight to this contrived fluff." Awards and nominations Academy Award for Best Actress (Annette Bening, nominee) Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical (Bening, winner) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role - Motion Picture (Bening, nominee) Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Bening, winner) Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Jeremy Irons, nominee) Genie Award for Best Motion Picture (nominee) Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Bruce Greenwood, nominee) National Board of Review Award for Best Actress (Bening, winner) London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress (Bening, nominee) Bangkok International Film Festival Golden Kinnaree Award for Best Actress (Bening, winner; tied with Ana Geislerova for Želary) Bangkok International Film Festival Golden Kinnaree Award for Best Film (nominee) European Film Award for Best Director (nominee) European Film Award for Best Cinematography (nominee) Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress (Bening, winner) References External links 2004 films 2000s English-language films English-language Canadian films English-language Hungarian films 2004 romantic comedy-drama films American romantic comedy-drama films Canadian romantic comedy-drama films Films about actors Films based on British novels Films based on works by W. Somerset Maugham Films directed by István Szabó Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe winning performance Sony Pictures Classics films Films set in 1938 Films set in London Films set in the Channel Islands Jersey in fiction Films shot in Jersey Films shot in London Films shot in Hungary Films scored by Mychael Danna Films with screenplays by Ronald Harwood 2004 comedy films 2004 drama films 2000s American films 2000s Canadian films