Mr. Burton

Play trailer

Mr. Burton

Mar 2026

2h 4m

Biography

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

34 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Mr. Burton tells the true story of the relationship between Port Talbot schoolmaster Philip Burton and a wild young schoolboy called Richard Jenkins, the son of a wayward drunk. Richard dreamed of becoming an actor, but his ambitions were in danger of being derailed by a combination of family trouble, the pressure of war, and his own lack of discipline. Mr. Burton recognized the raw talent in his pupil, becoming his tutor, strict taskmaster and eventually his adoptive father.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

A thoroughly evocative exploration of artistry and mentorship, Mr. Burton is vividly brought to life by the absorbing dynamic between stars Toby Jones and Harry Lawtey.

Read Critics Reviews

Stephen Farber

The Hollywood Reporter

6d

The subject of mentorship is not treated frequently onscreen, but Mr. Burton may be remembered as one of the definitive explorations of the theme.

Go to Full Review

Guy Lodge

Variety

Mar 19

It’s a little disappointing that “Mr. Burton” remains so coy around Philip’s inner life and yearnings, though Jones’s graceful, precise performance in nuanced in its unspoken implications.

Go to Full Review

Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

Aug 14

3.5/5

In essence, it’s a great story, yet the final scenes, which take us out of Wales to London and Stratford, don’t quite work

Go to Full Review

Rob Thomas

Not That Rob Thomas (Substack)

1d

3/4

I was still touched by this quiet, empathetic movie about a quiet, empathetic man. Without his eye for talent and heart for a lonely boy, 20th-century culture would have never been the same.

Go to Full Review

John Stark

Mac the Movie Guy

6d

88/100

A masterclass from Toby Jones and one of the most emotionally satisfying and classically uplifting films you’ll see this year.

Go to Full Review

Alex Harrison

Screen Rant

Mar 20

7/10

The film may not always conquer its genre's tendency toward oversimplification, but what complexity makes it to the screen is enough to come away from it with something to chew on.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

bob C

@RT46426964 Feb 25

Interesting but the lead isn’t up to it. Worth watching, but

See more

David H

@RT75968152 Jan 17

Not entirely convinced by the Harry Lawtey casting but then how do you find a young Welsh actor capable of providing the sheer power and self destructive genius of Richard Burton? An intelligent and well meaning film.

See more

Robert C

@RT61302063 Nov 15

I thought Toby Jones excellent in his part, but at 29, Harry Lawtey was at least 10 years too old to be taken seriously as a 17/18 yo Richard Burton. The AI genererated background images of an industrial Port Talbot were similarly unconvincing. If the producers cannot afford the real thing, stick to tight shots. I found all the obviously false scenic shots a distraction. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the movie, but it could have been so much better.

See more

Stephen D

@sjhdearden Nov 12

A conscientious but slow film portraying Richard Burton's formative years in Port Talbot. Lawtey does not quite catch Burtons unique timbre in the final Stratford scenes. ( A minor quibble - not much 'black out' in war time Port Talbot.)

See more

Runa R

@runa.r Oct 16

It’s very interesting to learn the story behind such a famous actor, and how a teacher completely changed his life. I believe Richard Burton wouldn’t have got where he did without that push from his teacher and friend. The film shows us everything clearly.

See more

Niki M

@RT49538820 Sep 8

An interesting film that ends up being just as compelling but flawed as its subject matter. I knew little about Richard Burton's life and so the story was revelatory. Toby Jones was reliably solid, along with most of the cast. However, Harry Lawtey (despite a creditable performance) did not quite catch the strange mixture of charisma and gravitas that made Burton so iconic... it is difficult to think that anyone could. The film was also uneven in tone and structure, and ultimately unsatisfying.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Marc Evans

Director

Toby Jones

Mr. Burton

Harry Lawtey

Rich

Lesley Manville

Ma Smith

Aimee-Ffion Edwards

Cis

Aneurin Barnard

Elfed

View more photos

Synopsis

Mr. Burton tells the true story of the relationship between Port Talbot schoolmaster Philip Burton and a wild young schoolboy called Richard Jenkins, the son of a wayward drunk. Richard dreamed of becoming an actor, but his ambitions were in danger of being derailed by a combination of family trouble, the pressure of war, and his own lack of discipline. Mr. Burton recognized the raw talent in his pupil, becoming his tutor, strict taskmaster and eventually his adoptive father.

Director: Marc Evans
Producer: Ed Talfan, Hannah Thomas, Josh Hyams, Trevor Matthews
Screenwriter: Tom Bullough, Josh Hyams
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Production Co: BBC Wales
Genre: Biography, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 20, 2026
Runtime: 2h 4m

Most Popular at Home Now