The movie definitely provokes a desire to know more about Wilde, even if only because you suspect it of simplifying him - he s hardly culpable for his own downfall, pushed into the libel suit by Bosie. In a way, Wilde almost seems superficial in that brilliance flows from him effortlessly - if forced into contemplation (like in prison) he finds only hollowness, if not mediocrity. The movie is fairly frank about Wilde's homosexuality - the decadence of the male brothel-type place is overwhelming, and we see Wilde watching Bosie have sex with another, and being subjected to his screaming fits and recriminations. But this makes his speech about the love that dare not speak its name seem like a bit of an evasion - since we know how much it s about the pleasures of the flesh as much as about scholarly bonding between older and younger men and the other stuff that s cited. The trial itself and the mechanics of the decline seem over a bit quickly and the ending is soft, although it s hard to imagine too many people objecting. Fry is sometimes moving but is rather on one note - the film though conveys a great sense of his charm and genuine celebrity, no more than in the opening sequence where he goes down a mine and spellbinds them with a history of Cellini - throughout Wilde provokes so much enthusiasm that his downfall ultimately seems tragically avoidable.
