# Restoration (1995 film)
**Restoration** is a 1995 period drama film directed by Michael Hoffman, based on the 1990 novel *Restoration* by Rose Tremain, in which a young physician rises into the favor of King Charles II and falls out of it again. It stars [Robert Downey Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-downey-jr) as Robert Merivel, with [Sam Neill](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-neill), Meg Ryan, David Thewlis, Polly Walker, Ian McKellen, and [Hugh Grant](https://www.edgepedia.org/hugh-grant) in supporting roles, and it won the 1996 Academy Awards for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration and Best Costume Design.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60069-RESTORATION) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/fullcredits/) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/awards/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writer | Michael Hoffman; screenplay by Rupert Walters from Rose Tremain's 1990 novel[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60069-RESTORATION) |
| Lead cast | Robert Downey Jr. (Merivel), Sam Neill (King Charles II), David Thewlis (John Pearce), Polly Walker (Celia), Meg Ryan (Katharine)[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/fullcredits/) |
| Release | United States theatrical release December 29, 1995, distributed by Miramax Films[4](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Restoration) |
| Runtime / rating | 113 minutes (some listings give 117); rated R[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60069-RESTORATION) • [5](https://www.blu-ray.com/Restoration/200559/) |
| Box office | $4,100,000 domestic against an $18,000,000 production budget[4](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Restoration) |
| Awards | 1996 Academy Awards for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Eugenio Zanetti) and Best Costume Design (James Acheson); nominated for the Golden Berlin Bear at Berlin[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/awards/) |
| Critical reception | Metascore 66 from 16 reviews (12 positive, 4 mixed); 71% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer from 35 reviews[6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/restoration/critic-reviews/) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1069339-restoration) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The film is set in 17th-century England during the reign of Charles II, the period after the monarchy was restored following the austere republican years of [Oliver Cromwell](https://www.edgepedia.org/oliver-cromwell).[8](https://www.scmp.com/article/311747/royal-romp) Robert Merivel, an aspiring physician, abandons his medical studies to accept the post of royal physician at the court of King Charles II (Sam Neill) after saving the life of someone close to the king.[9](https://cinema.com/film/1835/restoration/synopsis.phtml) • [10](https://www.miramax.com/movie/Restoration/)
To keep one of his mistresses, Celia ([Polly Walker](https://www.edgepedia.org/polly-walker)), at arm's length, the king orders Merivel to marry her on the condition that the two never become intimate.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1069339-restoration) Merivel agrees but cannot resist Celia, and when the king learns of it he strips Merivel of his position and wealth.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1069339-restoration) • [11](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/restoration) Destitute, Merivel devotes himself to helping Londoners suffering from the plague and falls in love with an equally poor woman, Katharine ([Meg Ryan](https://www.edgepedia.org/meg-ryan)).[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1069339-restoration) Through exile, travel, and a reunion with his old friend John Pearce ([David Thewlis](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-thewlis)), a Quaker, he rediscovers what it means to be a physician.[11](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/restoration) • [12](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/restoration-1996)
## Production
The film was produced by Cary Brokaw, Andy Paterson, and Sarah Ryan Black through Segue Productions, Avenue Pictures, and the Oxford Film Company, with Miramax Films as distributor.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60069-RESTORATION) Oliver Stapleton was the cinematographer, Garth Craven the editor, Eugenio Zanetti the production designer, James Acheson the costume designer, and [James Newton Howard](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-newton-howard) the composer.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60069-RESTORATION) Filming took place in the United Kingdom, in Wales.[13](https://www.crew-united.com/en/Restoration__250553.html) The production used [Shepperton Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/shepperton-studios), with digital film effects by Cinesite (Hollywood) and matte paintings by Westbury Design.[14](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/companycredits/)
The supporting cast includes [Ian McKellen](https://www.edgepedia.org/ian-mckellen) as Will Gates, Hugh Grant as Elias Finn, and [Ian McDiarmid](https://www.edgepedia.org/ian-mcdiarmid) as Ambrose.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/fullcredits/) Roger Ebert, the [Pulitzer Prize](https://www.edgepedia.org/pulitzer-prize)-winning film critic of the *Chicago Sun-Times*, noted that the film re-creates its period London, from the excess of the royal court to plague-ridden streets and the Great Fire, on a budget of about $18 million without apparent corner-cutting, crediting Zanetti and Acheson.[12](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/restoration-1996)
## Release and reception
The film opened in Los Angeles and New York the week of December 29, 1995.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60069-RESTORATION) Its domestic gross of $4.1 million came in far below its $18 million production budget; it opened in 5 theaters, expanded to a maximum of 457, and averaged a 3.0-week run per theater.[4](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Restoration)
Critical response was generally favorable. On Metacritic the film scored 66 from 16 critics, with 12 positive and 4 mixed reviews and none negative.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/restoration/critic-reviews/) Ebert gave it the review section's highest score among the collected critics, praising its depiction of "a bold and colorful era in history."[6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/restoration/critic-reviews/) Recurring criticisms concerned the episodic narrative: the *Washington Post*'s Rita Kempley called Rupert Walters's episodic script "decidedly corny" while crediting the film's re-creation of plague-ridden London, and the *Tampa Bay Times* suggested the film should have been longer yet was relieved that it was not.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/restoration/critic-reviews/) Rotten Tomatoes recorded 71% from 35 reviews, with a critics consensus describing an "engaging period yarn" carried by its ensemble cast.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1069339-restoration)
## Awards
At the 1996 Academy Awards the film won Best Art Direction-Set Decoration for Eugenio Zanetti and Best Costume Design for James Acheson.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/awards/) • [10](https://www.miramax.com/movie/Restoration/) It was also nominated for the Golden Berlin Bear at the [Berlin International Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/berlin-international-film-festival), and Acheson's costumes received a BAFTA nomination.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/awards/)
## References
1. [Restoration (1995), AFI Catalog of Feature Films](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60069-RESTORATION)
2. [Restoration (1995) - Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/fullcredits/)
3. [Restoration (1995) - Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/awards/)
4. [Restoration (1995) - Box Office and Financial Information, The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Restoration)
5. [Restoration (1995), Blu-ray.com](https://www.blu-ray.com/Restoration/200559/)
6. [Restoration critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/restoration/critic-reviews/)
7. [Restoration, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1069339-restoration)
8. [Royal romp, South China Morning Post](https://www.scmp.com/article/311747/royal-romp)
9. [Restoration (1995) - Synopsis, Cinema.com](https://cinema.com/film/1835/restoration/synopsis.phtml)
10. [Restoration - Official Site, Miramax](https://www.miramax.com/movie/Restoration/)
11. [Restoration - movie: where to watch streaming online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/restoration)
12. [Restoration movie review & film summary, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/restoration-1996)
13. [Restoration, Crew United](https://www.crew-united.com/en/Restoration__250553.html)
14. [Restoration (1995) - Company credits, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114272/companycredits/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Drama and biographical films (individual works) › Drama films 1990s › Drama films late 1990s › Released 1995 to 1998*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license