Brief Encounter

Play trailer

Brief Encounter

1946

1h 26m

Romance

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

48 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Returning home from a shopping trip to a nearby town, bored suburban housewife Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) is thrown by happenstance into an acquaintance with virtuous doctor Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard). Their casual friendship soon develops during their weekly visits into something more emotionally fulfilling than either expected, and they must wrestle with the potential havoc their deepening relationship would have on their lives and the lives of those they love.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Brief Encounter adds a small but valuable gem to the Lean filmography, depicting a doomed couple's illicit connection with affecting sensitivity and a pair of powerful performance.

Read Critics Reviews

Zadie Smith

Daily Telegraph (UK)

01/17/2018

Lean's sad, buttoned-up account of unconsummated love is about all of us and our cautious natures.

Go to Full Review

Sophie Monks Kaufman

Little White Lies

11/09/2015

5/5

Romance and goodness are evoked with equal power and from these conflicting impulses, voluptuous demons spring eternal.

Go to Full Review

Kate Muir

The Times (UK)

11/05/2015

5/5

One of cinema's classic love stories.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 24

4/4

A high point of UK cinema.

Go to Full Review

Daniel Barnes

Dare Daniel

Mar 17

4.5/5

A finely detailed, almost dream-like tragic romance that lives on the face of star Celia Johnson.

Go to Full Review

Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

04/19/2025

By the time Alec and Laura bid their understated farewells, you’ll probably have something in your eye yourself.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Stephanie

02/09/2023

Brief Encounter was excellent. The cinematic elements of the film deserved an Oscar!

See more

G L.

@RT09869090 Jun 22

Two strangers fall in love during their brief, emotional affair but they never cross the line.

See more

Mike N.

@artcarney55 Apr 6

Excellent film. Wonderful script and performances. Film still hold up. Very moving

See more

Russ G

@RT78760655 Feb 3

I tried to get into this slow-moving melodrama but the atmospherics alone weren't enough to hold my attention; I bailed on it after about half an hour.

See more

Ed .

@RT01276001 Aug 29

Miss Mackay would NOT approve. aka Don't wanna be all by myself It's rare for a motion picture to have as its protagonist someone who would be viewed with both disdain and compassion. It's rarer for such a film to do so in the most tasteful way. This is a testament to the writing and directing skills of a Coward and a Lean, mean directing machine. A must viewing for all affair partners!

See more

Will G

@Wgoodeve 06/21/2025

A great noir film. A good example of Golden Age cinema. This is a classic Hollywood film. There are British people in this movie. Also there is a lot of romance. I enjoyed the scenes on trains.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

David Lean

Director

Celia Johnson

Laura Jesson

Trevor Howard

Dr Alec Harvey

Stanley Holloway

Albert Godby

Cyril Raymond

Fred Jesson

Joyce Carey

Myrtle Bagot

The Red Shoes

98%

91%

The Red Shoes

Watchlist

Little Women

75%

82%

Little Women

Watchlist

Voyage to Italy

96%

74%

Voyage to Italy

Watchlist

Marty

96%

87%

Marty

Watchlist

Champion

94%

73%

Champion

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

On DVD This Week: Ride Along 2, Krampus, Son of Saul, and More

View more photos

Synopsis

Returning home from a shopping trip to a nearby town, bored suburban housewife Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) is thrown by happenstance into an acquaintance with virtuous doctor Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard). Their casual friendship soon develops during their weekly visits into something more emotionally fulfilling than either expected, and they must wrestle with the potential havoc their deepening relationship would have on their lives and the lives of those they love.

Director: David Lean
Producer: Noël Coward, Anthony Havelock-Allan, Ronald Neame
Screenwriter: Noël Coward, Anthony Havelock-Allan, David Lean, Ronald Neame
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Company, Paramount Pictures, Criterion Collection, Universal Pictures
Production Co: G.C.F., The Rank Organization [gb], Cineguild
Genre: Romance, Drama
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 24, 1946, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 18, 2016
Runtime: 1h 26m
Sound Mix: Mono