The Critic

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The Critic

R

2024

1h 34m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

51%

Tomatometer

94 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Academy Award Nominee Sir Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings, The Good Liar) stars as a powerful London theater critic who lures a struggling actress into a blackmail scheme with deadly consequences. A suspenseful thriller co-starring Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace), Mark Strong (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Lesley Manville (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris).

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Critics Consensus

Everyone's a critic, and Ian McKellen is better than most at playing one, but even his character would give this rote melodrama a so-so review.

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Joe Leydon

Variety

Jan 14, 2025

Ian McKellen balances desperation and laughs in this splendid mix of bitchy mirth and melodrama.

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Stephen Romei

The Australian

Oct 8, 2024

3/5

It’s entertaining throughout, especially for McKellen’s acerbic performance, even if it becomes a tad over-theatrical towards the end.

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Jake Wilson

The Age (Australia)

Oct 3, 2024

2.5/5

The Critic never quite comes together: there’s something wonky about the structure, as if Marber had given up halfway on the challenge of reshaping his source material, Anthony Quinn’s 2015 novel Curtain Call.

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Monita Roy Mohan

Women Write About Comics

Aug 20, 2025

The Critic is too much, and yet it says so little. This cast of actors deserves so much more as do this setting and these characters. There’s an art to making adaptations, and The Critic proves that it’s tough to get it right.

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Jorge Ignacio Castillo

The Canadian Crew

Feb 15, 2025

3/5

Outside McKellen and Mark Strong's performances, the writing is also worth your attention...As thinking movies go, this one is serviceable, if not memorable.

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Patrick Cremona

Radio Times

Jan 30, 2025

3/5

Still, it's a joy to see one of our finest actors sink his teeth into a meaty role.

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fran k

Sep 21, 2024

Incredible performance by Ian Mckellan playing a totally despicable character. Engrossing.

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Denise T

Sep 20, 2024

Ian McKellan is simply sinister in this film. Storyline fails a bit but the acting is good.

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Milo W

Sep 18, 2024

Smart, classy thriller. Strong performances. McKellen was excellent. Highly recommended.

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Bernard S

Sep 17, 2024

Liked actors and story

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Sue

Sep 16, 2024

Wonderful acting, every actor involved is excellent, interesting story line, amazing sets

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Flicka

Sep 15, 2024

As expected, Mr. McKellen was fantastic and the best part of this movie. There were heartbreaking scenes and pieces that make you think, but doesn't need to be seen in theatres. Not the best movie in the world, but worth watching once for a lesson in excellent acting. The direction was a bit distracting with so much focus on eyelashes instead of full faces, but maybe that is just my personal preference.

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Anand Tucker

Director

Ian McKellen

Jimmy Erskine

Gemma Arterton

Nina Land

Mark Strong

David Brooke

Lesley Manville

Annabel Land

Ben Barnes

Stephen Wyley

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Synopsis

Academy Award Nominee Sir Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings, The Good Liar) stars as a powerful London theater critic who lures a struggling actress into a blackmail scheme with deadly consequences. A suspenseful thriller co-starring Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace), Mark Strong (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Lesley Manville (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris).

Director: Anand Tucker
Producer: David Gilbery, Bill Kenwright, Jolyon Symonds
Screenwriter: Patrick Marber
Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment
Production Co: Culmination Productions, BKStudios
Rating: R (Some Language|Sexual Content)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 13, 2024, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 29, 2024
Runtime: 1h 34m

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