The Critic

I loved this film, the media technique and the production process was amazing. From the crew to the cast members it was smooth. Personally, I think the film depicted the time period well from the clothing, the actions of the people and how the lgbtq community was treated in 1934. Overall, it was an excellent film and all the actors who were involved should be proud of what they did - and the crew members who filmed, directed, edited and everything should also be proud for helping to make this film. Why only 8/10 if I loved it so much. I'm summary, despite loving the film, it's not my favourite film but I would re watch it.

Giving this an 7/10 rating Ian Mckellen is very evil in this fine British post second world war drama set in London theatre land and newspapers. He laps up every moment of his very craft and and despicable critic who just loves his power and what it gives him, until it goes away. What follows is the great length he goes to get it back and revenge, with horrid consequences to the rest of the cast in this tale of corruption and lack of moral fibre. And it's all rather well done, the cast of Gemma Arterton, Mark Stong, Ben Barnes, Lesley Manville and Alfred Enoch, they all shine, and suffer at the hands of Ian's character. Great to look at, and it zips along at a good pace, it does the job. Very fine work from director Anand Tucker and a sharp script from Patrick Marber and Anthony Quinn, its a fine bit of film.

POSITIVES: 1) The performances are excellent, especially the central three. McKellen is deliciously wicked, whilst Arteton and Strong show great emotion and vulnerability 2) The film is short and sweet and doesn't feel like it overstays its welcome or pads itself out unnecessarily. I respected it for this 3) I was certainly engaged with the plot throughout. I was open mouthed and squirming in my seat during the various twists and turns and I never felt bored or disengaged by the film NEGATIVES: 1) It's obviously a British film and set in a very specific time period, but I just found the film to be too antiquated and quaint for my liking 2) Whilst I was engaged in the film, it is undeniable that most of the twists and turns of the film are completely ridiculous. The amount of suspension of disbelief that is required is enormous. Mark Strong is Ben Barnes' father in law and they're both cheating on their respective wives with the same woman at the same time - oh come on 3) The film's attitude towards certain things just made me feel uncomfortable. I get that Jimmy is supposed to be a cruel character, but forcing Nina Land into prostitution and then killing her just seemed a bit far and like something too dark for this film. Also, the film's entire attitude towards Nina Land is purely based on her image. She is a piece of meat whose only usefulness is based on how she is viewed through the eyes of men, which I didn't like. Also, there are a couple of changes in her character that happen instantaneously out of absolute nowhere? She goes from being considered terrible as an actress to considered amazing in the click of a finger, then goes from not being interested in Ben Barnes' character to being back in love with him again in the click of a finger too?

I found this film immensely enjoyable, thanks to its fantastic performances, emotionally charged story, and the way it explores themes of theater, acting, honesty, and deceit. The film brilliantly portrays its complex characters, making the storyline both unsettling and deeply satisfying. The cinematography was beautiful and meticulously stylized, enhancing the overall experience, while the music perfectly complemented the tone of the piece. It offers a fascinating glimpse into a world, and into the life of a man who seems to defy judgment - though, undoubtedly, viewers will form their own opinions of him. The exploration of homosexuality adds another layer of depth and interest, offering a thoughtful portrayal of what it was like to live that reality during the time.

My Review- The Critic In Cinemas from October 3 My Rating 10/10 I attended a preview of The Critic with only a hint about the delicious devilish plot from the trailer which reveals no spoilers as my review also wont . Any cast that includes that stately homo of British theatre Sir Ian McKellen plus Gemma Arterton, Lesley Manville , Romola Garai, Ben Barnes and Mark Strong is reason enough to catch my interest. If you love the theatre, great acting and a totally absorbing plot that keeps you in suspense then I'm sure you'll love The Critic. It's a Faustian tale where every character is corrupted in one way or another either from selfishness or ill advised emotional entanglements. The movie is beautifully set in London its 1937 when gay men were still cruelly hunted by Police then tried and imprisoned if caught with their reputations ruined for life just as Jimmy's Erskine's hero Oscar Wilde was in 1895. Ian McKellen gives one of his finest performances in my opinion as Jimmy Erskine a venomous old theatrical Queen who is the head Drama Critic for The London Chronicle with the power of his pen to ruin careers and box office success. His nocturnal sexual proclivities and acid tongue get him sacked from the Chronicle by the son of the man who employed him years ago . David Brooke played by Mark Strong has taken over the paper after his father's death asking the critic to tone down his venomous comments especially in regard to a particular popular young actress who he admires called Nina Land . Nina Land confronts Jimmy to find out why he is using his following to damage her career? Nina beautifully played by Gemma Arterton asks for fairness as his constant nasty criticism is eroding her confidence on stage. When Jimmy the Critic is caught up in scandal after he has written yet another vile spiteful appraisal of stage actress Nina Land's latest performance his boss David Brooke seizes the opportunity to sack the venomous critic. The self seeking venomous Critic Jimmy Erskine sees an opportunity to retain his position at The Chronicle and devises a plan that involves the actress Nina Land who reluctantly agrees thereby becoming his accomplice in blackmailing his boss in an attempt to regain his position back at The Chronicle . In return for her part in his plan Jimmy Erskine promises Nina glowing notices from now on and all the adulation she can dream of . Nina like Marguerite in Faust has sold her soul to the Devil and her actions have dire consequences for all concerned. I don't often give movies a perfect score but I couldn't find fault with the script by Patrick Marber based on a novel by Anthony Quinn titled Curtain Call . Patrick Marber also wrote the wonderful Notes on a Scandal in 2006 and Closer in 2004 two movies I also love. The Director of The Critic Anand Tucker a BAFTA winner for Girl with a Pearl Earring 2003 has skilfully directed a dream cast. I often comment that a dream cast is no guarantee of a great movie unless all the other ingredients are in place as for me they are in The Critic. I must mention the wonderful supporting cast including Lesley Manville as Annabell Land the mother of Nina what a lovely gentle performance and Romola Garai as Cora the haughty daughter of the proprietor of The Chronicle and icy wife of artist Stephen Wiley played by handsome Ben Barnes. Alfred Enoch is also excellent as Tom Turner who plays The Critic's loyal secretary and confidant. All these characters are interesting and linked to each other emotionally like a cast of puppets with the puppet master Jimmy Erskine pulling their strings I really enjoyed this movie and thoroughly recommend it.

So, having heard little about this film & looking for something to do on a boring Monday evening, I went to see this & found the plot to be dripping with a hint of excitement! A powerful London theater critic blackmails an actor which ends up having deadly consequences! I found the film to be pretty good! It's a little confusing & could've done with a more concise narrative, but it was pretty decent & you got the gist of it after about 20 minutes! Ian & Gemma play good roles here & do good jobs just like the other actors in this flick! The films pacing is good along with its 1 hour & 34 minutes runtime (94 minutes), so it's decently paced & lengthed! There's some eye candy, action & even some humour to be had here along with the convincing period setting which works well! The ending is as decent as it could be & the story is unique & has some twists that are interesting! Overall, it's a pretty decent period drama! It's not amazing, but it's pretty good all the same & worth a watch! 7/10.

Set in 1930's London, this is more of a vignette than anything . The settings are all kept to period, but cliche pervades and London is often foggy. Because of the story, everything is gloomy too. The story references, a little, the politics of the time, and can be seen referring to well known British newspaper magnates. So, the challenge, when you have well known actors who "act", is that any film they're in, in my view, looses a degree of authenticity and believability. I think this film suffers from that. The main actors (Arterton, Mckellen) and the rest of the ensemble do a decent job, and the writing is of better quality than normal. However, I kept thinking that this is a stage play that doesn't translate well to film. I think the target viewer demographic are the sort of people who like to see serious stuff in the theatre, so this isn't one I would recommend, unless you like vaguely depressing, serious, cinema/theatre.

Between the wars, Jimmy Erskine has been the theatre critic of a national newspaper, noted for his acidic reviews, the worst of which seem to be reserved for young actress Nina Land. Nina confronts him to ask how she can avoid his savager. Erskine is a homosexual with a taste for rough trade at a time when homosexuality was a criminal offence, and is about to get fired over the morality clause in his contract. Unless, that is, he can obtain some trade-off material on his boss. His boss is very upright, but does have a bit of a thing for Nina. Perhaps Billy and Nina can do each other favours... The trailer for this film gives the impression that it is a drama laced with dark humour. But there is little humour here, and it gets very dark before it ends. It's a good film, though, with a little bit too much coincidence in the characters' relationships (or, perhaps, too many minor subplots which don't really play into the main narrative. The cast are all classy, and all are on top of their game, but this is Ian McKellen's film. Jimmy Erskine is as slimy a creature as you'll see in a film this year, or any year. The smug, self-righteous self-interest is overpowering. Is this truly the same man who played Gandalf?

It's a period theater drama set in London, England, in 1934. Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellen) is the elderly, acerbic drama critic for "The Chronicle," a national tabloid run by Viscount David Brooke (Mark Strong), the son of the recently deceased owner. Erskine has been writing devastating reviews about 30-something Nina Land's (Gemma Arterton) performances for 10 years. Nina has been the mistress of Ben Wyley (Ben Barnes), an artist doing a painting of 12 of the "Chronicles" stalwarts. Other crucial performances come from Erskine's secretary, Tom (Alfred Enoch), and Ben's wife, Cora (Romola Garai). Brooke fires Erskine after learning of Erskine's homosexuality. Erskine seeks revenge by manipulating Nina with unforeseen and tragic consequences because Erskine doesn't know about critical relationships. What becomes of Erskine after it all? "The Critic" is nicely done. Ian McKellen is blustery, unethical, manipulative, and a joy to listen to. Mark Strong is a plummy, arrogant newspaper publisher. Gemma Arterton is trying to follow her dream. The secondary characters behave appropriately. It all depends on McKellen, and I'm glad the film ends as it does. "The Critic" is a little slow at points, which drops it a point.

"The Critic" delivers a powerful message about those who oppose negative thoughts and how far they will go to protect their public image. Ian McKellen, along with a stellar cast, delivers one of his most powerful performances, showing that even at his age, he's still got it. A breathtaking piece of filmmaking. Mark Strong is astonishing. The movie reflects strongly on today's world, where personal opinions are often disregarded, leading to various setbacks in life. It also explores the lengths people will go to in order to get what they want and maintain the spotlight on themselves. The film has a huge impact on its viewers and delivers a powerful and important message.