The Critic (2023 film)

Last updated

The Critic
The-critic-international-movie-poster-md.jpg
Poster
Directed by Anand Tucker
Screenplay by Patrick Marber
Based onCurtain Call
by Anthony Quinn
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDavid Higgs
Edited byBeverley Mills
Music by Craig Armstrong
Production
companies
  • BKStudios
  • Fearless Minds
  • Seven Stories
Release date
  • 7 September 2023 (2023-09-07)(TIFF)
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Critic is a 2023 British period thriller film directed by Anand Tucker and written by Patrick Marber, based on the 2015 novel Curtain Call by Anthony Quinn.

Contents

It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 7 September 2023. [1]

Premise

In 1934 London, an actress finds herself in a dark situation involving a theatre critic and his paper's editor.

Cast

Production

It was announced in November 2020 that Colin Firth, Gemma Arterton, Simon Russell Beale and Paapa Essiedu were set to star in the film, at the time titled Curtain Call like the source novel, with Anand Tucker directing and Patrick Marber writing the screenplay. [2] By February 2021, filming was expected to begin later that year. [3]

In June 2022, the film was retitled The Critic, with Firth, Beale and Essiedu no longer involved. Ian McKellen, Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, Romola Garai, Ben Barnes and Alfred Enoch were announced to be joining Arterton, and production began in London. [4]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 47% of 17 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.1/10. [5] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 53 out of 100, based on eight critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romola Garai</span> British actress (born 1982)

Romola Sadie Garai is a British actress and film director. Known for her extensive work on stage and screen, she often acts in period films. Her early film roles include Nicholas Nickleby (2002), I Capture the Castle (2003), Inside I'm Dancing (2004), and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004). She has gained prominence for her performances in the critically acclaimed costume dramas such as Vanity Fair (2004), As You Like It (2006), Amazing Grace (2007), Atonement (2007), Glorious 39 (2009), and Suffragette (2015).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesley Manville</span> British actress (born 1956)

Lesley Ann Manville is an English actress known for her frequent collaborations with Mike Leigh, appearing in the films Grown-Ups (1980), High Hopes (1988), Secrets & Lies (1996), Topsy-Turvy (1999), All or Nothing (2002), Vera Drake (2004), Another Year (2010), and Mr. Turner (2014). She has been nominated for two British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her roles in Another Year (2010) and Phantom Thread (2017), with her performance in the latter earning her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

The National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble is an annual film award given by the National Board of Review.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director</span> Award

The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director is an award given by the New York Film Critics Circle, honoring the finest achievements in filmmaking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemma Arterton</span> British actress (born 1986)

Gemma Christina Arterton is an English actress. After her stage debut in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost at the Globe Theatre (2007), Arterton made her feature film debut in the comedy St Trinian's (2007). She portrayed Bond Girl Strawberry Fields in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace (2008), a performance which won her an Empire Award for Best Newcomer, and spy Pollyana "Polly" Wilkins / Agent Galahad in the action war film The King's Man (2021).

The 31st London Film Critics Circle Awards, honouring the best in film for 2010, were announced by the London Film Critics Circle on 11 February 2011.

The 45th National Society of Film Critics Awards, given on 8 January 2011, honored the best in film for 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gala Gordon</span> English producer (born 1991)

Gala Gordon is an English producer and actress.

<i>Vita & Virginia</i> 2018 film by Chanya Button

Vita & Virginia is a 2018 biographical romantic drama film directed by Chanya Button. The screenplay, written by Button and Eileen Atkins, is adapted from the 1992 play Vita & Virginia by Atkins. The film stars Gemma Arterton, Elizabeth Debicki, and Isabella Rossellini. Set in the 1920s, Vita & Virginia tells the story of the love affair between Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf.

<i>Murder Mystery</i> (film) 2019 film by Kyle Newachec

Murder Mystery is a 2019 American comedy mystery film directed by Kyle Newacheck and written by James Vanderbilt. The film stars Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, and Luke Evans, and follows a married couple who are caught up in a murder investigation on a billionaire's yacht. It was released on June 14, 2019, by Netflix. It received mixed reviews from critics. A sequel was released by Netflix on March 31, 2023.

<i>The Secret Garden</i> (2020 film) 2020 British fantasy film directed by Marc Munden

The Secret Garden is a 2020 British fantasy drama film based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the fourth film adaptation of the novel. Directed by Marc Munden and produced by David Heyman, it stars Dixie Egerickx, Colin Firth and Julie Walters. Set in 1947 England, the plot follows a young orphan who is sent to live with her uncle, only to discover a magical garden at his estate.

<i>Operation Mincemeat</i> (film) 2021 film by John Madden

Operation Mincemeat is a 2021 British war drama film directed by John Madden. It is based upon Ben Macintyre's book on the British Operation Mincemeat during the Second World War. The film stars Colin Firth, Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen, Penelope Wilton, Johnny Flynn and Jason Isaacs. This was Paul Ritter's final film appearance, and was dedicated to his memory.

<i>Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris</i> 2022 film by Anthony Fabian

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a 2022 historical comedy drama film directed and produced by Anthony Fabian, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Carroll Cartwright, Keith Thompson, and Olivia Hetreed. It is the third film adaptation of the 1958 novel Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico. The film stars Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson, Alba Baptista, Lucas Bravo, Ellen Thomas, Rose Williams, and Jason Isaacs. The film enjoyed strong box office success in the United States arthouse circuit. Manville received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for her performance. The film also won a British Independent Film Award (BIFA) and received a nomination for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design.

<i>Empire of Light</i> 2022 American drama film by Sam Mendes

Empire of Light is a 2022 British romantic drama film directed, written, and co-produced by Sam Mendes. Set in an English coastal town in the early 1980s, the film is about the power of human connection during turbulent times. It stars Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Monica Dolan, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Toby Jones, and Colin Firth.

<i>Dalíland</i> 2022 American film

Dalíland is a 2022 American biographical film directed by Mary Harron. It is based on the true story of surrealist painter Salvador Dalí and his tempestuous marriage to muse and wife Gala during the 1970s. The film stars Ben Kingsley, Barbara Sukowa, Christopher Briney, Rupert Graves, Alexander Beyer, Andreja Pejić, Suki Waterhouse, and Ezra Miller.

<i>Rogue Agent</i> (film) 2022 British film by Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn

Rogue Agent is a 2022 British biographical mystery drama thriller film directed by Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn in their feature length debut, from a screenplay the pair co-wrote with Michael Bronner based on the unpublished article "Chasing Agent Freegard" by Michael Bronner. James Norton portrays Robert Hendy-Freegard, a conman who tricked and convinced several people that he was an MI5 agent. Gemma Arterton also stars as the person who brought him down, with additional cast members including Shazad Latif, Marisa Abela, Edwina Findley and Julian Barratt.

Becoming Elizabeth is a historical drama television series, created by Anya Reiss, that follows the younger years of Queen Elizabeth I. It premiered on Starz on 12 June 2022 and Channel 4 on 15 June. In October 2022, the series was cancelled.

Dangerous Liaisons is an American period drama television series, based upon the novel of the same name by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. It premiered on Starz on November 6, 2022. Ahead of its premiere, the series was renewed for a second season. In December 2022, the series was canceled, reversing the early renewal. It was also reported that the executive producers were shopping the series elsewhere.

Disclaimer is an upcoming psychological thriller television miniseries written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Renée Knight.

References

  1. D'Alessandro, Anthony (24 July 2023). "TIFF Lineup Unveiled Amid Strikes: Awards Contenders Dumb Money, The Holdovers, Rustin; Starry Pics For Sale With Scarlett Johansson, Kate Winslet, Michael Keaton, Viggo Mortensen & More" . Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  2. Kroll, Justin (13 November 2020). "Colin Firth And Gemma Arterton To Star in Curtain Call". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  3. Wiseman, Andreas (22 February 2021). "Curtain Call: Colin Firth-Gemma Arterton Drama Pre-Sells To Germany, Italy, Lat Am, More". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  4. Grobar, Matt (27 June 2022). "Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, Ben Barnes & More To Star In Period Thriller The Critic". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  5. "The Critic". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  6. "The Critic". Metacritic . Retrieved 29 September 2023.