The Critic

Directed by Anand Tucker, The Critic follows 1930s theater reviewer Jimmy Erksine (Ian McKellen) as he finds himself drawn into a scheme that eventually includes blackmail and murder. There’s ultimately little doubt that The Critic improves substantially as it progresses, as the movie suffers from a surprisingly tedious opening stretch that’s almost entirely lacking in compelling, attention-grabbing attributes – with the arms-length vibe exacerbated by an almost frenetic narrative (ie there are too many characters of which to keep track) and Tucker’s dimly-lit and egregiously slick visual sensibilities. It’s clear, then, that The Critic’s mild success is due entirely to a comparatively streamlined second half, with the picture’s turnabout triggered by a terrific scene wherein McKellen’s character approaches Gemma Arterton’s Nina Land with a rather sordid offer. From there, The Critic progresses into a third act that contains some admittedly unexpected twists and an almost shockingly grim finale – which, when coupled with a predictably engrossing McKellen performance, ultimately does confirm the film’s place as an erratic yet satisfying piece of work.

**1/2 out of ****