Arthur Newman 2012

Stephen Holden, New York Times: The film equivalent of a dysfunctional computer sloppily assembled from discarded parts of other machines. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: The resolution for both characters, in a finale that turns disappointingly conventional, is so sad that it left me depressed beyond hope. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: It's almost its own genre in indie films: Boring middle-aged man tired of his existence meets up with free-spirited but troubled younger woman. Romance and newfound meaning ensue. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: How can two performers as charming as Colin Firth and Emily Blunt make a movie with so little charm? Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: Director Dante Ariola and writer Becky Johnston have such a strong idea at the core of Arthur Newman that it's all the more frustrating when they follow it down the most familiar path. Read more

Peter Keough, Boston Globe: "He was kind of boring," Kevin says to Mina about his dad. "I mean, the lectures." And boring he remains. Read more

Drew Hunt, Chicago Reader: For the most part, the film is very basic, a simple drama about the dangers of avoiding responsibility, but there are occasional flairs of eccentricity. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: The script of "Arthur Newman," written two decades ago by Becky Johnston, cries out for deadpan anonymity, not the charismatic likes of these two. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: They embark on one of those maundering, life-lessony odysseys that filmmakers love but audiences rarely do. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: The promise it begins with doesn't pay off. And while "Arthur Newman" is not a complete disaster, it does leave you wishing the romance and the ride had been a whole lot smoother. Read more

Mark Jenkins, NPR: Arthur Newman fails to finesse an essential problem: how to make a boring man interesting. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: One of those many indies that exist to give actors a chance to go slumming. Read more

Richard Roeper, Richard Roeper.com: An offbeat, sometimes self-congratulatory road movie romance. Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: You'll soon wish the film were about someone a bit more exciting ... Read more

Marsha McCreadie, Village Voice: Fun for a bit, things soon turns silly ... Read more

Jen Chaney, Washington Post: Well-acted but ultimately unmemorable ... Read more