Roger Dodger 2002

Critics score:
88 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: A LaBute movie turned inside out. Read more

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: The film's murky, jerky visuals may put some viewers off, but Kidd is clearly a writer and director to watch, and Scott is an actor to admire. Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: Doesn't really add up to much. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: Nice piece of work. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: A skillfully made but ultimately annoying drama. Read more

Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune: Revives the art of smart, scathing movie conversation as it skewers Manhattan's singles scene while providing a goodly number of laughs. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: An extremely promising first feature. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: Kidd has made the rare film that's more interesting and complex than it sounds, a feature that shares with its characters a willingness to take risks and ends up, like them, in places they never expected to be. Read more

Houston Chronicle: Read more

John Moore, Denver Post: An exciting debut from promising, and fairly disturbed, young director/screenwriter Dylan Kidd. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: Roger Dodger is a little too programmed in its despair, but it coasts along on the jagged music of the modern lothario's song. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: An unusually smartly written and performed American independent film. Read more

Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News: You won't like Roger, but you will quickly recognize him. And that's a big part of why we go to the movies. Read more

Ella Taylor, L.A. Weekly: [Kidd] can write dialogue, work skillfully with actors, and he has a pretty good handle on urban loneliness of the knowing, virulent New York City variety. Read more

Newsday: Read more

Peter Rainer, New York Magazine/Vulture: A fascinating, uneven first feature from the young writer-director Dylan Kidd. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: The terrific and bewilderingly underrated Campbell Scott gives a star performance that is nothing short of mesmerizing. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Aa delight for anyone who loves to absorb dialogue. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The film is not just a lot of one-liners but has a buried agenda, as the funny early dialogue slides down into confusion and sadness. Read more

Jeff Stark, Salon.com: There's a lot of tooth in Roger Dodger. But what's nice is that there's a casual intelligence that permeates the script. Read more

Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle: A clever, exceptionally well-written film. Read more

David Edelstein, Slate: Even at its grimmest, the movie hums along, thanks to the edgy, hand-held, on-the-fly cinematography and the snappy performances. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: Read more

Mike Clark, USA Today: Scott's low-key portrayal makes Roger interesting. Read more

Michael Atkinson, Village Voice: Roger Dodger avoids asking the thorny questions. As in, why is this insidious creep worth an entire movie? Read more