Short Cuts 1993

Vincent Canby, New York Times: The lives are often desperate and the characters inarticulate, but the group portrait is as grandly, sometimes as hilariously, realized as anything the director has ever done. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: Inevitably it's a mixed bag, though the film's assurance in keeping it all coherent is at times exhilarating. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: It's a genuine pleasure to find a movie with such a deep and intelligent portrayal of simple human lives, with all their minor triumphs and tragedies. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The movie is based on short stories by Raymond Carver, but this is Altman's work, not Carver's, and all the film really has in common with its source is a feeling for people who are disconnected. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: From the exhilarating opening, you know Altman's epic 'adaptation' of eight stories and a poem by Raymond Carver is going to be special. Read more

Variety: Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: As the grand ringmaster, it's here that Altman passes the baton to his actors , whose behavioral insights are critical to the film's success. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: Altman, who has made a career of pulling the critics and cineastes his way, demonstrates that artistic sleight of hand once again. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: A cynical, sexist and shallow work from cinema's premier misanthrope, Robert Altman, who here shows neither compassion for -- nor insight into -- the human condition. Read more