The Riot Club 2014

Kyle Smith, New York Post: Scherfig, who showed such subtlety in "An Education," this time proves embarrassingly vulgar, giving the film the unfortunate aura of an angry leaflet being handed out on a street corner by a wild-eyed protester. Read more

Peter Debruge, Variety: Brits might object to such an enraging portrayal, which veers between salacious and cynical, though Scherfig's unique perspective is just one more reason she was such a smart choice to handle this material. Read more

Mike D'Angelo, AV Club: An alleged cautionary tale that revels in bad behavior for nearly two hours before finally offering up a stern "tsk, tsk, tsk." Read more

Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly: For a movie about a bunch of debauched Oxford swells, The Riot Club is remarkably lacking in wit...and debauchery, for that matter. Read more

David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter: While the dark drama is never dull, its portrait of upper-crust entitlement run amok is seldom surprising either. Read more

Michael Rechtshaffen, Los Angeles Times: Although the performances are uniformly on point and the dialogue is tartly British, the film ultimately fails to earn its riotous stripes. Read more

Tomas Hachard, NPR: It's all quite superficial, but never less than gripping, and is aided by an ending that at least doesn't compromise too much-the movie finishes with a smirk more than a smile. Read more

Graham Fuller, New York Daily News: [An] engaging but malignant look at male privilege run amok. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: I was drained and quivering with fury and disgust. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: The Riot Club comes with the dubious ambition of instructing us as to the evil ways of spoiled British toffs, as if that were needed. Read more

Cath Clarke, Time Out: A darkly funny, colossally unflattering send-up of The Bullingdon Club. Read more

Jim Slotek, Toronto Sun: The Riot Club is, finally, a monster movie. Which I suppose is what some become who are too rich and powerful to be bothered with inhibitions or morality. Read more

Inkoo Kang, Village Voice: Scherfig's stagings of these suspenseful set pieces are masterful, but the rest of the thriller is a fairly predictable manifesto against Britain's de facto oligarchy. Read more