Parents' Guide to The Critic

Movie R 2024 95 minutes
The Critic poster: Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, and Lesley Manville in 1930s dress

Common Sense Media Review

Kat Halstead By Kat Halstead , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Mature themes and strong language in British crime drama.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

  • The Critic Trailer
  • The Critic: Ian McKellen and Gemma Arterton stand on a street, linking arms and looking at something out of shot
  • The Critic: Ian McKellen and Alfred Enoch wear dinner jackets and bow ties in the audience of a theater
  • The Critic: A close-up of Gemma Arterton's head and shoulders in soft lighting, a lamp and curtain behind her

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 1 parent review

 

 

See all 1 parent review
 

 

What's the Story?

In THE CRITIC, Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellen) is a powerful theater critic living in 1930s London. He's known for his harsh takedowns of productions and actors, particularly Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), whose performances he consistently scathes. But when his boss dies and his job is put in jeopardy, he must enlist Nina in a manipulative blackmail plot that will have tragic consequences for everyone involved.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

McKellen elevates this dark crime thriller, fully embodying his despicable character with a relish that makes it a true pleasure to watch. It's this performance at the center of The Critic that adds weight to a story that risks skirting across the surface in other areas. Arterton is both graceful and vulnerable as struggling actress Nina, and Alfred Enoch's Tom also offers a likable moral compass at the core. One of the most impressive aspects is the cinematography, the settings lit up like scenes on Broadway, even outside of the imposing stages. What's lacking at times is depth, the real exploration of what's happening beneath the obvious, and this leaves the story lacking impact at times. That said, it's a strong period drama with deliciously dark moments and some enjoyable one-liners.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how homosexuality was portrayed in The Critic. How did the era and the laws at the time affect how gay men were perceived? Do you think it was important to have a gay actor play the central role?

  • How was drinking and smoking depicted in the film? Were they glamorized? How has our behavior when it comes to drinking and smoking changed from when the movie was set and filmed?

  • Discuss the strong language used in the movie. Did it feel appropriate for the type of movie it was? What did it contribute to the movie?

  • The movie is adapted from a book called Curtain Call by Anthony Quinn, himself a well-known London theater critic. Do you think his writing from experience helped set a more realistic scene and tone for the story, even though the events themselves are fictional?

Movie Details

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The Critic poster: Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, and Lesley Manville in 1930s dress

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