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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Kicking and Screaming

EMAILPRINTTrimark Pictures

Kicking and Screaming reviews
75
8.8 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 18 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 6 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Comedy  |  Drama

Written by: Noah Baumbach (also story)
Oliver Berkman (story)

Directed by: Noah Baumbach

Release Date:
Theatrical: October 6, 1995
DVD: August 22, 2006

Running Time: 96 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: R for strong language, and some sexuality

Starring Josh Hamilton, Eric Stoltz, Olivia d'Abo, Chris Eigeman, Parker Posey, Carlos Jacott, Cara Buono, and Jason Wiles

A group of four male friends seem to be going through mid-life crises in their post-college years as they approach adulthood kicking and screaming.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

There's plenty of wit on the surface, but the pain of paralysis comes through loud and clear.

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90

Newsweek David Ansen

A witty movie -- with a fine ear for the undertone of aimless chatter -- that never raises its voice to make hollow Gen-X proclamations.

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90

Time Richard Corliss

But the writer-director is canny enough to salt the stew with poignance, so that by the end these attitude machines have become human beings -- more than the sum of their chiseled jokes.

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88

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen

Like the stationary figures it portrays, Kicking And Screaming is alive at the edges; it comes with a vibrant border of trenchant asides, tossed-off remarks that blend the solace of protective irony with the sterner stuff of hard truth.

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83

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

The final affirmation of this romance is really an affirmation of Baumbach's talent: that a young filmmaker fixated on the solipsistic rituals of guyhood understands the hearts of women, too.

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80

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

Baumbach surely does make these characters, all of whom are impeccably acted, absolutely real, but at 25 he may be too close to the material to achieve the detachment from which irony and meaning flow.

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80

The New Yorker Bruce Diones

The picture has a lovely, understated autobiographical lilt.

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80

Washington Post Hal Hinson

As a writer, Baumbach loves smart, glib talk, and he has a sharp ear for fast-paced, overlapping dialogue; as a director, though, he prefers long takes that allow his characters to work out their feelings.

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75

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

Written and directed by newcomer Noah Baumbach with an excellent ear for absurdity and a keen eye for the offhand realities of everyday life in a den of unmitigated slack.

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75

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Kicking and Screaming doesn't have much of a plot, but of course it wouldn't; this is a movie about characters waiting for their plots to begin.

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75

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Scenes move from hurt to resigned laughter and ring poignantly true. The heroically unfashionable result is a minor but distinct pleasure.

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70

The New York Times Elvis Mitchell

The film succeeds in finding something sweetly romantic and visually fresh in Grover's flashback memories of Jane, along with allowing Grover plenty of room for wisecracks.

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70

Variety Greg Evans

The director is more successful in setting an easy, low-key tone, with nicely framed shots and subtle camera movements downplaying the script's pretensions.

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67

Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten

It’s a nice debut piece for director Baumbach, despite the film’s reliance on the twentysomething blues formula.

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63

ReelViews James Berardinelli

We've seen this story so many times that it's starting to wear thin. In many ways, Kicking and Screaming is mildly enjoyable, but all it really does is go over old ground with new characters.

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50

TV Guide Staff(not credited)

First-time director Noah Baumbach seems to have learned everything he knows about the world from MTV, and his style suggests that he's taken a lot of notes at Whit Stillman and Hal Hartley pictures.

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50

USA Today Mike Clark

Moviegoers of rarefied sensibilities will easily identify this anti-captain-of-industry as a "typical Eric Stoltz role," just as moviegoers of extremely rarefied sensibilities will pick up on Kicking's "typical Chris Eigeman role." [23 Oct 1995, Pg.06.D]

25

San Francisco Examiner Barbara Shulgasser

Baumbach is obviously a bright man, but this material is too thin for anything more than a slight New Yorker short story about thoughtful screw-ups.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 6 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Eric O. gave it a10:
I just love this film. Witty, brainy, full of heart. What a wonderful achievement.

Patrick L. gave it a10:
Best movie ever. Watch it over and over again!!

Joseph K. gave it a10:
Classic movie, just released on DVD.

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