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Man in the Chair

EMAILPRINTOutsider Pictures

Man in the Chair reviews
44
7.0 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 12 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 3 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Comedy  |  Drama

Written by: Michael Schroeder

Directed by: Michael Schroeder

Release Date:
Theatrical: December 7, 2007

Running Time: 107 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: PG-13 for language and thematic elements

Starring Christopher Plummer, Michael Angarano, Robert Waner, and M. Emmet Walsh

Flash is a man who longs for the day when he worked as a crew member on such cinematic masterpieces as Citizen Kane. When Flash meets teenage film fanatic Cameron Kincaid, he becomes an unlikely mentor and agrees to help Cameron make a film to compete in a student competition where the top prize is a film-school scholarship and, for Cameron, a ticket out of his difficult home life. Flash, who sees his own life drawing to a close, recruits the support of his eccentric friends at the Retirement home for Motion Picture Crew and helps Cameron make his film and chase his dream. (Outsider Pictures)

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...

70

The Hollywood Reporter Ray Bennett

A ramshackle but likeable story.

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63

Chicago Tribune Tasha Robinson

By salvaging a troubled script with deep, committed, touching portrayals, Plummer and Walsh help prove Schroeder’s points about how Hollywood isn’t just the province of the rich, young and pretty.

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60

The New York Times Stephen Holden

Man in the Chair has few surprises. Once its machinery is humming, it settles into a soothing fable of a last hurrah.

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60

Variety Robert Koehler

As a showcase for rising young star Michael Angarano and Christopher Plummer, pic offers the pleasures of connecting Hollywood traditions and generations in the spirit of Peter Bogdanovich's films about and inspired by the movies.

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50

TV Guide Ken Fox

With its flashy, music-video style edits, rock-scored montages and septuagenarian cast, it’s hard to say who, exactly, is the right audience for this unusual comedic drama.

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50

Los Angeles Times Staff (Not credited)

Though they can't transcend writer-director Michael Schroeder's pointed contrivances, the actors tap into something achingly true in this valentine to Hollywood's below-the-line crafts people and society's castoffs.

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50

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

We'll overlook the clichéd predictability of their partnership and note that Plummer, and M. Emmet Walsh as his lonely friend, are a pleasure to watch.

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40

Empire Damon Wise

As in Cocoon, the emphasis is on sentiment, feel-good and reclaiming the elderly from the scrapheap. But the performances are nowhere near as subtle.

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40

Village Voice Nick Pinkerton

Walsh and Plummer are obviously pros, and they hustle to put across some patently ridiculous business, but, well, it's true about the polishing thing.

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38

New York Post Kyle Smith

It's a cute idea that a better filmmaker than writer-director Michael Schroeder could have done a lot with.

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38

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

The movie works so hard at juggling its cliches that it fails to generate interest in its story.

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30

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

This indie drama spends a lot of time mooning over classical Hollywood cinema, but its own visual style tends toward the pointless flash of music videos.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 7.0 (out of 10) based on 3 User Votes

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

Emett O. gave it a10:
This is a unique impact motion picture experience. A call to action! Both my parents and my daughter responded with sincere declarations of bridging difficult issues with love.

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