Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 38 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 106 Ratings

  • Starring: Garrison Keillor, John C. Reilly, Lily Tomlin, Meryl Streep, Woody Harrelson
  • Summary: Director Robert Altman and writer Garrison Keillor join forces with an all-star cast to create a comic backstage fable, A Prairie Home Companion, about a fictitious radio variety show that has managed to survive in the age of television. (Picturehouse)
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 38
  2. Negative: 1 out of 38
  1. 100
    What a lovely film this is, so gentle and whimsical, so simple and profound.
  2. 80
    For a film about death and endings, A Prairie Home Companion is a cracking good time - a warm, golden bauble within which to shelter, like the radio show that inspired it, from the misery and ennui that engulf us in and out of the multiplex.
  3. Reviewed by: Angie Errigo
    60
    Not one of Altman’s masterpieces, but aficionados will find pleasures in a bittersweet swansong from the grand old man.
  4. This is not one of the good Altmans. This isn't even one of the mediocre Altmans.

See all 38 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 55
  2. Negative: 20 out of 55
  1. JonJ.
    10
    Just what you would expect from a Keillor-Altman collaboration. Given the distinctiveness of their respective styles, you'd expect wide ranging reviews. If you like both, you'll like the movie. If you don't like one or the other, the movie may very well drive you crazy. Expand
  2. ReidF.
    8
    I have rarely listened to the radio show, although I
  3. KelleyE.
    5
    It was just like the radio show itself... self important and smug.
  4. JamesC.
    3
    Dull and pointless. What a waste of talent. Yes, Meryl can be bad in a movie, Lohan terrible but that is to be expected and without Lily this film would get a big fat 0. Woody and JonC are passable. I can't believe that none of these people saw that it was a script to nowhere and mentioned this fact to Altman. I was sitting behind a guy who was tapping his shoes onto the sticky floor throught the whole movie. It was more entertaining listening to him tapping to the beat than watching this film. A HUGE shame. Expand

See all 55 User Reviews