Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 36
  2. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. Reviewed by: Calvin Wilson
    Jun 24, 2011
    100
    A lovably quirky comedy-drama with a rhythm all its own.
  2. Reviewed by: Ann Hornaday
    Jun 9, 2011
    100
    You know you're in the hands of a superbly gifted filmmaker when he can pull off a talking dog.
  3. Reviewed by: Anna Smith
    Jul 18, 2011
    60
    With good performances and characters, Beginners is an enjoyable, amusing and occasionally poignant watch. Indie film fans will want to catch it, but it falls short of being a must-see.

See all 36 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 28
  2. Negative: 4 out of 28
  1. This is probably the film I'm most disappointed with, despite the fact that it was ok. So, Ewan McGregor stars as a graphic designer. Sporadically set in flashbacks ranging from 1955-2007, McGregor discovers that his father, a 75 year old, is gay. His mother already died from cancer, and McGregor finds out his father will soon die too. Along this emotional rollercoaster, McGregor meets a French actress who rarely speaks, played by Melanie Laurent. Their relationship blossoms after the death of his father, and he discovers her fragile past as well. So, a few things worked with others, so let's start with the positives. Most of the acting (see next paragraph for exception) was fantastic in this film, especially from Christopher Plummer, who played the father. His performance deserves some Academy recognition, even if it's just a nominee. I also was a fan of how this film dealt with its numerous dark topics. From cancer to abuse, the film covers so many topics in an 104 minute film, and glosses over them so easily. The main con in this film is, honestly, it isn't that interesting. The first half of this film is pretty dull, and even though it tries to test our interest with wit every few minutes, the funniest person is the dog who's thoughts are narrated through subtitles. I also wasn't a fan of Melanie Laurent, who played McGregor's girlfriend. Her character just wasn't believable, and she had practically no lines in the movie. I felt as if her character was just squeezed in there to make the whole love plot go through. I thought the film, in three words, was: disappointing, mediocre, quirky. It wears its quirky, ironic heart on its sleeve and I respect that. But, the film does have some pretty surprising flaws, and for that, I give the film a... C+ Expand
    • 2 of 2 users said yes
  2. I must agree with some other reviewers, this movie is 104 minutes, but seemed like 240 minutes. Wasn't bad per say, but does have some major flaws, such as extremely unbelievable relationships (e.g. the father and the younger gay man; the main character and his girlfriend), just didn't buy any of it. The ending too, really had no ending, which I"m cool with, but when combined with all the other flaws of the movie, was too much to bear. Go watch "Another Year" and enjoy instead. Expand
    • 2 of 3 users said yes
  3. A pointless pretentious, arty, waste of time. You don't care about the characters, the acting is sub-par and there's no plot or angle. I don't know how anyone can like this garbage. I do no recommend you wasting a minute of your time watching this trash. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 28 User Reviews

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