City by the Sea
User Score
6.1 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 18
  3. Negative: 2 out of 18

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  1. JohnN.
    Mar 1, 2006
    9
    I thought this was a beautifully constructed movie; a gripping story, great casting and understandably strong performances. Notably, I welcomed the minimal use of music to tell me how I should feel; the script and performances were largely left to stand on their strengths. It's a mystery to me that this movie had such poor reviews, although perhaps it suited the DVD medium on which we viewed it. Highly recommended.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
50 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 34 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 34
  3. Negative: 3 out of 34
  1. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: David Denby
    40
    After the complex buildup of tensions, the last ten minutes of the movie are a comic-pathetic letdown: the subdued acting and the trash-strewn street scenes lead to nothing more striking than the kind of overexplicit clichés heard in mediocre TV dramas. Even De Niro's discipline and skill can't save lines that should never have been spoken in the first place. [9 September 2002, p.162]
  2. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    50
    Frances McDormand and Patti LuPone are solid as his girlfriend and ex-wife, respectively, and James Franco is just right as his wayward son. They're a talented team. Too bad the movie doesn't live up to their abilities.
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  3. Slate
    Reviewed by: David Edelstein
    50
    That City by the Sea isn't laughed off the screen is testament to Caton-Jones' attention to actors and to some tightly written scenes.
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