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Forty Shades of Blue
Metascore
74 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
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  1. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
    Reviewed by: Kate Taylor
    100
    Delicate, intelligent and honest.
  2. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Andrew O'Hehir
    90
    A compelling family melodrama somewhat in the manner of late John Cassavetes or early Robert Altman…the film combines high production values, terrific acting and a distinctively American lyricism in a combination you hardly ever see these days.
  3. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Dana Stevens
    90
    Alan, who Mr. Sachs has said was based on his own father, is a great character - passionate, complicated, bursting with life. Those words also describe Mr. Torn's performance.
  4. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Lisa Schwarzbaum
    83
    Director Ira Sachs moves to the rhythms of his native Memphis, teasing emotional resonance out of geography.
  5. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    Reviewed by: Sean Axmaker
    83
    The song may be somewhat familiar, but Sach gets understated performances from his entire cast and finds interesting harmonies as they play out their clashing duets.
  6. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Scott Foundas
    80
    This is still powerful, undiluted stuff -- a jolt of backwoods moonshine whiskey injected into the veins of the atrophied American relationship drama.
  7. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Keith Phipps
    80
    Investing a lot of time on each corner of his three-sided character piece, director Ira Sachs (who co-wrote the film with Michael Rohatyn) has created a film as dramatically intense as it is opaque.
  8. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kevin Thomas
    80
    Sachs has pulled off a film of inferences and intimations, thanks largely to the casting of accomplished actors.
  9. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    75
    I despised the character of Alan James so sincerely that I had to haul back at one point to remind myself that, hey, I've met Rip Torn and he's a nice guy and he's only acting.
  10. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Lou Lumenick
    75
    Rip Torn gives his best performance in years.
  11. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Ruthe Stein
    75
    A slow seduction.
  12. Variety
    Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    70
    A muted but nicely observed study of a Russian woman's gradual estrangement from her domineering Memphis music-legend husband.
  13. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Michael Atkinson
    60
    It's Korzun's film, and she is in complete control of her character, never divulging too much of the haunted woman under the studied facade of American hotsiness.
  14. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Duane Byrge
    50
    A drab, minor-key melodrama.
  15. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Jeremy Mathews
    40
    Repetitive interaction between characters in an aimless story can't hold up the film's weight, and it eventually collapses on its noble attempt to capture life's frustrations and compromises.
  16. Empire
    Reviewed by: Patrick Peters
    40
    Rip Torn and Darren Burrows respectively over- and underplay their hands in this archly restrained Memphis melodrama.
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 1 out of 3
  1. JohnB.
    2
    I can't imagine how this film received so many good reviews. (best drama at Sundance-you must be kidding!) It is a really thin, depressing little story that goes nowhere. The relationships between the characters are not in any way believable or interesting, and even the sex scenes were poorly done. [***SPOILERS***] The final scene was representative of the entire film-the female lead walks away from the car-no resolution, no closure, no reason to know what will happen to the characters, and even worse, no reason to care.The director is obviously new at filmaking, and needs more experience. I'm only sorry I had to sit through one of his early learning experiences, because it was boring and worth nothing.… Full Review »
  2. BrianC.
    9
    Dynamite acting pulls this several notches above the pack.. Rip Torn is memorable.
  3. FranciscoM.
    10
    Rip Torn gives an amazing performance. I really enjoyed the film.
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