Heavy
Metascore
75 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
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  1. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kevin Thomas
    90
    In his feature debut, writer-director John Mangold brings remarkably sensitive powers of observation to bear upon ordinary people living ordinary lives.
  2. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    88
    You don't guess the true horror of the place, which is that there are no secrets, because everyone here knows all about everyone else, inside and out, top to bottom, and has for years.
  3. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    88
    Writer/director Mangold never compromises the integrity of his painfully-intense script. There isn't one crowd-pleasing moment in the entire movie, except perhaps the last scene, which offers a flicker of hope.
  4. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Ken Tucker
    83
    Mangold, who also wrote the script, has made a modern-day "Marty", a kitchen-sink drama that doesn't condescend to its characters.
  5. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Keith Phipps
    80
    Heavy is the kind of deliberately slow-paced character study that allows carefully realized performances to shine.
  6. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Rosenbaum
    80
    The performances are strong (my favorite is Deborah Harry as an older waitress) and the sense of eroded as well as barely articulated lives is palpable.
  7. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Edward Guthmann
    75
    Mangold's sympathy is genuine and his refusal to mock or condescend to his characters -- indeed, that may be the point of the film -- is a pleasure.
  8. San Francisco Examiner
    Reviewed by: Barbara Shulgasser
    75
    Mangold's vision is bold. There is nothing cutesy or gimmicky about Heavy, which may be why something in its grimness recalls the work of Ingmar Bergman.
  9. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    75
    Written and directed with uncommon sensitivity by James Mangold, a strikingly talented newcomer.
  10. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Elvis Mitchell
    70
    Though Heavy begins beautifully, it isn't always able to sustain its balance between narrative subtlety and inertia.
  11. Variety
    Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    70
    Character-driven to a fault, Heavy proceeds in such leisurely fashion that there are times one wishes it would shed a few minutes in order to get on with its business.
  12. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marjorie Baumgarten
    67
    The movie demands to be watched and rewards that attention handsomely, though at times Heavy seems a little too introverted for its own good.
  13. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Staff(not credited)
    63
    This examination of unexamined lives is beautifully acted by all involved, notably former pop diva Deborah Harry, whose nuanced portrayal of a middle-aged tart is almost painful to watch.

User Reviews

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User Score
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No user score yet- Awaiting 3 more ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. ButteredPopcorn
    9
    Very enjoyable, great visually. I've seen this a couple of times and enjoyed every minute. Treats its audience intelligently.