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Laura Smiles
Metascore
57 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 2 out of 9
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  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    83
    There's an unconvincing last-act twist, but this is the movie "Little Children" wanted to be.
  2. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Scott Foundas
    80
    It casts an increasingly hypnotic spell, thanks in no small measure to Wright -- a fearless actress (and the real-life wife of writer-director Ruscio) who brings this sometimes despicable, often heartbreaking character to life with every atom of her being.
  3. Variety
    Reviewed by: Ronnie Scheib
    80
    Sharp dialogue, idiosyncratic characters and a wickedly brilliant structure that subtly derails expectation make Laura Smiles a rarity among mellers.
  4. New York Post
    Reviewed by: V.A. Musetto
    75
    Ruscio's script is grim and darkly funny, but the big attraction is Wright's right-on performance. She's an actress waiting to be discovered.
  5. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Maitland McDonagh
    75
    Wright's haunting performance is the anchor that keeps Ruscio's film from vanishing down a rabbit hole.
  6. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Mark Olsen
    40
    As Ruscio piles it on, he gets himself further and further away from any sense of genuine emotional truth.
  7. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Matt Zoller Seitz
    40
    Part domestic drama, part thriller, the microbudget shot-on-video feature Laura Smiles is so ambitious that its ultimate failure is more depressing than anything in its dark script.
  8. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Jack Mathews
    38
    It's an interesting profile in self-destruction until the script becomes unhinged itself and has Laura doing things that are not so much outrageous as hilariously stupid.
  9. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Charles Petersen
    30
    Stylish, low-budget indies thrive on redeeming the clichés of everyday life. But that takes smart writing and sharp humor, of which Laura Smiles has none.
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