London Boulevard
Metascore
52 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
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  1. Movieline
    Reviewed by: Stephanie Zacharek
    Nov 10, 2011
    80
    It reminds me more of Shane Black's "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang," though ultimately it's darker and more raggedy around the margins. Still, Monahan, like Black and unlike Ritchie, has some feeling for his characters.
  2. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Kyle Smith
    Nov 11, 2011
    75
    Take a stroll down London Boulevard if you enjoy surly, smart, hard-edged British crime movies like "Sexy Beast" and "Croupier."
  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Ray Bennett
    Nov 7, 2011
    70
    It satisfies not only in the tradition of yarns boiled hard and wry, but as a savvy comment on fame and ambition.
  4. indieWIRE
    Reviewed by: Eric Kohn
    Nov 10, 2011
    67
    As exercises in pulp go, this one yields a solid workout.
  5. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Alison Willmore
    Nov 9, 2011
    58
    The directorial debut of William Monahan, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of "The Departed," London Boulevard collapses under the weight of its own ideas and the amount of talent it has to burn.
  6. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Betsy Sharkey
    Nov 12, 2011
    50
    That the plot is the problem comes as something of a surprise given Monahan's pedigree. The well-regarded screenwriter ("Body of Lies," "Kingdom of Heaven") won an Oscar for the deliciously conflicted cops and crime twister of 2006's "The Departed."
  7. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Michael Atkinson
    Nov 8, 2011
    50
    Monahan's debut has verve and charisma, but, in the end, the tension of a late-night pub shrug.
  8. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Jesse Cataldo
    Nov 7, 2011
    50
    A movie like this lives and dies by its finer details, and London Boulevard screws up by applying the same broad brush to its entire cast, meaning every character gets the same amount of shading.
  9. Variety
    Reviewed by: Leslie Felperin
    Nov 7, 2011
    50
    The result is a superficially handsome crime thriller that doesn't tick, although it's got a pretty, jeweled face, and some clever scripting by William Monahan (scribe of "The Departed"), making his directorial debut here.
  10. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Stephen Holden
    Nov 10, 2011
    40
    Cultivation and fine manners are nowhere to be found in the foul urban cesspool of William Monahan's London Boulevard. This palpitating mess of a movie certainly doesn't lack for pungent atmosphere.
  11. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    Nov 10, 2011
    40
    Had the film stood still more often, its stylish gambit would have worked better.
  12. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: David Fear
    Nov 8, 2011
    40
    This full-clip misfire reminds us of a valuable lesson: Not even talent, tastefully dressed tough guys and a metropolitan backdrop dripping with after-hours menace can compensate for a complete lack of momentum or drama.
  13. Empire
    Reviewed by: Kim Newman
    Nov 7, 2011
    40
    Guilty, with one or two mitigating circumstances.

User Reviews

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User Score
5.3 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 19 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. worleyjamers
    4
    A cool, likable film that feels better than it really is. I liked the vast majority of the movie, the script, cast, style, etc., it's just a boring film that never grabbed my attention like so many other films of its genre have.… Full Review »
  2. SimRyd
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. Good movie, could have been great. Ending really left me gutted!! Nice twist ....but not nice if you know what I mean!? Farrell was better than his usual self, albeit playing his stereotypical role.… Full Review »
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