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Man in the Chair
Metascore
44 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 12
  3. Negative: 3 out of 12
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  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Ray Bennett
    70
    A ramshackle but likeable story.
  2. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Tasha Robinson
    63
    By salvaging a troubled script with deep, committed, touching portrayals, Plummer and Walsh help prove Schroeder's points about how Hollywood isn't just the province of the rich, young and pretty.
  3. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Stephen Holden
    60
    Man in the Chair has few surprises. Once its machinery is humming, it settles into a soothing fable of a last hurrah.
  4. Variety
    Reviewed by: Robert Koehler
    60
    As a showcase for rising young star Michael Angarano and Christopher Plummer, pic offers the pleasures of connecting Hollywood traditions and generations in the spirit of Peter Bogdanovich's films about and inspired by the movies.
  5. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Elizabeth Weitzman
    50
    We'll overlook the clichéd predictability of their partnership and note that Plummer, and M. Emmet Walsh as his lonely friend, are a pleasure to watch.
  6. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Ken Fox
    50
    With its flashy, music-video style edits, rock-scored montages and septuagenarian cast, it's hard to say who, exactly, is the right audience for this unusual comedic drama.
  7. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not credited)
    50
    Though they can't transcend writer-director Michael Schroeder's pointed contrivances, the actors tap into something achingly true in this valentine to Hollywood's below-the-line crafts people and society's castoffs.
  8. Empire
    Reviewed by: Damon Wise
    40
    As in Cocoon, the emphasis is on sentiment, feel-good and reclaiming the elderly from the scrapheap. But the performances are nowhere near as subtle.
  9. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Nick Pinkerton
    40
    Walsh and Plummer are obviously pros, and they hustle to put across some patently ridiculous business, but, well, it's true about the polishing thing.
  10. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    38
    The movie works so hard at juggling its cliches that it fails to generate interest in its story.
  11. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Kyle Smith
    38
    It's a cute idea that a better filmmaker than writer-director Michael Schroeder could have done a lot with.
  12. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: J.R. Jones
    30
    This indie drama spends a lot of time mooning over classical Hollywood cinema, but its own visual style tends toward the pointless flash of music videos.
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No user score yet- Awaiting 1 more rating

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. EmettO.
    10
    This is a unique impact motion picture experience. A call to action! Both my parents and my daughter responded with sincere declarations of bridging difficult issues with love.… Full Review »
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