Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 20
  2. Negative: 1 out of 20
  1. 90
    Brutally honest and brilliantly acted.
  2. Don Cheadle is wonderful, as always, as the former drug-addict-turned-psychiatrist who worries it's all hopeless but refuses to stop trying. Sounds clichéd, perhaps, but for the most part it works, thanks to piercingly authentic performances.
  3. What really hurts is the movie's shallow screenwriting, self-indulgent acting, and woozy camerawork.

See all 20 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. 10
    One of the best indie movie I ever seen in my life. Joseph, Zooey and Don are all great actors in this movie. The movie has great directing and the best writing. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. http://mashupmash.blogspot.com/2010/09/manic.html Manic. I was suggested this movie by a friend of mine who loves Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt. And I'll admit, me too. Loved them in (500) Days of Summer and seeing as how Manic was their first movie together I gave it a shot. Didn't really know what to expect but by the end of it I was blown away. If you're looking for an intense movie about teenage psych ward patients and their stories of violence, rape, and general anger. Watch this. I give it a 5 out of 5 which is pretty rare for me. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. I had never seen Joseph Gordon-Levitt play this kind of a character before, and he does it perfectly. His perpetually pent anger is like no other. I enjoyed his reluctantly dynamic nature in that the circumstances force him to change into a contradiction of himself. Don Cheadle's performance was also effective in both showing his character's inner conflict, as would be imaginable in someone who has to deal with potentially violent and uncomfortable situations every day. As for the handheld camera style, I think it contributes to the fact that the film shows a very real part of life in that life isn't steady - especially not in a place like this. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 8 User Reviews

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