Metacritic Film

Canvas

Starring Joe Pantoliano, Marcia Gay Harden, Devon Gearhart, Sophia Bairley, Marcus Johns, and Antony Del Rio

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for mature thematic elements

Screen Media Films
Drama
101 minutes | Color
USA
Released In Theaters October 12, 2007

Ten-year-old Chris Marino just wants to be normal, but his mother's bouts of paranoia and delusion give new meaning to the term "dysfunctional family." His dad, John, breaks his back as a construction worker struggling to pay for Mary's doctor bills and searching for the right medicine to treat her schizophrenia, which leaves little time or energy to give to his son. When Mary's behavior takes a dangerous turn, father and son watch helplessly as the police drag Mary out of the house to hospitalize her in a mental institution. (Screen Media Films)

WRITTEN BY
Joseph Greco

DIRECTED BY
Joseph Greco

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

67 / 100

Critic Reviews

80	The Hollywood Reporter This autobiographical tale of a 10-year-old boy coping with his mother's severe illness boasts terrific performances from its three leads -- Joe Pantoliano, Marcia Gay Harden and young Devon Gearhart.
80	Variety John Anderson First-rate performances, an uncompromising point of view and a fresh take on a well-worn movie subject -- madness.
75	New York Post Harden and Pantoliano (especially) can be two of the most over-the-top performers in the business, but they don't strike a false note in Canvas - and neither does this heartbreaking movie.
75	Chicago Sun-Times Marcia Gay Harden finds a fine balance between madness and the temptations of overacting. Yes, she runs wild sometimes, but always as a human being, not as a caricature.
70	The New York Times A movie that rings emotionally true, despite structural contrivances and dim, washed-out color.
70	Village Voice Aaron Hillis Greco's sincerity is so palpable that the frequent uplift feels deserved, but with just-passable filmmaking and the demeaning score, Canvas falls somewhere between powerful indie and made-for-TV diversion.
63	Chicago Tribune Sid Smith Canvas is a thoughtful, sweet film that handles its difficult topic--schizophrenia--with tact and tenderness.
63	TV Guide Often rings painfully true, but would have benefited from judicious editing.
63	New York Daily News Though Harden has the showier role, a subdued Pantoliano is the movie's real star. Sometimes, the quietest performances are the most powerful.
60	Los Angeles Times Staff (Not credited) A sincere, slow-paced drama about a Florida family dealing with schizophrenia, Canvas is never terribly convincing, despite being inspired by writer-director Joseph Greco's life growing up with a mentally ill mother.

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