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Year One
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Ash Wednesday
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 7 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 5 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Drama
Written by: Edward Burns
Directed by: Edward Burns
Release Date:
Theatrical: October 11, 2002
DVD: February 18, 2003
Running Time: 98 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: R for pervasive language and some violence
Starring Edward Burns, Elijah Wood, Rosario Dawson, Oliver Platt, Pat McNamara, James Handy, Michael Mulheren, Malachy McCourt, and Julie Hale
Set in the early 1980's, this is the story of a man (Burns) who must save his younger brother (Wood) from Irish and Italian gangsters.
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Looking for Kitty Sidewalks of New York The Brothers McMullen The Groomsmen
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas
Suspenseful and ultimately unpredictable, with a sterling ensemble cast.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
The impish Wood is a little light as Sean, who's inextricably bound by same family ties that robbed him of a promising future and made him a fugitive from the only life he's even known, but the supporting cast is top-notch.
Read Full Review >Variety Scott Foundas
Burns' films are invariably better directed and scripted than they are performed, and Ash Wednesday is no exception. Pic's biggest drawback is that the helmer has again cast himself in the leading role.
Read Full Review >New York Post Lou Lumenick
Ambitious, guilt-suffused melodrama crippled by poor casting.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Laura Sinagra
Russell Fine's kinetic camerawork outperforms the plot.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Jack Mathews
We wish other directors would keep Edward Burns busy acting so he wouldn't have time to make his own movies. This is his fourth since "The Brothers McMullen" and they get more tedious each time out.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Dave Kehr
This time Mr. Burns is trying something in the Martin Scorsese street-realist mode, but his self-regarding sentimentality trips him up again.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 6.6 (out of 10) based on 5 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Donna W. gave it a 5:
The cinemetogorophy, (hell, how do you spell that word) anyway, the photography of this film is so beautifully artistic as to call forth involuntary sighs from fellow artists
Michael F. gave it an 8:
This movie is pretty solid. The only flaw is Elijah Wood, that little baby. One, he looks NOTHING like Burns and Two, he can't really act. Oliver Platt is pretty good as a gangster, interestingly cast. Cinematography is very good, plot is very good. Another minor flaw is that, this isn't so surprising coming from Burns, the female character is not as well developed as she should be. Regardless, this movie is surprisingly solid. Burns is really good as playing Edward Burns, no surprise there. Rent it, it's totally entertaining all the way through and well-done.
D. Bennett gave it a 10:
Loved it.
Rory gave it a 10:
Ed burns was terriffic in this film. The camera work was supurb. Only flaw was Elijah Wood....
Mia A. gave it a 0:
Who is giving Ed Burns the money to make the same movie again and again? The only thing worse than his writing is his direction. The only thing worse than that is his self-adoration and his "craggy" voice. Puke.
