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Puzzle

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66
Metascore
 36 reviews
7.2
User Score
 23 ratings

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Director: Marc Turtletaub
Writer: Natalia Smirnoff Oren Moverman Polly Mann
Production: Big Beach Films
Movie Details: Agnes (Kelly Macdonald), taken for granted as a suburban mother, discovers a passion for solving
Agnes (Kelly Macdonald), taken for granted as a suburban mother, discovers a passion for solving jigsaw puzzles, which unexpectedly draws her into a new world – where her life unfolds in ways she could never have imagined.
Genre(s): Drama
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Production: Big Beach Films
Runtime: 103 min
Home Release Date: Nov 13, 2018
Official Site: https://sonyclassics.com/puzzle/
Country: US
Language: English
Director: Marc Turtletaub
Writer: Natalia Smirnoff Oren Moverman Polly Mann
Starring:
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Critic Reviews
(36)
66
Metascore Generally favorable reviews
26 Positive Ratings 72%
10 Mixed Ratings 27%
0 Negative Ratings 0%
Based on 36 Critic Reviews View All
91
The Playlist
Jordan Ruimy
"Turtletaub does have a hard time finding a way to conclude Agnes’ story, but he ends Puzzle on such a delightful note of simplicity, that this near-perfect movie nevertheless stuns. " ... Read full review
80
Los Angeles Times
Kenneth Turan | Jul 26, 2018
"Macdonald has never starred in a film until Puzzle, and her delicate but deeply felt performance, along with the work of top Indian actor and costar Irrfan Khan and the rest of the cast, make this gentle, thoughtful yet pointed film the undeniable success it is." ... Read full review
80
Empire
Dan Jolin | Sep 10, 2018
"It might look like a quirky take on the sports movie, but Puzzle is in fact an astutely crafted character drama, featuring a superb central performance from Kelly Macdonald." ... Read full review
70
The New Yorker
Anthony Lane | Jul 30, 2018
"In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film. Yet the play of emotions on Macdonald’s face tells of worries and wounds much deeper than anything that can be accounted for in the script, and it will take more than a jigsaw, I reckon, even a thousand-piece whopper, to free this woman’s soul. " ... Read full review
67
Uproxx
Vince Mancini | Aug 2, 2018
"Puzzle is one of those rare movies whose acting is so good it elevates a mediocre story." ... Read full review
60
The Guardian
Mike McCahill | Jul 26, 2018
"There is modest craft and genuine heart here, not to mention an eye-catching centrepiece: an actor growing more certain of herself, and more capable than ever of holding an entire picture together – even one as unusual, and sometimes as unlikely, as this." ... Read full review
40
The Atlantic
David Sims | Aug 1, 2018
"Puzzle is often too prosaic for its own good." ... Read full review
Critic Reviews
User Reviews
(11)
7.2
User Score Generally favorable reviews
15 Positive Ratings 65%
7 Mixed Ratings 30%
1 Negative Ratings 4%
Based on 23 Ratings and 11 Reviews View All
9
lmorin
Sep 10, 2018
This is an excellent movie. Two couples (early 70's with grandchildren) saw it and were in complete agreement. Not the run of the mill storyThis is an excellent movie. Two couples (early 70's with grandchildren) saw it and were in complete agreement. Not the run of the mill story of a person overcoming obstacles and riding off into the sunset. Gentle, thoughtful, ironic, multi-faceted with the focal actions supported by the gently illuminated complexities of family life. Maybe the initial premise of the storyline is a bit weak, but it is very easy to suspend any disbelief on that front. None of us can understand why the professional reviewers give this movie such poor ratings.… Expand
9
GreatMartin
Aug 10, 2018
Inline image

The movie opens with Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) vacuuming the floors, setting the table, making food trays, baking a cake, hangingInline image


The movie opens with Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) vacuuming the floors, setting the table, making food trays, baking a cake, hanging a Happy Birthday sign and placing balloons around the house and leads into a party scene with her coming out with the cake with candles and everybody singing "Happy Birthday"--to her! She is not only the birthday woman but the maid, caterer, hostess, wife, mother, housekeeper and, it turns out, fast at putting jigsaw puzzles together.

One of her birthday gifts is a jigsaw puzzle and when she eventually sits down to work she is surprised at how quick she can work it out and decides to buy another one and finds out about a store in New York City that majors in selling jigsaw puzzles. Agnes travels in from her Connecticut home starting a journey on discovering herself as a person.

Along the way we meet Robert (Irrfan Khan), a millionaire inventor who lives in a beautiful home, impersonally furnished, in Manhattan whose wife left him, and he is looking for a partner to enter puzzle competitions.

Agnes has a loving husband, Louie, (David Denman), a domineering man who loves his wife and kids but expects them to wait on him hand and foot. They have two sons Gabe (Austin Abrams) who wants to take a year off before going to college and Ziggy (Bubba Weiler) who is expected to work in his father's garage but who wants to be a cook.

"Puzzle" is a gem of a movie, an independant film, showing a character who grows right before our eyes starting off slowly in slow increments and watch her take small steps before taking large ones. Kelly Macdonald embodies that growth involving us with her own surprises at who she really is underneath the meek, church going, obedient wife and mother presented at the opening of the movie.

David Denman, as the father who looks at a son who wants to be a cook as 'unmanly', gives a performance equal to Macdonald's and is particularly moving in a family scene and another where he confronts the wife he thought he knew but is a puzzle to him now.

Khan, Abrams and, particularly Weiler (I just wish he would change that first name!) are strong supporting actors.

The screenplay by Oren Moverman and Polly Mann only falter near the ending while the director Marc Turtletaub has a very strong group of actors to work with, guides them and seems to stay out of their way when he should.

"Puzzle" is a 'must see' movie for many reasons but mainly to watch an actress take her character through life changes, make those changes believable to her and us and is surrounded by actors who react to the changes that happen to her as we would.… Expand
9
GinaK
Aug 22, 2018
Puzzle is an excellent film about an ordinary woman who has an extraordinary talent for solving puzzles (yes, puzzle solving is a metaphor).Puzzle is an excellent film about an ordinary woman who has an extraordinary talent for solving puzzles (yes, puzzle solving is a metaphor). This is not a film that aims for a big audience, although it deserves one. No superheroes or gunfights. It’s the story of a woman gaining the freedom to be herself in her own quiet way, and the film turns out to be absolutely riveting as Agnes finds the courage to slowly assert herself and do what she really wants to do. No loud action scenes, just quiet courage. The whole cast is wonderful, but especially Kelly Macdonald who embodies the woman who not only saves herself but also gives the gift of strength and determination to her sons. In the end she starts on a solo journey to do one of the things she has always dreamed of doing.… Expand
7
movieducation
Nov 18, 2018
There is sense of incomplete with a glimpse of bigger picture in PUZZLE, the way it places pieces undictated, the more beautiful it becomes.There is sense of incomplete with a glimpse of bigger picture in PUZZLE, the way it places pieces undictated, the more beautiful it becomes. Serene and amiable even when it confronts some frustrating issue that’s internalized. Good benchmark for movie based on games, no ? Okay.… Expand
7
DawdlingPoet
Jan 1, 2022
This is quite a, what I'd call, subtle film. Its a good drama, somewhat thoughtful. I liked that it offers an insight into the main charactersThis is quite a, what I'd call, subtle film. Its a good drama, somewhat thoughtful. I liked that it offers an insight into the main characters perspective. I can imagine doing puzzles regularly is a good way to immerse yourself in another 'world' metaphorically speaking, if you find what you personally enjoy. I respect the main character, her determination to keep doing what she enjoys, regardless of her families opinions, once they learn about it - Good for her!.

Its a pleasant and enjoyable watch, one I'd recommend, yes.… Expand
7
Brent_Marchant
Aug 31, 2019
Life's pieces don't always fit together as well as we'd like, and "Puzzle" (available on DVD and streaming) shows us just that, albeit aLife's pieces don't always fit together as well as we'd like, and "Puzzle" (available on DVD and streaming) shows us just that, albeit a little all too well. While all the elements of a realistic, superbly nuanced picture are present (especially when it comes to reflecting the story's central theme), the film could nevertheless use a little more glue to hold the pieces together more effectively. The fine performances of Kelly Macdonald, David Denman and Irrfan Khan truly make this offering worth watching, though don't be surprised if you sometimes find yourself even more frustrated than the characters themselves while watching this one.… Expand
3
Mauro_Lanari
Jul 18, 2020
(Mauro Lanari)
Episode 6938 of "Desperate Housewife" and scripted by pseudo-intellectuals: her husband shatters a tray to her, and she learns(Mauro Lanari)
Episode 6938 of "Desperate Housewife" and scripted by pseudo-intellectuals: her husband shatters a tray to her, and she learns to repair it by becoming national jigsaw puzzle champion. Will anything change in their lives? Yes, no, who cares.… Expand
User Reviews