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A LATE QUARTETMovie Reviews
Drama about the members of a world-renowned string quartet, whose years of collaboration and friendship are challenged when one member announces his retirement. Cast:Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Mark Ivanir, Imogen PootsDirector:Yaron ZilbermanRelease Date:November 2, 2012DVD Release:February 5, 2013From:Entertainment OneRating:RLength:1 hr 45 min
A Late Quartet played in key cities to good reviews. • Marc Mohan wrote in the Portland Oregonian, "...the film succeeds thanks to empathetic performances (from Walken and especially Hoffman) and an evident affection for the music and musicians it depicts." • And Bruce DeMara wrote in the Toronto Star, "...an emotionally resonant and redemptive tale..." More Reviews Below...
A Late Quartet Positive Reviews (35 Reviews, reviews below)
Mary Pols, Time: GOOD "...an acting showcase, particularly for Walken and Hoffman, and makes for an interesting study in artistic ego.... There are modest pleasures to be found..."(See all of Mary Pols's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,101 words, 11/01/12
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: VERY GOOD(cg) "Although the crises are too precious, the performances are treasures, led by Christopher Walken in a surprisingly gentle, soulful key as the group's senior member."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 83 words, 11/02/12
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: VERY GOOD(cg) "Grace notes abound... a small, shining gem of a movie that works its way into your heart with the insinuating potency of music."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 340 words, 11/02/12
Claudia Puig, USA Today: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the outstanding ensemble cast keeps the story -- and its accompanying emotional heft -- from becoming overly baroque... modest, occasionally talky..."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 501 words, 11/15/12
Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...does one of the most interesting things any film can do. It shows how skilled professionals work.... Yaron Zilberman's film knows what it is talking about."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 547 words, 11/02/12
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...well-intentioned and in many respects well-made... The movie doesn't resolve on a sour note, but it takes the viewer along a too-familiar set of tones."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 623 words, 11/01/12
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: MODERATE(cg) "Although it's true that good actors can sometimes redeem a bad screenplay, more often than not, they end up becoming trapped by it. Such is the case here..."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 610 words, 11/10/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (12 Reviews)
Stephen Holden, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...great acting smooths over the bumps in the same way that brilliant musicianship transforms a composition from notes and phrases into something ineffable."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 754 words, 11/02/12
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "Zilberman's minimalistic approach fits the idea of the film better than it fits the actual film. It leaves this melancholy mood piece with some beautiful moments..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 538 words, 11/02/12
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...it's Walken who holds the film together... You won't see a better piece of acting this year than his final speech... odds are you'll likely be watching it through your tears."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 416 words, 11/02/12
Roger Moore, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a quiet film of tempestuous but predictable situations and emotions, a soap opera made watchable by its illustrious cast."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 515 words, 11/02/12
John Anderson, New York Newsday: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...both highbrow metaphor and soap opera.... the movie needs a bit of juice, although watching Walken deliver such a measured performance creates tension enough..."(See all of John Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 313 words, 11/08/12
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: GOOD "Overall, it's a good movie.... You can spend the whole of it picking nits.... But I was happy watching these actors, happy going behind the scenes..."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 987 words, 11/02/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...does one of the most interesting things any film can do. It shows how skilled professionals work.... Yaron Zilberman's film knows what it is talking about."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 547 words, 11/02/12
Michael Nordine, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "...a mixed bag. Always stately, occasionally stuffy... prone to occasional bouts of grandiosity not quite befitting its stripped-down scale."(See all of Michael Nordine's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 221 words, 10/31/12
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "Though the art involves conjuring passions written on paper almost two centuries ago, we also see that making music is a hands-on, body-temperature, modern activity."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 653 words, 11/30/12
Susan G. Cole, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "There's some great writing in director Yaron Zilberman and Seth Grossman's script on the topic of music... [but] the film is emotionally slack..."(See all of Susan G. Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 112 words, 11/29/12
KEY CITIES (9 Reviews)
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: MODERATE(cg) "...a half-glass of a movie, full of superlative performances and sublime music but empty when it comes to a story rife with melodrama and trite plot conventions."(See all of Ann Hornaday's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 431 words, 11/02/12
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "...an auspicious feature debut for a director whose sensitivity to emotional harmonies is as rewarding as his reverence for timeless, transcendent music."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 399 words, 11/09/12
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "A smartly cast, discreetly contrived melodrama... unfolds in a very specific world that, spiritually speaking, is never more than a few steps from Lincoln Center."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 621 words, 11/02/12
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...can't rise to the challenges it sets itself.... unless you're channeling the forgiving spirit of Pablo Casals, I'm afraid this one hits too many off notes..."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 407 words, 11/02/12
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a drama whose measured veneer gives way to memorable and explosive moments... provides distinct and uncommon satisfactions."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 459 words, 11/02/12
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "When it stays with the music, it's a lovely and engrossing film; where it falters is when it wanders off with the characters into their non-music lives."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 374 words, 11/09/12
Marc Mohan, Portland Oregonian: EXCELLENT(cg) "...the film succeeds thanks to empathetic performances (from Walken and especially Hoffman) and an evident affection for the music and musicians it depicts."(See all of Marc Mohan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 195 words, 11/16/12
Steve Persall, Tampa Bay Times: EXCELLENT(cg) "How many surprises and peaks can Christopher Walken possibly have left, after so many movies and memorable roles? Well, there's this one."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 413 words, 11/15/12
Michael Nordine, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "...a mixed bag. Always stately, occasionally stuffy... prone to occasional bouts of grandiosity not quite befitting its stripped-down scale."(See all of Michael Nordine's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 221 words, 10/31/12
Sam Adams, AV Club: EXCELLENT(cg) "Zilberman gives his actors strong material and room to breathe. When the playing is strong enough, even a few notes can be as rich as a symphony."(See all of Sam Adams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 382 words, 11/01/12
Chris Barsanti, Pop Matters: MODERATE(cg) "...a seeming checklist of somber elements... an outline for the film that could have been, an echo of class, taste, and meaningful art instead of the real thing."(See all of Chris Barsanti's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 594 words, 11/02/12
Nick McCarthy, Slant: MODERATE(cg) "A muted soap opera masquerading as erudite ensemble piece... jettisons character plausibility in favor of pop psychology and leaden instrument analogies."(See all of Nick McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 615 words, 10/29/12
Susan G. Cole, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "There's some great writing in director Yaron Zilberman and Seth Grossman's script on the topic of music... [but] the film is emotionally slack..."(See all of Susan G. Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 112 words, 11/29/12
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher: GOOD(cg) "...the performances all around are so effortless in their rumpled capture of messy real life that watching them is akin to breathing out a cinematic sigh of relief..."(See all of MaryAnn Johanson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 356 words, 04/05/13
HIGHBROW PRESS (3 Reviews)
Stephen Holden, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...great acting smooths over the bumps in the same way that brilliant musicianship transforms a composition from notes and phrases into something ineffable."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 754 words, 11/02/12
Linda Holmes, NPR: GOOD "There's a provocative idea at the center of 'A Late Quartet'... while the performances are very good, the script could have stood a little more restraint."(See all of Linda Holmes's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 550 words, 09/09/12
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "Zilberman's minimalistic approach fits the idea of the film better than it fits the actual film. It leaves this melancholy mood piece with some beautiful moments..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 538 words, 11/02/12
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: GOOD "...skillfully performed... feels like the work of a filmmaker who knows and appreciates the art form under scrutiny... intelligent, minor-key... at times thoughtful to a fault..."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 632 words, 09/11/12
Jordan Mintzer, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "A terrific cast helps boost an otherwise conventional chamber piece... hits the right notes about half the time.... Christopher Walken is particularly moving..."(See all of Jordan Mintzer's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 536 words, 09/10/12
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "Zilberman's minimalistic approach fits the idea of the film better than it fits the actual film. It leaves this melancholy mood piece with some beautiful moments..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 538 words, 11/02/12
Stephen Holden, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...great acting smooths over the bumps in the same way that brilliant musicianship transforms a composition from notes and phrases into something ineffable."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 754 words, 11/02/12
13.6 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
A Late Quartet's reviews are separated by an average 13.6 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
A Late Quartet (35 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:A Late Quartet's reviews cover 57.7% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 16,580 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 474 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
A Late Quartet Coverage, Volume & Length (35 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 15.7 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
A Late Quartet's reviews on average broke 15.7 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is A Late Quartet's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
A Late Quartet (35 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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