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A THOUSAND WORDS (2012)Movie Reviews
Comedy about a fast-talking literary agent who must find a new way to communicate when he realizes that he has only a limited number of words left to speak. Cast:Eddie Murphy, Allison Janney, Kerry Washington, Clark DukeDirector:Brian RobbinsRelease Date:March 9, 2012DVD Release:June 26, 2012From:ParamountRating:PG-13Length:1 hr. 31 min.
A Thousand Words (2012) played to poor reviews. • Roger Ebert wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times, "...every time he says a word a leaf falls off the magical bodhi tree in his back yard, and when the last leaf falls, he dies. Let's stop right there.... I think what I'd try is writing notes." • And Peter Howell wrote in the Toronto Star, "Shallow performances, script and direction mute the laughs and the insights..." More Reviews Below...
A Thousand Words (2012) Positive Reviews (25 Reviews, reviews below)
David Germain, Associated Press: WEAK(cg) "...a thin, pointless idea with dumb slapstick and pratfalls and a lot of wordless mugging by Murphy, who proves he can be just as insufferable when he's not talking..."(See all of David Germain's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 634 words, 03/09/12
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: POOR(cg) "It makes you want to see Murphy team up with Judd Apatow, or even take on a dead-serious dramatic role -- do anything but star in another movie like this one."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 270 words, 03/16/12
Claudia Puig, USA Today: WEAK(cg) "The concept is unoriginal, the scenarios aren't funny, and its message is banal. Plus, Murphy alternately hams it up and phones it in."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 427 words, 03/09/12
Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com: WEAK(cg) "...every time he says a word a leaf falls off the magical bodhi tree, and when the last leaf falls, he dies. Let's stop right there.... I think what I'd try is writing notes."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 555 words, 03/07/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (11 Reviews)
Andy Webster, New York Times: FAIR "In the simplicity of its premise it embodies the notion of high-concept entertainment. In its execution it demonstrates how technical efficiency can drain the life from a story."(See all of Andy Webster's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 259 words, 03/09/12
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: WEAK(cg) "If only this Eddie Murphy flick had taken its own advice and spent a little more time being reflective instead of hyperactive..."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 353 words, 03/09/12
Michael Phillips, Los Angeles Times/Chicago Tribune: POOR "...a 100-minute reaction shot unto itself -- says: I am in trouble here, yet I remain a big bad wolf of comedy. I will huff and puff and get a laugh. Somehow."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 402 words, 03/09/12
Kyle Smith, New York Post: POOR(cg) "Crazy story, I know, but lately it's like, every day the exact same thing happens: clock radio goes off, I get out of bed, I go to the movies and see... a rip-off of another movie."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 615 words, 03/09/12
Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine: POOR "...all those years of acting opposite animals and CGI effects for the kiddies appear to have taken their toll on the actor... another in a line of dispiriting failures..."(See all of Bilge Ebiri's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 601 words, 03/12/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: WEAK(cg) "...every time he says a word a leaf falls off the magical bodhi tree, and when the last leaf falls, he dies. Let's stop right there.... I think what I'd try is writing notes."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 555 words, 03/07/12
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: MODERATE(cg) "Shallow performances, script and direction mute the laughs and the insights in a movie that ultimately doesn't have much to say."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 611 words, 03/09/12
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: MODERATE(cg) "...yet another one of those gimmicky comedies in which some shallow self-centered guy has, for no particular reason, a spell put on him..."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 605 words, 03/09/12
Mack Rawden, Cinema Blend: POOR(cg) "The film has half of a heart, which is about the worst percentage possible for a comedy.... It's ping pong at its finest and filmmaking at its most confounding."(See all of Mack Rawden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 612 words, 03/12/12
Brett Michel, Boston Phoenix: WEAK(cg) "...from auteur Brian Robbins ('Norbit')... Murphy plays a philandering husband with a kid and a job as a fast-talking, prevaricating literary agent."(See all of Brett Michel's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 167 words, 03/15/12
Rob Humanick, Slant: MODERATE(cg) "...alternately trifling in its broad pandering and gutless in its paint-by-numbers effort to recreate the manic energy of, say, 'Liar Liar.' "(See all of Rob Humanick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 375 words, 03/11/12
Andy Webster, New York Times: FAIR "In the simplicity of its premise it embodies the notion of high-concept entertainment. In its execution it demonstrates how technical efficiency can drain the life from a story."(See all of Andy Webster's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 259 words, 03/09/12
Michael Phillips, Los Angeles Times: POOR "...a 100-minute reaction shot unto itself -- says: I am in trouble here, yet I remain a big bad wolf of comedy. I will huff and puff and get a laugh. Somehow."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 402 words, 03/09/12
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: WEAK "...if the pic means to teach a lesson about the importance of choosing one's words wisely, Steve Koren's screenplay can't be accused of practicing what it preaches."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 656 words, 03/08/12
Michael Phillips, Los Angeles Times: POOR "...a 100-minute reaction shot unto itself -- says: I am in trouble here, yet I remain a big bad wolf of comedy. I will huff and puff and get a laugh. Somehow."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 402 words, 03/09/12
Andy Webster, New York Times: FAIR "In the simplicity of its premise it embodies the notion of high-concept entertainment. In its execution it demonstrates how technical efficiency can drain the life from a story."(See all of Andy Webster's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 259 words, 03/09/12
12.0 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
A Thousand Words (2012)'s reviews are separated by an average 12.0 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 Thousand Words (2012) (25 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:A Thousand Words (2012)'s reviews cover 39.8% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 11,934 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 477 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
A Thousand Words (2012) Coverage, Volume & Length (25 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 28.7 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
A Thousand Words (2012)'s reviews on average broke 28.7 hours after 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 Thousand Words (2012)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
A Thousand Words (2012) (25 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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