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EVERYTHING MUST GO (2011)Movie Reviews
Comedy drama about an alcoholic salesman who, his wife having tossed all his belongings onto their lawn, decides to sell all his material possessions by holding a yard sale. Cast:Glenn Howerton, Rebecca Hall, Will FerrellDirector:Dan RushRelease Date:May 13, 2011DVD Release:September 6, 2011From:Roadside AttractionsRating:RLength:1 hr. 36 min.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2011
Everything Must Go (2011), Very Good Reviews National
Everything Must Go (2011) played in national release to very good reviews. • Joe Williams wrote in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "...a midlife meltdown dramedy that has the focus of a fine short story." • And Lisa Schwarzbaum wrote in Entertainment Weekly, "Like Bill Murray and Greg Kinnear before him, Will Ferrell reveals serious acting chops." More Reviews Below...
Everything Must Go (2011) Positive Reviews (42 Reviews, reviews below)
Mary Pols, Time: VERY GOOD "I have a hunch Raymond Carver would have enjoyed seeing Will Ferrell, such a strapping, quintessentially American performer, take a dramatic risk and succeed."(See all of Mary Pols's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 926 words, 05/13/11
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a small, quiet movie. It may feel a bit too languid at times, but the pacing also allows time for us to ruminate... ends on a vague note of uplift..."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 641 words, 05/12/11
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: VERY GOOD(cg) "...deftly adapted from the great Raymond Carver's short story 'Why Don't You Dance?' by first-time feature director Dan Rush, the film breaks new ground for Ferrell."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 262 words, 05/13/11
Scott Bowles, USA Today: VERY GOOD(cg) "Ferrell displays surprising range when he ratchets down the volume. And he can't help it in this picture, where there are no villains, heroes or seismic changes in worldview."(See all of Scott Bowles's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 470 words, 05/13/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "I was expecting more of an emotional payoff; making a movie calm is one thing, and making it matter-of-fact is another. But make a note about Ferrell. There is depth there."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 688 words, 05/13/11
Kat Murphy, MSN Movies: VERY GOOD(cg) "...deft, surprisingly sweet... recasts Gallic melancholia as all-American black comedy, despair expressed deadpan, Buster Keaton-style."(See all of Kat Murphy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 822 words, 05/11/11
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: VERY GOOD(cg) "Nick is a functioning drunk, which means that we are rarely subjected to the episodes of mania, melancholia, and rage that are staples of dramas about alcoholics..."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 897 words, 05/15/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (10 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...less jarring and more familiar than anything in Carver... true to the writer's tough, compassionate and intimately knowing apprehension of masculine defeat."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 705 words, 05/13/11
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...this would be rather familiar indie fare without its perfectly-cast star, who fearlessly alternates between bitter humor, aggressive desperation, and gentle helplessness."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 344 words, 05/13/11
Kyle Smith, New York Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The big picture is familiar -- busted middle-age man, suburban alcoholic despair -- yet the details are so finely rendered that the overall impression is potently strange."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 459 words, 05/13/11
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Hall and Dern, among others, bring out something new, and plaintive, in Ferrell.... combinations, traits, contradictions that prove he's keeping his co-stars on their toes."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 389 words, 05/13/11
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: MODERATE(cg) "A conventional and overpadded drama, with Ferrell barely passing muster in the lead role... feels overstuffed with disappointingly conventional details."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 290 words, 05/13/11
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: EXCELLENT "Ferrell gives a performance of Chekhovian depth.... Hall gives Nick's pregnant new neighbor layers of neediness and nervousness, and Dern is unspeakably moving..."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 385 words, 05/09/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "I was expecting more of an emotional payoff; making a movie calm is one thing, and making it matter-of-fact is another. But make a note about Ferrell. There is depth there."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 688 words, 05/13/11
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "...has a generic resemblance to broken-heartland movies like 'Up in the Air' and 'Cedar Rapids,' although this suburban meltdown is more depressed than either."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 373 words, 05/11/11
KEY CITIES (12 Reviews)
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Ferrell underplays it nicely... but there really isn't much difference between what we see the actor doing here and what he has always done..."(See all of Michael O'Sullivan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 599 words, 05/13/11
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a sharply drawn study of down-and-outness that dovetails neatly, alas, with the Great Recession fallout that's raining across the land.... has a poignancy and grace..."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 587 words, 05/13/11
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a bleak yet optimistic film, and Ferrell perfectly underplays his Carver anti-hero and delivers a rich, layered and subtle performance. And a funny one."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 677 words, 05/13/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Dan Rush has a knack for using images that have the heft and resonance of metaphor but which genuinely fit into the story as just another element of everyday life."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 455 words, 05/13/11
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Ferrell's is a genuinely unexpected performance, one of those things that you never would have predicted, but once you see it you realize it's perfect. Who knew?"(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 641 words, 05/13/11
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a movie that is really about something that all Americans either know or fear or try to push away, which is failure."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 602 words, 05/13/11
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "There's nothing terribly surprising about this movie's dramatic arc, but it's nicely executed, and Ferrell's restrained, almost gentle performance is a revelation."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 328 words, 05/13/11
Marc Mohan, Portland Oregonian: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...writer/director Dan Rush attempts to replicate Raymond Carver's inimitable tone but ends up, if not murdering, then maiming to dissect."(See all of Marc Mohan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 219 words, 05/13/11
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "Ferrell gives himself over to the vibe, creating a character both pitiful and redeemable with the subtlest acting choices. It's a very good performance..."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 482 words, 05/12/11
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "...has a generic resemblance to broken-heartland movies like 'Up in the Air' and 'Cedar Rapids,' although this suburban meltdown is more depressed than either."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 373 words, 05/11/11
Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend: EXCELLENT(cg) "Though not without its fair share of laughs, 'Everything Must Go's' most impressive asset is Ferrell's darker, more dramatic moments."(See all of Eric Eisenberg's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 601 words, 05/16/11
Noel Murray, AV Club: MODERATE(cg) "The premise is inherently engaging, the cast is strong, and it has moments of fleeting poignancy and wit. But there's nothing surprising or edgy about the movie, either..."(See all of Noel Murray's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 298 words, 05/12/11
Michelle Orange, Movieline: EXCELLENT(cg) "Ferrell as Nick Halsey feels like a fresh idea, a testament to the actor's reliable but rarely tested mettle as much as his long parade of post-2006 buffoons."(See all of Michelle Orange's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 887 words, 05/12/11
Nick Schager, Slant: MODERATE(cg) "...proceeds to go nowhere daring, inventive, or emotional, with its narrative remaining on a comfortably superficial, innocuous middle ground..."(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 449 words, 05/08/11
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: EXCELLENT(cg) "Ferrell delivers his subtlest, deepest performance yet.... an excellent example of a film that contains a comic actor's live-wire instincts to ingenious effect."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 594 words, 05/13/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (6 Reviews)
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: WEAK "...thin and repetitive... functions, for the most part, in such a narrow emotional range that you keep rooting for its star to lighten up..."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 375 words, 05/13/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...less jarring and more familiar than anything in Carver... true to the writer's tough, compassionate and intimately knowing apprehension of masculine defeat."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 705 words, 05/13/11
Peter Debruge, Daily Variety: FAIR "...a project that, while polished, lacks the strong, original tone of Todd Solondz, Terry Zwigoff or the other suburban-subversion pros the director clearly respects."(See all of Peter Debruge's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 926 words, 09/11/10
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: WEAK "Ferrell's performance is too one-note.... he isn't able to track the ups-and-downs in the story's dramatic beats.... most of the developments are wholly predictable."(See all of Kirk Honeycutt's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 765 words, 10/15/10
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...less jarring and more familiar than anything in Carver... true to the writer's tough, compassionate and intimately knowing apprehension of masculine defeat."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 705 words, 05/13/11
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: WEAK "...thin and repetitive... functions, for the most part, in such a narrow emotional range that you keep rooting for its star to lighten up..."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 375 words, 05/13/11
16.5 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Everything Must Go (2011)'s reviews are separated by an average 16.5 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.
Everything Must Go (2011) (42 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Everything Must Go (2011)'s reviews cover 82.7% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 22,001 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 524 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Everything Must Go (2011) Coverage, Volume & Length (42 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 7 Days Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Everything Must Go (2011)'s reviews on average broke 7 days 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 Everything Must Go (2011)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Everything Must Go (2011) (42 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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