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THE FREEBIEMovie Reviews
Comedy about a loving couple who decide to give each other one night off from monogamy, no questions asked. Cast:Kathryn Aselton, Dax Shepard, Bellamy Young, Frankie Shaw, Ross PartridgeDirector:Kathryn AseltonRelease Date:September 17, 2010DVD Release:January 18, 2011From:Phase 4 FilmsRating:RLength:1 hr 17 min
The Freebie played in key cities to good not great reviews. • Bill Stamets wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times, "...will not cheat your commitment to watch smart, warm characters making sense of their togetherness." • And Moira Macdonald wrote in the Seattle Times, "Though the dialogue explores some interesting territory, the couple remain elusive and a little dull." More Reviews Below...
The Freebie Positive Reviews (16 Reviews, reviews below)
The Freebie has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (6 Reviews)
Stephen Holden, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a smart seriocomic playlet with some emotionally harsh moments... At its best it has the acuity of a Mike Nichols-Elaine May sketch, without the laughs."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 737 words, 09/17/10
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "...moves quickly and simply, staying conscientiously on track until an intriguing finale that effectively upends what may -- or perhaps may not -- have come before."(See all of Gary Goldstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 236 words, 10/01/10
V.A. Musetto, New York Post: WEAK(cg) "Writer/director/star Katie Aselton has achieved the seemingly impossible. She's turned a movie about sex into a boring, talky snooze."(See all of V.A. Musetto's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 198 words, 09/17/10
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK "None of the dialogue, presumably arrived at through improvisation, is either funny or memorable... a hand-wringing morality tale, with those flying too close to the sun duly singed."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 200 words, 09/15/10
KEY CITIES (5 Reviews)
Tirdad Derakhshani, Philadelphia Inquirer: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "As a serious morality tale, leaves a lot to be desired. But with its brisk pace, assured direction, and lean storytelling, it is a fine slice-of-life story."(See all of Tirdad Derakhshani's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 435 words, 11/12/10
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "Aselton gets a lot said in 78 minutes. I think the main thing she says is something never overtly spoken, that life is essentially a lonely experience..."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 657 words, 10/29/10
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: MODERATE(cg) "Though the dialogue explores some interesting territory, the couple (played by Aselton and Dax Shepard) remain elusive and a little dull."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 151 words, 10/08/10
Stan Hall, Portland Oregonian: MODERATE(cg) "...isn't as clever or unique as Lynn Shelton's 'Humpday,' which it resembles, and doesn't feel fleshed out. Aselton and Shepard work great together, though..."(See all of Stan Hall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 137 words, 11/12/10
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD(cg) "...like you're eavesdropping on an actual marriage: You feel like jumping in there and trying to talk them out of an idea that is probably guaranteed to result in disaster."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 476 words, 12/31/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (5 Reviews)
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK "None of the dialogue, presumably arrived at through improvisation, is either funny or memorable... a hand-wringing morality tale, with those flying too close to the sun duly singed."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 200 words, 09/15/10
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD(cg) "Aselton shows a knack for capturing small talk and the nuances of relationships... her performance and Dax Shepherd's reveal lifetimes of intimacy, trust, betrayal, and reconciliation."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 137 words, 04/15/10
Scott Von Doviak, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "Your tolerance for semi-articulate hipsters discussing their feelings may determine your willingness to invest in the central relationship... it's not easily dismissed."(See all of Scott Von Doviak's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 263 words, 03/14/10
Andrew Schenker, Slant: WEAK(cg) "...the essential movement of the film is to trace a couple putting into practice a really awful idea and then to observe the misery that results."(See all of Andrew Schenker's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 978 words, 09/12/10
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Stephen Holden, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a smart seriocomic playlet with some emotionally harsh moments... At its best it has the acuity of a Mike Nichols-Elaine May sketch, without the laughs."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 737 words, 09/17/10
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "...moves quickly and simply, staying conscientiously on track until an intriguing finale that effectively upends what may -- or perhaps may not -- have come before."(See all of Gary Goldstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 236 words, 10/01/10
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Todd McCarthy, Daily Variety: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Katie Aselton gets her feet wet as a writer-director but doesn't leave the shallow end of the pool with this brightly turned-out do-it-yourselfer that possesses mild charm..."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 536 words, 02/08/10
John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...the believable naturalism of improvised dialogue and the intimacy of the movie's unassuming but skillful style makes the misguided protagonists easy to root for."(See all of John DeFore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 311 words, 09/27/10
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "...moves quickly and simply, staying conscientiously on track until an intriguing finale that effectively upends what may -- or perhaps may not -- have come before."(See all of Gary Goldstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 236 words, 10/01/10
Stephen Holden, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a smart seriocomic playlet with some emotionally harsh moments... At its best it has the acuity of a Mike Nichols-Elaine May sketch, without the laughs."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 737 words, 09/17/10
18.3 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Freebie's reviews are separated by an average 18.3 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.
The Freebie (16 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Freebie's reviews cover 14.4% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 5,951 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 372 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
The Freebie Coverage, Volume & Length (16 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 7 Days Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Freebie'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 The Freebie's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Freebie (16 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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