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THE THORN IN THE HEARTMovie Reviews
French language documentary about Suzette Gondry, a school teacher for three decades in rural France and the aunt of film director Michel Gondry. Cast:Suzette Gondry, Jean-Yves Gondry, Sasha Allard, Remi Andre, Lucas Andreo, Laura Arjailles, Sophie BalderelliDirector:Michel GondryRelease Date:April 2, 2010DVD Release:August 10, 2010From:OscilloscopeLength:1 hr. 26 min.
AUGUST 10, 2010
The Thorn in the Heart, Fair Reviews, Mixed (Doc) Limited
The Thorn in the Heart played in limited release to fair reviews. Reviews were mixed. • Rene Rodriguez wrote in the Miami Herald, "...there is little about 'The Thorn in the Heart' to distinguish it from a film anyone could make by interviewing one of their elders." • And Noel Murray wrote for the AV Club, "Gondry never fully gets across why the specifics of this family history should interest anyone outside his circle." More Reviews Below...
The Thorn in the Heart Positive Reviews (14 Reviews, reviews below)
Jake Coyle, Associated Press: MODERATE(cg) "For anyone who has seen a Michel Gondry movie and wondered about the brain that could have created such a thing, this is an interesting window into the director."(See all of Jake Coyle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 474 words, 04/01/10
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: FAIR(cg) "Why did Michel Gondry make this wee-size, super-nice documentary about his Aunt Suzette, who was once a devoted grade-school teacher?"(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 110 words, 04/02/10
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (7 Reviews)
Mike Hale, New York Times: FAIR "...the meanings, if they're there, are muffled, held somewhere out of our reach; and without amazing, or at least charming, things to look at, we're left with a trifle."(See all of Mike Hale's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 630 words, 04/02/10
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: POOR(cg) "Gondry needed more than home movies to justify sharing his extended family with the world.... the reason we're invited to sit in is foggy at best."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 139 words, 04/02/10
Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times: FAIR(cg) "...curiously uninvolving... brimming with affection and beautifully shot, but it builds a flimsy case for why it matters.... Gondry leaves things at their gentle surface."(See all of Sheri Linden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 272 words, 05/14/10
V.A. Musetto, New York Post: MODERATE(cg) "The film is well-constructed, as one would expect from Gondry, but it offers little reason for anyone outside the family circle to care about dear old Tante Suzette."(See all of V.A. Musetto's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 136 words, 04/02/10
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: OUTSTANDING "One reason Gondry is so worthy of our indulgence (and he demands to be indulged) is his reverence for the simplest ways of making art.... This is an extraordinary film."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 467 words, 04/05/10
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: POOR "...unimaginative and inaccessible.... Gondry's tricks don't do much to open what is essentially a closed loop.... like being helplessly locked out of an inside joke."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 263 words, 03/31/10
KEY CITIES (2 Reviews)
Stan Hall, Portland Oregonian: GOOD(cg) "...somewhat self-indulgent... Gondry's masterful technique and subtle genre-tweaking almost make one forget that there isn't much drama to the story of his aunt..."(See all of Stan Hall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 311 words, 05/28/10
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: MODERATE(cg) "...there is little about 'The Thorn in the Heart' to distinguish it from a film anyone could make by interviewing one of their elders."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 256 words, 03/04/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (3 Reviews)
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: POOR "...unimaginative and inaccessible.... Gondry's tricks don't do much to open what is essentially a closed loop.... like being helplessly locked out of an inside joke."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 263 words, 03/31/10
Noel Murray, AV Club: GOOD(cg) "...the film has flashes of poignancy, but Gondry never fully gets across why the specifics of this family history should interest anyone outside his circle."(See all of Noel Murray's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 390 words, 04/01/10
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Mike Hale, New York Times: FAIR "...the meanings, if they're there, are muffled, held somewhere out of our reach; and without amazing, or at least charming, things to look at, we're left with a trifle."(See all of Mike Hale's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 630 words, 04/02/10
Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...curiously uninvolving... brimming with affection and beautifully shot, but it builds a flimsy case for why it matters.... Gondry leaves things at their gentle surface."(See all of Sheri Linden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 272 words, 05/14/10
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...moving but far from revelatory... too slight and personal... Gondry draws on extensive home-movie footage and family interviews to frame the life story of his aunt..."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 251 words, 05/16/09
Duane Byrge, Hollywood Reporter: POOR "...self-indulgent tedium: People we don't know reminisce about people they once knew.... waddles along in blithe unawareness of its minimal depth."(See all of Duane Byrge's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 290 words, 05/16/09
Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...curiously uninvolving... brimming with affection and beautifully shot, but it builds a flimsy case for why it matters.... Gondry leaves things at their gentle surface."(See all of Sheri Linden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 272 words, 05/14/10
Mike Hale, New York Times: FAIR "...the meanings, if they're there, are muffled, held somewhere out of our reach; and without amazing, or at least charming, things to look at, we're left with a trifle."(See all of Mike Hale's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 630 words, 04/02/10
22.7 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Thorn in the Heart's reviews are separated by an average 22.7 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 Thorn in the Heart (14 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Thorn in the Heart's reviews cover 25.1% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 4,241 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 303 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
The Thorn in the Heart Coverage, Volume & Length (14 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 8 Days Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Thorn in the Heart's reviews on average broke 8 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 Thorn in the Heart's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Thorn in the Heart (14 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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