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TO SAVE A LIFE Movie Reviews
Story: Drama about a high school basketball star who, after the death of a childhood friend, finds God. Cast: Randy Wayne, Deja Kreutzberg Director: Brian Baugh Opened: January 22, 2010 On DVD: August 3, 2010 From: Samuel Goldwyn Rating: PG-13 Length: 2 hr. 0 min.
Out On DVD
AUGUST 3, 2010
To Save a Life, Poor Reviews, Mixed Regional
Updated: Wed, Apr 18 2012, 00:58am
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To Save a Life played in regional release to poor reviews. Reviews were mixed. • Lou Lumenick wrote in the New York Post, "...mind-numbing... would be bland and boring even as a half-hour after-school special." • And Jennie Punter wrote in the Toronto Globe & Mail, "...while it doesn’t shy away from including a host of messy problems (bloating the film to two hours), the answers may seem too pat for those not already on board with its philosophy."   More Reviews Below...

To Save a Life
Positive Reviews
(11 Reviews,  reviews below)
 Compare This Movie... 
TotalBroad
National
Press
Local
News-
papers
Alter–
native/
Indie
High-
Brow
Press
Movie
Industry
NY/LA
Chicago
Toronto
Key
Cities
Total
B.O.
28.3% nr 34.3% 30.6% 21.4% 36.7% 32.1% 45.0% $3.8M
Averages: 51.8% 54.1% 52.3% 46.9% 45.8% 48.7% 49.9% 54.7%
Reviews & Quotes (11)

BROAD NATIONAL PRESS (0 Reviews)
 To Save a Life has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (7 Reviews)
Andy Webster, New York Times: POOR
"...forget the lame performances and arch, preachy sentiment; the movie's sham hip-hop and spurious alternative music alone should keep teenagers away. Thank goodness." (Read the full review...)
377 words, 01/22/10

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: GOOD
"...appealing, poignant and inspiring... also pulls off something rare by presenting religious commitment as something that's not only potentially healing and elevating, but also kind of cool." (Read the full review...)
245 words, 01/22/10

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: POOR (cg)
"...mind-numbing... would be bland and boring even as a half-hour after-school special." (Read the full review...)
129 words, 01/22/10

Melissa Anderson, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK
"...wants to rescue kids from the Satanic messages of 'Gossip Girl' -- a benign, even worthy enough objective, but must alternatives to empty, materialistic adolescence require baptism in the Pacific?" (Read the full review...)
194 words, 01/19/10

Jennie Punter, Toronto Globe & Mail: POOR (cg)
"...while it doesn't shy away from including a host of messy problems (bloating the film to two hours), the answers may seem too pat for those not already on board with its philosophy." (Read the full review...)
434 words, 02/26/10

Andrew Dowler, Toronto Now: POOR (cg)
"...a poorly made mess... plods along with dragged-out scenes, bland visuals and a steady stream of mediocre rock tunes to sell the emotion that the script and acting completely fail to convey." (Read the full review...)
215 words, 02/25/10
KEY CITIES (3 Reviews)
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: WEAK (cg)
"Overlong and entirely too ambitious... wanders all over the place before reaching its very predictable conclusions. Director Brian Baugh manages a look and tone that work even as he loses the main story thread..." (Read the full review...)
670 words, 01/23/10

Robert W. Butler, Arizona Republic: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg)
"...illustrates that getting religion doesn't end your problems - although it may provide a new set of tools for coping with them.... I'll bet this effort enjoys a long life in church basements everywhere." (Read the full review...)
254 words, 01/22/10

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: WEAK (cg)
"...cheesy on matters of God and conscience.... Young Christians deserve better movies. I know what you're thinking, though: What's this have to do with anything? How's the God? Truth be told, He's pretty good." (Read the full review...)
356 words, 02/05/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (3 Reviews)
Melissa Anderson, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK
"...wants to rescue kids from the Satanic messages of 'Gossip Girl' -- a benign, even worthy enough objective, but must alternatives to empty, materialistic adolescence require baptism in the Pacific?" (Read the full review...)
194 words, 01/19/10

Andrew Dowler, Toronto Now: POOR (cg)
"...a poorly made mess... plods along with dragged-out scenes, bland visuals and a steady stream of mediocre rock tunes to sell the emotion that the script and acting completely fail to convey." (Read the full review...)
215 words, 02/25/10
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Andy Webster, New York Times: POOR
"...forget the lame performances and arch, preachy sentiment; the movie's sham hip-hop and spurious alternative music alone should keep teenagers away. Thank goodness." (Read the full review...)
377 words, 01/22/10

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: GOOD
"...appealing, poignant and inspiring... also pulls off something rare by presenting religious commitment as something that's not only potentially healing and elevating, but also kind of cool." (Read the full review...)
245 words, 01/22/10
MOVIE INDUSTRY (3 Reviews)
Andrew Barker, Daily Variety: FAIR
"...hints at becoming a thoughtful portrait of a teen's spiritual crisis, then abandons all narrative integrity to hit its church-mandated marks, which range from well-meaning to eyebrow-raising." (Read the full review...)
540 words, 01/20/10

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: GOOD
"...appealing, poignant and inspiring... also pulls off something rare by presenting religious commitment as something that's not only potentially healing and elevating, but also kind of cool." (Read the full review...)
245 words, 01/22/10

Andy Webster, New York Times: POOR
"...forget the lame performances and arch, preachy sentiment; the movie's sham hip-hop and spurious alternative music alone should keep teenagers away. Thank goodness." (Read the full review...)
377 words, 01/22/10
(cg) = based on the critic's grade

Review Mixture
20.9 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews
(Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)

To Save a Life's reviews are separated by an average 20.9 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.

To Save a Life
(11 reviews)
Roll over dots for each review
Broad National   Alternative/Indie   Highbrow Press   Key Cities
NY, LA, Chicago, & Toronto Movie Industry  
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Moderate
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Poor
Reviews
Outstanding
Very Good
Good
Moderate
Weak
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Reviews
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>Bigger
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>Biggest
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Coverage, Volume & Length

Coverage: To Save a Life's reviews cover 11.0% of potential readers (average is 68.2%). Volume: The film's reviews total 3,564 words in volume (average is 19,979 words). Length: The film's reviews average 324 words in length (the norm is 512 words).

To Save a Life
Coverage, Volume & Length
(11 Reviews,  reviews below)
TotalBroad
National
Press
Local
News-
papers
Alter–
native/
Indie
High-
Brow
Press
Movie
Industry
NY/LA
Chicago
Toronto
Key
Cities
Total
B.O.
Coverage:
Volume:
Length:
11.0%
3,564
324
0.0%
0
0
31.5%
2,465
352
35.4%
559
186
35.1%
622
311
50.0%
1,162
387
47.8%
1,744
249
17.9%
1,280
427
$3.8M
Averages: 68.2%
19,979
512
66.7%
3,178
451
80.2%
10,677
521
80.8%
3,310
430
58.7%
2,374
630
85.2%
3,407
685
83.7%
5,861
500
73.0%
2,885
539
Opening Day Reviews
Reviews Broke 4 Days After Release (Norm is 0.2 Release)

To Save a Life's reviews on average broke 4 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 0.2 hours after. 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 To Save a Life's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.

To Save a Life
(11 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
M O R E    P O S I T I V E    R E V I E W S
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Movie Review Intelligence Mobile Web App 1.0
Updated: Wed, Apr 18 2012, 00:58am
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