71
Metascore
23 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88Chicago TribuneMichael WilmingtonChicago TribuneMichael WilmingtonA family tale, in the best sense. [19 February 1999, Tempo, p.4]
- 80SlateDavid EdelsteinSlateDavid EdelsteinAt its best, the movie evokes that blend of thrill and terror that comes from mixing two chemicals together without being sure that an instant later you'll still be standing there in one piece.
- 80Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranLos Angeles TimesKenneth TuranOne of the most unfashionable movies of the new year, and one of the more appealing. [19 February 1999, Calendar, p.F-10]
- 75USA TodayMike ClarkUSA TodayMike ClarkThe finale, which utilizes vintage home movies to show us the real people we've just seen portrayed, packs a wallop. [19 February 1999, Life, p.13E]
- 75San Francisco ChroniclePeter StackSan Francisco ChroniclePeter StackThis film is family.
- 75Rolling StonePeter TraversRolling StonePeter TraversThe film is rich in period flavor and refreshingly unhip.
- 70Washington PostDesson ThomsonWashington PostDesson ThomsonPaint-by-numbers feel-gooder, in which Homer and his friends decide to win a national science fair for their little town and, ultimately, for America.
- 60Film ThreatFilm ThreatCooper who was so poignant in "Lone Star," gives an emotionally robust performance.
- 60The A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThe A.V. ClubKeith PhippsOffers a strange mix of sentimentality and social criticism, sometimes mixing the two to awkward effect.
- 50TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghThe film's most fully realized performance is Chris Cooper's.