54
Metascore
15 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenA sardonic, smart screwball comedy.
- 70Los Angeles TimesBetsy SharkeyLos Angeles TimesBetsy SharkeyIn its own strange way, All Is Bright pulls you in even as it frustrates. This is far from a picture-perfect Christmas story, mind you, but there is a spirit in its celebration of disappointment that is quite special.
- 58The A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloThe A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloDirected by Phil Morrison (Junebug) from a lackluster script by Melissa James Gibson, All Is Bright coasts entirely on the formidable talent of its cast, though Giamatti merely offers another variation on the irascible persona he’s been cultivating since Sideways, while Rudd is ultimately defeated by his character’s shapelessness.
- 50Film.comJordan HoffmanFilm.comJordan HoffmanThere are tones of 1970s shaggy realism that are interrupted by moments of character-driven shtick. The wistful scenes aren’t rich enough to engross you and the comedy isn’t clever enough to make a difference.
- 50Slant MagazineChris CabinSlant MagazineChris CabinAll Is Bright remains engaging, for the most part, but most of the big narrative turns feel both predictable and forced, and at odds with the natural charms of the cast.
- 50The PlaylistRodrigo PerezThe PlaylistRodrigo PerezSemi-flat with only a few jokes and emotional beats that land, the picture is often dull when it should be poignant.
- 50The DissolveTasha RobinsonThe DissolveTasha RobinsonA film that veers between caustic comedy, melodrama, and heartstring-tugging, without finding the spark of sympathy that would hold the film together around its disparate tones.
- 40Time OutDavid FearTime OutDavid FearAwkward banter, a lack of narrative thrust and concentrated character deep-digging, and a performance by Sally Hawkins as a Russian maid that seems beamed in from another movie all contribute to the cinematic equivalent of a half-baked fruitcake.
- 30Village VoiceNick SchagerVillage VoiceNick SchagerMaudlin and mirthless, it's a film misbegotten enough to almost make one hate Christmas.