The Critic (2023 film)
The Critic is a 2023 British period thriller film directed by Anand Tucker and written by Patrick Marber, based on the 2015 novel Curtain Call by Anthony Quinn.
| The Critic | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Anand Tucker |
| Screenplay by | Patrick Marber |
| Based on | Curtain Call by Anthony Quinn |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | David Higgs |
| Edited by | Beverley Mills |
| Music by | Craig Armstrong |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 7 September 2023.[1]
Premise
In 1934 London, an actress finds herself in a dark situation involving a theatre critic and his paper's editor.
Cast
- Ian McKellen as Jimmy Erskine
- Gemma Arterton as Nina Land
- Mark Strong as David Brooke
- Lesley Manville as Annabel Land
- Romola Garai as Madeleine Farewell
- Ben Barnes as Stephen Wyley
- Alfred Enoch as Tom Tunner
- Nikesh Patel as Ferdy Harwood
- Jay Simpson as Slyfield
- Claire Skinner
- Rebecca Gethings
Production
It was announced in November 2020 that Colin Firth, Gemma Arterton, Simon Russell Beale and Paapa Essiedu were set to star in the film, at the time titled Curtain Call like the source novel, with Anand Tucker directing and Patrick Marber writing the screenplay.[2] By February 2021, filming was expected to begin later that year.[3]
In June 2022, the film was retitled The Critic, with Firth, Beale and Essiedu no longer involved. Ian McKellen, Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, Romola Garai, Ben Barnes and Alfred Enoch were announced to be joining Arterton, and production began in London.[4]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 47% of 17 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.1/10.[5] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 53 out of 100, based on eight critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[6]
References
- D'Alessandro, Anthony (24 July 2023). "TIFF Lineup Unveiled Amid Strikes: Awards Contenders Dumb Money, The Holdovers, Rustin; Starry Pics For Sale With Scarlett Johansson, Kate Winslet, Michael Keaton, Viggo Mortensen & More". Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- Kroll, Justin (13 November 2020). "Colin Firth And Gemma Arterton To Star in Curtain Call". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- Wiseman, Andreas (22 February 2021). "Curtain Call: Colin Firth-Gemma Arterton Drama Pre-Sells To Germany, Italy, Lat Am, More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- Grobar, Matt (27 June 2022). "Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, Ben Barnes & More To Star In Period Thriller The Critic". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- "The Critic". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- "The Critic". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 September 2023.