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Art School Confidential Review

Release Date: May 05, 2006
Rated: language including sexual references, nudity and a scene of violence
Runtime: 1 hr. 42 min.
Genres: Comedy, Drama
Director:Terry Zwigoff
Cast:Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, John Malkovich, Jim Broadbent, Matt Keeslar. Full cast + crew

Movies.com Critics

3.5

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… insanely entertaining … Read full review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

3.0

54

out of 100

Metascore^®
Mixed or average reviews
based on a weighted average of all
critic review scores.
33

out of 100

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Insistently sullen, nihilistic, and successful to the point of smugness at transmitting buzzkill, Art School Confidential is the second collaboration between art-house cartoonist Daniel Clowes and director Terry Zwigoff.

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50

out of 100

The Hollywood Reporter
With an "Animal House"-ish deportment, Art School likely will entertain a sophomoric audience and etch some winning college-kid figures, but art house audiences will be disappointed by its paint-by-numbers storytelling.

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75

out of 100

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
There is a wise and understanding teacher on the faculty, played by Anjelica Huston. Defending the work of Dead White Males, she sensibly observes that when they did their best work "they weren't dead yet."

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75

out of 100

ReelViews James Berardinelli
This is as dark as Zwigoff has gotten - arguably even darker than "Bad Santa." And, while it's legitimate to label Art School Confidential as a "comedy," the movie is more clever than it is funny.

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75

out of 100

Chicago Tribune
The movie sputters in its later, darker passages, which by design are less audience-friendly than the earlier, satirically secure ones.

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See all Art School Confidential reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

not for kids

Cynical and raunchy comedy for adults only.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that the extensive swearing and raunchy discussion of sex make this a film for adults only. Plus, a serial killer is stalking the school and everyone smokes and drinks heavily. Parents should also know that women are treated as virginal, crazy, or pieces of meat in this film, so if girls do watch it, parents might want to discuss the portrayal of women afterwards.

Families can talk about whether the film's cynical premise -- that the only way to be successful is to lie or be an untalented hack -- rings true. What do you do when jealousy or ambition get the best of you? Families can also discuss the raunchy treatment of sex in general and women in particular in this film. Why are films with such a raunchy approach to sex appealing? How do these portrayals of relationships compare to what you see in real life?

The good stuff

Messages: This dark comedy revels in its anti-happy ending: that to get anywhere in the art business -- and to get the girl -- you have to go to jail for something you didn't do.

What to watch for

Violence: A serial killer is stalking the school, though the one murder depicted is shown in an over-the-top comic way that's not frightening. When a student is arrested, a cop warns about future rapes by inmates. One character dies in a fire off-screen.
Sex: A lot of raunchy discussions of sex, though no actual sex happens. A father looks up the skirt of another young girl. A man poses naked in a live drawing class, and his penis is plainly visible. Audrey poses nude for the same class. When Jerome says he just had a date with his perfect girl, his roommate asks to smell his fingers. There's one lesbian kiss.
Language: Extensive swearing by everyone in the film, including "s--t," "f--k," "p---y," "faggot," "c--ksucker," "c--t," and "a--hole."
Consumerism: Not an issue
Drinking, drugs and smoking: Jerome is a chain-smoker by the end of the film. Audrey also smokes. Jimmy is an alcoholic, and Jerome and Jimmy drink together often.

Common Sense Media

An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology.

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Fan Reviews provided by

Average Rating: 3

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by geoelevation25

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