Metacritic Movie Ratings
December Boys Reviews

A sample of reviews from critics across the country.

• 70

  out of 100

  Los Angeles TimesKevin Crust

  A refreshingly gentle treatment of familiar themes such as the inevitability of change, the dashing of youthful illusions and mutability of family. Enhanced by an exotic locale, the movie overcomes a well-trodden narrative path and unflinchingly brandishes its sentimentality as it stakes out its crowd-pleasing territory.

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• 70

  out of 100

  The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt

  The film's dramatic moments are small but exquisitely rendered so that you feel the emotions experienced so many years ago. The film lingers afterward in your mind like a favorite vacation that triggered moments of sheer intensity.

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• 67

  out of 100

  Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum

  The filmmakers can't decide whether to trust the period innocence of the book (and play down their casting coup) or let the young man rip as a preteen-babe magnet... So December Boys splits the difference -- safely, dully.

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• 60

  out of 100

  Variety

  Occasionally touching but rarely convincing coming-of-ager.

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• 50

  out of 100

  Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert

  There seem to be two movies going on here at the same time, and December Boys would have been better off going all the way with one of them.

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• 40

  out of 100

  The New York TimesJeannette Catsoulis

  A coming-of-age tale so treacly it doesn't just tug your heartstrings, it attempts to glue them to your ribs.

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See all December Boys movie reviews at Metacritic.com