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Footnote Review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

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

  • 5.0
    82

    out of 100

    Metascore®
    Universal acclaim
    based on a weighted average of all
    critic review scores.

  • 100

    out of 100

    Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

    It's one of the smartest and most merciless comedies to come along in a while. It centers on an area of fairly narrow interest, but in its study of human nature, it is deep and takes no prisoners.

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  • 100

    out of 100

    Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

    Footnote is itself a perfect little piece of Talmud, full of text, commentary, and colorful argument.

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  • 60

    out of 100

    Variety

    Footnote is a decidedly male-centric film. Structurally, the picture is divided into named chapters that make for cute markers but give it the not-entirely satisfying feel of a jaunty satire.

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  • 60

    out of 100

    The Hollywood Reporter Todd McCarthy

    Jewish and academically inclined audiences worldwide will respond to numerous aspects of this unusual drama, although it is paradoxically both too broad and too esoteric for the general art house public.

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  • 70

    out of 100

    Village Voice

    Something between a comedy of everyday absurdity and a family tragedy pushed into the realm of the hyper-real, Footnote uses its characters' differing relationships to authenticity as the basis for an enigmatic riff on representation.

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  • 88

    out of 100

    Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

    The main thing with Cedar's film, I think, is to approach it not as a farce, not as a drama, not as a mystery, not as any genre in particular. It's a comic nightmare, in the vein of the Coen brothers' "A Serious Man," and Cedar proves masterly at playing the stakes for real.

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  • 90

    out of 100

    The New York Times A.O. Scott

    It is a truism that academic arguments are so passionate because the stakes are so small. Footnote, a wonderful new film from the American-born Israeli director Joseph Cedar, at once affirms this conventional wisdom and calls it into question.

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  • 90

    out of 100

    Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

    Intensely specific in story yet wide-ranging in themes, with a tone that turns on a dime from comic absurdity to close to tragedy, this is brainy, bravura filmmaking of the highest level, a motion picture that is as difficult to pigeonhole as it is a pleasure to enjoy.

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  • 90

    out of 100

    Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

    Footnote does function as a character study, an exceptionally rich one.

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  • See all Footnote reviews at Metacritic.com

Fan Reviews provided by

4

Footnote needs some further editing by gshaffer429
A pretty good movie overall but with too many loose ends. So what that Uriel loses his clothes. What was that all about? Looks like a scene that might have had some relevance in the director's mind at some point, but then he forgot exactly what to do with it. Ok, Uriel tells his mom, but not his wife, about the prize. Is that significant? Maybe, but what seems like a dramatic moment isn't developed. Oh, a possible affair for the father who barely talks or leaves his workspace at home or in the library? Maybe, but what seems like a dramatic possibility isn't developed, and even the idea is completely at odds with the father's character. The basic story line is compelling - the tension between a son who succeeds in the same field in which his father has unsuccessfully struggled for years. And you can empathize with the emotional tensions that exist. But too many devices that are played to inconsistent or irrelevant effect. Worth seeing with moderate expectation.

5

Simply beautiful by beautyrunsdeep
Trying to dissect the movie's storyline will provide no real value to anyone who reads this. All I can say that will do this film justice is that it is immensely enjoyable, original, immersive, and an absolute pleasure. I hope you'll enjoy it is much as my friends and I did.

3

A tragedy with a cynical ending by HamzLaw
Worth seeing, but barely. The critics are probably throwing 100-scores at it because they are bored from the usual Hollywood clutter. This film is unique and interesting at a couple levels, but it is not a 100. At times it gets predictable, but overall it is admittedly fresher than many. But make no mistake: this is not a comedy. It is occasionally amusing, but it is not and could never have meant to be a comedy. It is certainly not funny; moreover, it does contain some harsh feelings by many characters against the others, some surprisingly dark. And although the ending is somewhat provocative, it is neither light nor funny, or rewarding. The deliberate pace, uniqueness, and overall intrigue of the film's statement about fathers, sons, and the politics of higher academia make it somewhat worthy, but it is not a must-see experience. Score it closer to 65 or 70.

5

Must go / must not by mkace
If you really care deeply about family dynamics and moral choices and how life get in the way of all of it, this movie will bee your bible. This is one of those extremely rare works that gets around your inner critic and embeds itself directly in your consciousness. Easily one of the 10 best ever!

4

No closer at the end of the movie by mailrg60
The movie is great, great story, great dialogs and authentic, My only problem is the end of the movie. I was puzzled. There is no closer, to twist, nothing to indicate a conclusion. The way this movie ends is disappointing and it spoiled the whole movie experience for me. But still I recommend it !

4

Footnote by sjholland
Wonderful story about the meaning of family. Delightful movie!

4

by margeryn

4

by jenniferfrost2010

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