Metacritic Movie Ratings
People Like Us Reviews

A sample of reviews from critics across the country.

• 70

  out of 100

  The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthy

  As overcranked as it is -- the film is directed as if it were an action drama, with two or three times more cuts than necessary -- People Like Us has a persuasive emotional pull at its heart that's hard to deny.

  Read full review

• 63

  out of 100

  Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert

  Sam and Frankie are certainly interesting enough that a film about them coming to grips with this hidden truth would have been justified. It also would probably have been harder to write than this one, so People Like Us marches on with a coy little smile, toying with Frankie and the audience.

  Read full review

• 60

  out of 100

  VarietyJustin Chang

  If they never fully sell the situation, the actors nonetheless deliver strong, emotionally accessible work.

  Read full review

• 60

  out of 100

  The New York TimesStephen Holden

  If its tone is considerably tougher than that of movies adapted from Nicholas Sparks novels, it is still a grown-up soap opera. And as the overly determined plot progresses, it feels increasingly Sparks-like, although there are no dewy young lovebirds to swoon over.

  Read full review

• 58

  out of 100

  Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman

  People Like Us demonstrates how a drama can be heartfelt and bogus at the same time.

  Read full review

• 50

  out of 100

  USA TodayClaudia Puig

  The movie's soap opera quality undermines its efforts to tell a family saga with much believability.

  Read full review

• 50

  out of 100

  Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips

  A fine and moving film could be made from this story, which was inspired, loosely, by events and situations in the lives of Kurtzman and Orci. But the script sets an awfully low bar for Sam's redemption.

  Read full review

• 40

  out of 100

  Village VoiceNick Pinkerton

  Ultimately, however, People Like Us is infected with the "life-affirming" pox; this means making a narrative priority of redeeming everyone before adequately explaining them.

  Read full review

• 40

  out of 100

  Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern

  Going on too long seems to be the disease of the week; it's certainly what brings this movie down, though the going on here stems from a surfeit of implausible plot that suffocates the main characters and the excellent actors who play them.

  Read full review

See all People Like Us movie reviews at Metacritic.com