Antwone Fisher
Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: December 19, 2002 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
62
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews
Positive:
19
Mixed:
11
Negative:
2
Watch Now
Stream On
Stream On
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
A deceptively simple movie with a deeply felt message. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Antwone Fisher has a confrontation with his past, and a speech to the mother who abandoned him, and a reunion with his family, that create great, heartbreaking, joyous moments. Read full review
88
New York PostLou Lumenick
Emotionally honest, feel-good saga with a universality that stands out in a season of singularly depressing and cynical Hollywood product. Read full review
88
Chicago TribuneMark Caro
Washington, typically, is rock-solid in front of the camera, conveying ample warmth and sympathy. Behind the camera, he's a relatively straightforward storyteller, strategic in his use of lyrical touches. Read full review
83
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
Washington brings it off with an unforced and well-earned emotional wallop, and whose strong hand, keen eye, sweet spirit and good taste are reflected in almost every scene. Read full review
80
L.A. WeeklyErnest Hardy
The film offers an impressive melding of quietly radical images and ideas with, yes, an old-fashioned, crowd-pleasing holiday tearjerker. Read full review
80
Washington PostDesson Thomson
An assured directorial debut that goes straight for the tear ducts.
80
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
Blessedly free of the self-righteous histrionics and sentimentality that so often cheapen powerful personal stories. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
There are a few occasions when Antwone Fisher crosses the line to become too syrupy -- For the most part, however, the production radiates emotional honesty. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
Corny. But it's corny in a way that a Hollywood movie about a boy who just wants to go home ought to be corny. Plus when it's done with this much care, corny works for me. Read full review
75
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
The rare sort of movie that gives predictability a good name. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
Intense but dignified. Read full review
75
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
A good film that, with a little extra care, could have been great. Read full review
75
Rolling StonePeter Travers
The uniformly fine performances are a tribute to Washington, who plays the shrink with his customary command. Read full review
70
The New York TimesStephen Holden
A movie so profoundly in touch with its own feelings that it transcends its formulaic tics. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
Rarest and most impressive of all, Antwone Fisher is a serious drama set in the African American community, one that showcases powerful, confrontational scenes between black actors. Read full review
67
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
With all its pedestrian moments, the film still has the power to sweep you up. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
If treats like this are evidence of Washington's special gifts as a filmmaker, Antwone Fisher promises great things for the future. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
A safety-first, tried-and-true inspirational story that stays the course right down to its "It's a Wonderful Life" ending. Read full review
60
TV Guide MagazineSteve Simels
But there's a vaguely self-congratulatory tone to the screenplay that's a bit off-putting. Read full review
60
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
Affecting but formulaic.
60
New York Magazine (Vulture)Peter Rainer
Should be remembered for a pair of performers -- Derek Luke and Viola Davis, whose cameo as the mother who abandoned him cuts through the sap like an acetylene torch. Read full review
60
VarietyEddie Cockrell
Washington reveals himself to be a filmmaker with a clean, uncluttered storytelling style. Too often, overtly inspirational material such as this can become strident or mawkish. Read full review
60
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
Denzel Washington's directorial debut reminds me of a 60s British movie called "The Mark": it's liberal minded, heartwarming, sincere, and consequently somewhat old-fashioned and stodgy. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
Has warmth and integrity, but it lacks the urgency of a story that had to be told. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
This is the brand of sentimentality that comes with a high concentration of saccharine and every taste of bitterness safely removed. Read full review
50
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Although it's touching and sincere, Washington's directorial debut is weakened by a too-slow pace and a story that offers few real surprises. Read full review
50
SalonCharles Taylor
There's nothing in either the conception or execution to lift it above a TV-movie tear-jerker. Read full review
50
Dallas ObserverLuke Y. Thompson
In the hands of lesser mortals, this would add up to perhaps the worst movie of the year. In the hands of Denzel Washington, it manages to work magic on some who might not tolerate such shenanigans from, say, Chris Columbus. Read full review
50
Film ThreatRick Kisonak
A competently calibrated feel-good machine. It's as effective as anything on The Lifetime Channel. Which is likely where this project would have wound up were it not for the involvement of Washington. Read full review
30
Village VoiceMichael Atkinson
Washington directs with proficient blandness charged only occasionally by organic acting moments. Read full review
20
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
Directed without a shred of imagination by Denzel Washington -- Antwone Fisher masks a behind-the-scenes story that's far more inspiring than the phony uplift that makes it onto the screen. Read full review
More From This Movie

62 Critic Reviews

7.8 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 71 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL