Bounce
Miramax Films | Release Date: November 17, 2000 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
52
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
13
Negative:
5
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
50
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
It's the opposite of "The Opposite of Sex," a meditation on multiple truths, and the lies that sometimes lie in between. Read full review
75
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow are so immensely appealing, and their chemistry together is so unforced, that their presence alone makes a movie worth seeing. Thankfully, Bounce has even more going for it.
63
Boston GlobeJay Carr
Something is missing in Bounce, the muted dynamic of which calls forth a perhaps inevitably muted reaction.
75
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
For the first time since "Chasing Amy," I realized why people like Ben Affleck. Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderLisa Alspector
The unusually thoughtful dialogue and soul-searching performances make this romantic drama seem deeper than it is. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
In movies with this story structure, all depends on the precise timing of the delay and the revelation, and Bounce misses. Not by a lot, but by enough. Read full review
50
Chicago TribuneMark Caro
Doesn't really work when examined in the daylight outside the theater doors.
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
The movie is well acted, deeply moving, and unlike some love stories, it doesn't feel forced or contrived. Read full review
20
Dallas ObserverGregory Weinkauf
Moments of strained mirth indicate how false and fabricated the whole enterprise really is--just a couple of well-to-do superstars doing their darnedest to prove to us that they're regular folk. And failing. Read full review
91
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Watching Bounce, you look at him (Affleck) and believe how much he's got at stake, and you look at Paltrow and know why. Read full review
50
Film.comRobert Horton
There's no way out of the excruciating melodrama, and the film withers in its trap. Read full review
40
Film.comJohn Hartl
While Bounce may mark a sophomore slump for Roos, it's hardly the worst date movie out there. Read full review
30
Film.comMoira Macdonald
So relentlessly vanilla that it never springs to life. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyF. X. Feeney
Thrillingly unpredictable. Read full review
30
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
Affleck and Paltrow, who've been excellent elsewhere, display less chemistry than they've shown in magazine photo shoots. Even Woody and Bo Peep had more going on between them in "Toy Story" than these two manage here. Read full review
75
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
There's nothing in Bounce you haven't seen before, but the movie is surprisingly unsentimental, the Paltrow factor cannot be denied.
90
Mr. ShowbizCody Clark
Roos combines a sharp script with excellent performances.
63
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
After a few movies in which Paltrow was in danger of becoming a caricature of herself, she's back in rare form. Read full review
50
New York PostLou Lumenick
The most depressing date movie since "Random Hearts."
75
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
Roos introduces the possibility that perhaps two partials add up to the whole truth, and in so doing creates a provocative love story that sticks with you long after the credits roll.
42
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
Isn't sexy, funny, smart or fun.
30
SalonAndrew O'Hehir
A pallid, mediocre tale that treacles its way through well-worn channels. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
Surprisingly tepid and soapy. Read full review
50
San Francisco ExaminerWesley Morris
If I wanted a Nora Ephron cuddle-ganza, I'd rent one.
50
Seattle Post-IntelligencerPaula Nechak
Flies coach instead of first class, despite a charismatic cast. Read full review
70
The New York TimesStephen Holden
Bounce may be far from a great film, but its pleasures are consistent enough to remind you of how few movies nowadays come anywhere close to matching it in intelligence and emotional balance. Read full review
60
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
Beneath the plot's romantic turns lies a surprisingly complex examination of the personal and professional price of honesty; falsehoods, half-truths, little white lies and self-delusion spur most of the key plot developments, and Roos never resorts to platitudes to account for their effects. Read full review
50
USA TodaySusan Wloszczyna
Truth is, Affleck and Paltrow flunk Chemistry 101. They aren't believable even as a fake couple. Read full review
50
VarietyTodd McCarthy
Simultaneously contrived and genuinely felt. Read full review
30
Village VoiceDennis Lim
It's been smoothed over plenty, but this is one creaky, rigged contraption. Read full review
80
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
It's a love story, yes, but one whose sweetness is cut by honest performances, a sharply drawn supporting cast and a fairly serious, yet never self-pitying, tone. Read full review
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