Crazy/Beautiful
Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: June 29, 2001 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
61
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Critic Reviews
Positive:
19
Mixed:
3
Negative:
4
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Mr. ShowbizCody Clark
A teenage movie that trusts its audience -- it sounds crazy, but it's actually quite beautiful.
80
Chicago ReaderLisa Alspector
Gutsy romance-drama that breaks a cardinal rule of storytelling and pop psychology: its iconic lovers aren't forced by a tragedy to learn that they shouldn't depend on each other to feel whole. Read full review
80
SalonStephanie Zacharek
Even after losing its sexiest, tawdriest moments, this teen romance is still hotter, smarter and more fearless than its Hollywood contemporaries. Read full review
80
The New York TimesDana Stevens
It is an enormous improvement over the brainless, patronizing teenage romances that have slouched into (and quickly out of) theaters in recent years. But it could, if the filmmakers had trusted themselves and the actors a bit more, have lived up to its title. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
Very much of a guilty pleasure. A nifty piece of teenage romantic piffle, it combines two strong and attractive performances. Read full review
75
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
The story seems fresh and alive. They also had the good sense to cast Dunst, at 19 already one of Hollywood's finest and most consistent actresses. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleWesley Morris
Even when the movie is bad -- it's addictively so. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
An impressive portrait of the migraine of teenage girlhood, and also works on the more modest level of teen romance. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Tougher, less sentimental mirror version of "Save the Last Dance." Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Dunst, in her finest performance yet, has now transcended her fellow teen stars. She is arguably the first actress of her generation poised to take on Gwyneth and Julia. Read full review
75
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
Fast, wacky and bubbling with passion or dark, troubled and doomed. In the unusually titled crazy/beautiful, it's all those things at once. Read full review
75
USA TodaySusan Wloszczyna
Atypical teen drama about opposites attracting that often (and happily) confounds expectations. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
An intelligent romance that cuts against the grain of the youth-pic genre, crazy/beautiful boasts a scarily good performance from Dunst. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMark Caro
Stockwell deserves kudos for working mental illness into a teen story without making it the explicit focus, as in simplistic exercises like "Girl, Interrupted."
70
New Times (L.A.)Luke Y. Thompson
There's enough substance here to make Crazy/Beautiful more than worthwhile for its target audience, and certainly more useful than the standard teen crapfests. Read full review
67
Portland OregonianKim Morgan
Really a vehicle for Dunst, which would be fine if only the vehicle were more inspired. Read full review
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
An absorbing little drama full of unexpected revelations, keen insights into the Anglo and Hispanic cultures of L.A., and strong supporting performances. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleKimberley Jones
Movingly captures the terrors and delights of being lovesick at 17. Would that it hadn't felt constrained to target only the 17-year-olds. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeJay Carr
To have been the film it could have been, crazy/beautiful needed to be messier. Read full review
60
L.A. WeeklyElla Taylor
Crazy/beautiful has a leisurely local specificity, and Stockwell has a tender way with his actors. Read full review
50
New York PostJonathan Foreman
Courageous, convincing performance by Dunst.
50
VarietyTodd McCarthy
The significant potential of its premise is squandered by an increasing reliance on teen movie cliches, silly plotting and the urge to be upbeat rather than to communicate life lessons. Read full review
30
Village VoiceAmy Taubin
Overproduced as a Super Bowl soft-drink commercial, so much so that even its potentially insightful moments seem like movie fakery. Read full review
30
Washington PostNicole Arthur
Surprisingly mawkish teen film. Read full review
30
TV Guide MagazineSteve Simels
Numbingly predictable. Read full review
20
Rolling StonePeter Travers
From the lowercase lettering of the title to the deadly familiarity of the plot, there is much to grate on your nerves in this TV Afterschool Special trying to pass as a real movie. Read full review
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