Freeheld
Lionsgate | Release Date: October 2, 2015 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
50
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews
Positive:
11
Mixed:
15
Negative:
4
Watch Now
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
60
EmpireOlly RichardsFeb 15, 2016
Strong subject matter and a superb cast are treated disappointingly with sledgehammer subtlety. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranOct 1, 2015
Having its heart and mind in the right place is not enough to make this a better movie than it is. Read full review
58
Christian Science MonitorPeter RainerOct 2, 2015
Freeheld is certainly timely, though, given its ponderous approach, less than invigorating. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTy BurrOct 8, 2015
At the end, under the closing credits, Freeheld shows us photos of the real Hester and Andree, and we sense an immediacy the rest of the film lacks. These are the people we want to watch and not a movie simulacra, no matter how capably performed and earnestly felt. Read full review
50
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzOct 8, 2015
Good intentions can only take you so far. So it is with Freeheld, a well-meaning movie whose sterling intentions, timely and provocative subject and terrific cast are muted to near oblivion by uninspired storytelling and direction. Read full review
50
RogerEbert.comOdie HendersonOct 2, 2015
The film’s heart is in the right place, but its focus is not. Read full review
50
New York Magazine (Vulture)Bilge EbiriOct 2, 2015
Perhaps seeking not to sensationalize or to Hollywood-ize a story set in a drab, mundane world, Sollett shoots without any frills. That’s usually a good thing, but here it helps to suck the life out of the material — in part because Nyswaner’s screenplay seems to have settled for the most direct, speechifying way of dramatizing the issues at hand. Read full review
50
New York PostLou LumenickSep 30, 2015
It’s a disappointment as a movie, though Shannon is especially fine in a rare sympathetic role. Read full review
50
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneySep 16, 2015
All the conviction the actors can muster can't make this script feel less pat. Read full review
50
IndieWireEric KohnSep 16, 2015
Unfortunately, while Julianne Moore and Ellen Page go great lengths to make the central romance convince, Nyswaner's undercooked script and Peter Sollett's direction have the opposite effect, reducing Freeheld to a tired formula. Read full review
50
HitfixGregory EllwoodSep 15, 2015
An impressive cast and significant real-life events can’t trump the fact it’s a badly made movie. Read full review
50
Slant MagazineEd GonzalezSep 14, 2015
The filmmakers, for better and for worse, stay out of the actresses' way, as Freeheld's artistry is so unadorned that the performances somehow feel more naked as a result. Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenOct 14, 2015
The parade has now moved on and Freeheld seems more like a footnote than a groundswell. Read full review
40
Time OutDavid EhrlichSep 16, 2015
There’s no pleasure in trashing a film as humanistic and well-intentioned as Freeheld, but just because anyone would agree with its message doesn’t mean this glorified Lifetime movie does a worthy job of conveying it. Read full review
40
VarietyJustin ChangSep 16, 2015
Despite a credible and moving love story driven by strong performances from Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, director Peter Sollett’s film is an oppressively worthy and self-satisfied inspirational vehicle that views its story primarily as a series of teachable moments. Read full review
More From This Movie

50 Critic Reviews

7.5 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