Happy Accidents
IFC Films | Release Date: August 24, 2001 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
60
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
8
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
67
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
Gleefully silly fun, with a few core concepts on the nature of time, space, and la-la-la-love thrown in for good measure. And who can resist a puffin, anyway? Read full review
75
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
"Happy Accidents" should retire Tomei's status as part of a show-biz urban legend and establish her once and for all as one of our most versatile and engaging performers.
75
Boston GlobeJoan Anderman
D'Onofrio's affably wide-eyed weirdness generates not only pleasure, but a genuinely authentic conundrum, bouncing forward and backward toward the truth.
80
Chicago ReaderStaff (Not Credited)
Best of all, and unusual for a screenwriter, Anderson handles the science consistently (maybe even scientifically). Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Essentially silliness crossed with science fiction. The actors make it fun to watch. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Doesn't have the negative qualities of many big-studio romantic comedies, but it doesn't quite take flight.
80
L.A. WeeklyChuck Wilson
Looks drab and doesn't take very good advantage of its New York locations, but the neurotic intensity and emotional honesty of its two leads more than make up for it. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesJan Stuart
If you're willing to suspend a barrel or two of disbelief, then Happy Accidents has its moments. Read full review
50
Miami HeraldConnie Ogle
Put in such an uncomfortable position, the audience needs something to fall back on, like chemistry between its stars. Here that's half-hearted at best. Read full review
20
Mr. ShowbizMichael Atkinson
It's a warped kind of romantic comedy in which the whole is substantially less than the sum of the parts.
50
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
D'Onofrio is a natural for the role of a romantic who just may be a freak. A highly physical actor, he ranges between sweetly awkward and a candidate for the kind of mental hospital shown in "Session 9."
50
New York PostLou Lumenick
This is an overlong film interesting chiefly for its performances.
75
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
Happy Accidents is romantic perversity in reverse. Read full review
42
Portland OregonianKim Morgan
All guts, no glory and, worse, bad story.
75
San Francisco ChronicleBob Graham
The actors have enough appeal to keep it moving over the speed bumps. Read full review
83
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
Anderson is a hopeless romantic in a cynical world, and for a brief moment he makes the case that true love is the only power that can crack time and space. Read full review
50
The New York TimesStephen Holden
As impressive as it is in the abstract, all the detail ultimately drags the movie down and lengthens it unnecessarily. Read full review
70
TV Guide MagazineFrank Lovece
This sweet, lovingly passionate story is nonetheless a charmer. Anderson's technique -- jaggy, product-testimonial close-ups; eerie still-image insertions -- is arresting, but this is an actors' showcase. Read full review
70
VarietyTodd McCarthy
A lighthearted yarn designed to stand out by virtue of its intricate structure and trippy time-travel element. But the fanciful material wears thin pretty quickly, the air leaking out of the balloon long before party's over. Read full review
60
Village VoiceEd Park
The leads smooth over the plot holes endemic to all 4D fables, making the movie more than mere déjà vu. Read full review
80
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
Fresh and flip and enjoyable, it's a sci-fi-tinged romantic comedy that I urge you to seek out.
50
Washington PostMegan Rosenfeld
The actors make a good team in this film, and they're playing well-defined characters, but the script is so repetitive that we get mighty impatient for the mystery to be resolved. Read full review
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