Heavy
Ciné 360 | Release Date: June 5, 1996 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
76
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
In his feature debut, writer-director John Mangold brings remarkably sensitive powers of observation to bear upon ordinary people living ordinary lives. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
You don't guess the true horror of the place, which is that there are no secrets, because everyone here knows all about everyone else, inside and out, top to bottom, and has for years. Read full review
88
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
Writer/director Mangold never compromises the integrity of his painfully-intense script. There isn't one crowd-pleasing moment in the entire movie, except perhaps the last scene, which offers a flicker of hope. Read full review
83
Entertainment WeeklyKen Tucker
Mangold, who also wrote the script, has made a modern-day "Marty", a kitchen-sink drama that doesn't condescend to its characters. Read full review
80
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
The performances are strong (my favorite is Deborah Harry as an older waitress) and the sense of eroded as well as barely articulated lives is palpable. Read full review
80
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
Heavy is the kind of deliberately slow-paced character study that allows carefully realized performances to shine. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
Mangold's sympathy is genuine and his refusal to mock or condescend to his characters -- indeed, that may be the point of the film -- is a pleasure. Read full review
75
San Francisco ExaminerBarbara Shulgasser
Mangold's vision is bold. There is nothing cutesy or gimmicky about Heavy, which may be why something in its grimness recalls the work of Ingmar Bergman. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Written and directed with uncommon sensitivity by James Mangold, a strikingly talented newcomer. Read full review
70
The New York TimesJanet Maslin
Though Heavy begins beautifully, it isn't always able to sustain its balance between narrative subtlety and inertia. Read full review
70
VarietyTodd McCarthy
Character-driven to a fault, Heavy proceeds in such leisurely fashion that there are times one wishes it would shed a few minutes in order to get on with its business. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
The movie demands to be watched and rewards that attention handsomely, though at times Heavy seems a little too introverted for its own good. Read full review
63
TV Guide MagazineStaff(not credited)
This examination of unexamined lives is beautifully acted by all involved, notably former pop diva Deborah Harry, whose nuanced portrayal of a middle-aged tart is almost painful to watch. Read full review
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