The Art of Getting By

Name: The Art of Getting By
Genre: Romance
Released: June 17, 2011
Duration: 84 min
Rating: 36
Cast: Emma Roberts, Freddie Highmore, Michael Angarano

2011

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 56 Ratings

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6.5

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6.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 56 Ratings

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The Art Of Getting By

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: June 17, 2011 | PG-13

Starring: Emma Roberts, Freddie Highmore, Michael Angarano

Summary: The Art of Getting By stars Freddie Highmore as George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who's made it all the way to his senior year without ever having down a real day of work, who is befriended by Sally, a beautiful and complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit. (Fox Searchlight)

Director: Gavin Wiesen

Genre(s): Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 84 min

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Critic Reviews

Amy Biancolli

Jun 16, 2011

The movie turns lighter and less morose as it rolls along, which is good for viewers who prefer a bit of honey to offset the bitter taste of hormones. Read full review

Joe Williams

Jun 16, 2011

Yet notwithstanding its derivative dolefulness and PG-13 timidity, The Art of Getting By is smart and sweet enough to become the favorite film of some Midwestern adolescent who wrongly believes he's already seen the dark side. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Jun 18, 2011

Thanks to Highmore's performance, George is worth sticking around for - and thanks almost exclusively to Highmore and Roberts, so is The Art of Getting By. Read full review

Boxoffice Magazine Ray Greene

Jun 12, 2011

A formula picture made by someone who doesn't even believe in the formula - he knows it all has to work out, we know it all has to work out, and he can't even muster an ironic wink for our trouble. Read full review

Ty Burr

Jun 16, 2011

If the director had brought any toughness of perspective - or at least the self-lacerating humor of 2002's "Igby Goes Down,'' still the reigning champ of screwed-up-Manhattan-prepster films - we might be able to digest George's follies without cringing. Read full review

Robert Abele

Jun 16, 2011

Unformed protagonists don't come more wallowingly irritating and contradictory than George. Read full review

Kimberley Jones

Jun 16, 2011

Flaccid, endlessly irksome coming-of-age drama. Read full review

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User Reviews

MegWhiteley

Apr 11, 2012

I don't think that the movie is bad, I think that the critics don't understand the movie, because is fantastic, have some cool and funny moments, The Art of Getting By have great performances, and the movie is good.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

Miro11

Jan 3, 2013

Despite the negative feedback I quite liked the film. Sure it has characters that have been done to death but it has a lot of heart, which is achieved through the likability of the lead, Freddie Highmore. Not an amazing flick, but enough to keep me interested to watch til the end on TV,Despite the negative feedback I quite liked the film. Sure it has characters that have been done to death but it has a lot of heart, which is achieved through the likability of the lead, Freddie Highmore. Not an amazing flick, but enough to keep me interested to watch til the end on TV, which is an achievement for these types of film… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

NinjaYoshies

Jul 27, 2013

This movie has a great story it's happy it's sad it invokes feelings, good cinamatography, great soundtrack. Even though it has mostly negative review or mixed reviews I think you should watch it anyway

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TheJaijo

Jan 27, 2012

As a lot of people have said, it's not as bad as the critics make out... I put it on late at night as I wasn't bothered if I fell asleep watching it. However, I was surprised that I sat through it. It was warming, romantic, humorous (if not a little pretentious) in places, another "HowAs a lot of people have said, it's not as bad as the critics make out... I put it on late at night as I wasn't bothered if I fell asleep watching it. However, I was surprised that I sat through it. It was warming, romantic, humorous (if not a little pretentious) in places, another "How cool are New Yorkers film". The eye candy that is Emma Roberts made the film more watchable, and good soundtrack too. Average... mheh, easy viewing.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Bullet97

Jun 21, 2011

I don't know why critics are beating the crap out of this thing. The Art Of Getting By is not awful, it's just average. But the thing that keeps this movie from being mediocre is the chemistry between Friedie Highmore (who has been gone from the face of the Earth for 5 years) and EmmaI don't know why critics are beating the crap out of this thing. The Art Of Getting By is not awful, it's just average. But the thing that keeps this movie from being mediocre is the chemistry between Friedie Highmore (who has been gone from the face of the Earth for 5 years) and Emma Roberts. This is a couple that is very likeable and you want them to wind up together. But the movie surrounding them doesn't live up to their great chemistry. Sure, there's some funny and sweet moments, but the whole movie's one giant cli'che. It does nothing new, and the acting, character development, or writing doesn't distract me from that. Also, the movie feels very rushed and no character feels welldeveloped. TAOGB isn't terrible, in fact, I'd actually watch it again if I caught it on TV, but it's nothing you just have to see.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

DoubleBlue

Dec 13, 2012

This movie features Freddie Highmore in a rather unsympathetic lead role and a very predictable plot. Many other films have explored the same theme much more creatively and memorably. The low budget shows, too -- has a high school graduation ever looked more bare-bones than here? For me theThis movie features Freddie Highmore in a rather unsympathetic lead role and a very predictable plot. Many other films have explored the same theme much more creatively and memorably. The low budget shows, too -- has a high school graduation ever looked more bare-bones than here? For me the highlight was a passing glimpse of the diner that was featured in "Seinfeld". I expected to like this movie a lot more than I did so maybe I'm just grumpy, but I really believe this one will end up as just a footnote on the CV's of the cast and crew.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

TylerDsCreation

May 25, 2013

The Art of Getting By is a film that tries and tries and tries to be something and then fails miserably to do so. It tries to be a touching dramedy that will make you laugh and cry but it didn't make me laugh, and the closest I ever got to crying was when I has to listen to one of FreddieThe Art of Getting By is a film that tries and tries and tries to be something and then fails miserably to do so. It tries to be a touching dramedy that will make you laugh and cry but it didn't make me laugh, and the closest I ever got to crying was when I has to listen to one of Freddie Highmore's awful narrations about how miserable his life is. That was probably one of the biggest mistakes, hiring Freddie Highmore to be in you movie. This guy is so dead pan and monotone that it gets pretty boring going through the story with him and that's not a good thing. If your going to spend a lot of time with someone, make them fun to be around, this guy just made me mad. When you main character is a whiny little dousche than he's not a likable character and what makes you want to root for him. The other "actors" in this movie were just as bad. Nothing special about them, no breakout roles there. Next is Emma Roberts who was okay. She was the only redeeming value of this film. She actually brought out emotion and I applaud her for that. Also she was extremely attractive.
Now don't even get me started on the writing. It was mindless, that's all it was. You can tell this screenwriter was trying, really hard too. There were things the people said in this movie (especially Freddie) where you could tell the writer was trying to be deep and thought provoking and try to channel the human condition, and it actually comes out comical more that anything. "We all live alone, we all die alone, everything else is just an illusion." That is just one of he many attempts at being something this movie definitely isn't. Plus that first part is from a much much much better indie Donnie Darko and it actually has meaning to it, unlike in this joke. And why would that keep a kid up at night? When I was younger I probably wouldn't even understand it, and I find meanings in things, even back then.
The actors and the script is bad, but one thing that really threw me for the loop here is that almost every action these kids take is probably one of the last things a kid that age would do. It's so stupid and just so...pointless. It gets me mad. Couldn't the writers have done a bit of a better job, really? Is it that hard to write this story about a slacker who finds a reason to get serious about his future. Pretty simple concept. Also the reason he decides to get serious about his future is painting and they barely touched upon that. It barely came up and that's the main point of this whole thing. All I can say is lazy.
So this film here was pretty terrible. The writing sucked, the acting was unsatisfactory and it didn't quite hit its marks. The only redeeming value for this is that Emma Roberts is really (really) hot. I don't recommend this to anyone.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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