K-PAX
Universal Pictures | Release Date: October 26, 2001 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
49
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews
Positive:
11
Mixed:
14
Negative:
6
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
SalonCharles Taylor
What keeps the movie going, besides Softley's intelligent direction and Mathieson's inventive cinematography, is the actors' duet between Spacey and Bridges. Read full review
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
The movie itself is not completely successful, but it's consistently both engrossing and entertaining, and -- once again -- Spacey's performance creates a spell that lingers long after the lights come back on. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
The heart of the movie is in the Spacey performance, and in knowing that less is more, he plays Prot absolutely matter-of-factly. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
The images are lustrous, the cutting is brisk and the acting of the two leads is right on the money. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
This is a tour-de-force performance, delivered by an actor at the top of his game, and it's a shame that K-Pax, instead of engaging our imaginations as it promises to, devolves into such a conventional, paint-by- numbers disappointment. Read full review
70
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
When Kevin Spacey takes center stage, our planet really does seem bright.
70
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
Both actors are so good that one might easily overlook the Pollyannaish subplot. Read full review
70
Washington PostRita Kempley
Primarily, it's a warm, fuzzy and funny duet between Spacey and Bridges, one that brings to mind the interplay between Spock and Kirk. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
I rather like the whole mystic- crystal-revelations aspect of K-PAX, and the idea that even a psychiatrist of Jeff Bridges' handsome, American substantiality is open to notions of cosmic improbability. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
Both consoling and confounding. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeJay Carr
It would be gratifying to report that there's a lot more to K-Pax than Spacey at the top of his form, but there isn't.
60
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Entertaining for so long it's a downer to sit through the dumbed-down finale. Read full review
60
Mr. ShowbizCody Clark
Spacey and Bridges -- generally provide exactly the level of investment required for their characters to be convincing. Neither one showboats, and both make good use of the dry humor in Leavitt's script.
50
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
A pleasant enough entertainment raised above its station by the quality of its acting. Read full review
50
USA TodayClaudia Puig
As impressive as Kevin Spacey ordinarily is, this isn't the best vehicle for his considerable talents. Read full review
50
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
It's all very "Cuckoo's Nest," but in a glib, facile way, and it leaves K-PAX adrift in its fuzzy, New-Agey orbit. Read full review
50
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
The casting in K-PAX is canny, but the picture as a whole is a clunky mix of the canny and the would-be uncanny. Read full review
50
VarietyRobert Koehler
Frustratingly fritters away what fascination it develops and bows to the basic conventions of a standard detective story mixed with the theme of a physician healing himself. Read full review
50
New York PostLou Lumenick
The biggest load of New Agey hogwash to grace the big screen since Spacey's "Pay it Forward." Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
Not worth the rocket fuel. Read full review
40
Village VoiceDennis Lim
K-PAX undertakes a garbled but comprehensive survey of Hollywood therapeutic clichés: The rain man has an awakening from his cocoon, pays it forward, turns into the fisher king. Read full review
40
New Times (L.A.)Luke Y. Thompson
Isn't quite as offensive as it sounds, nor is it in any way rousing; Spacey and Bridges are watchable, but nothing more. Read full review
40
The New York TimesDana Stevens
It's hard to watch these two actors plow through the nonsense of K- Pax without feeling that a terrific opportunity has been squandered. Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
While nowhere near as mawkish at the abysmal "Pay It Forward," K-PAX nevertheless seems somehow unfocused and meandering; it's Spacey-light. Read full review
40
Film ThreatMichael Dequina
A two-time Oscar winner playing a crazy person in a big studio film released in late October. Can't you just smell the pretension? Probably not, given the other ways in which this film stinks. Read full review
30
New York Magazine (Vulture)Peter Rainer
Spacey is turning into another Robin Williams: Between this film and "Pay It Forward" he cops the prize for the Sappiest Performances by an Actor Previously Known to Have Great Talent. Read full review
30
TV Guide MagazineFrank Lovece
The latest offender in the odd "let's see what the cute and funny mentally ill can teach us" genre, this mystery/domestic drama commits all the usual sins and clichés. Read full review
30
SlateDavid Edelstein
Much of K-Pax consists of Spacey grinning like Stevie Wonder behind sunglasses, -- taking dippy steps, and bobbing his head as if attached to an invisible Walkman. Read full review
30
L.A. WeeklyErnest Hardy
Manipulative, feel-good drivel wrapped around a cloying performance by Kevin Spacey. Read full review
25
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
In short, this movie is exactly the kind of starry-eyed escapist fantasy that Dr. Powell suspects Prot of having. It's harmless enough, since we can be cured just by leaving the theater. Read full review
25
Portland OregonianKim Morgan
Just pass on K-PAX. Read full review
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