Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat
Paramount Pictures | Release Date: August 2, 2002 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
40
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
11
Negative:
7
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
San Francisco ChronicleJonathan Curiel
A movie that is not only achingly funny but also full of serious and philosophical truisms. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
If it proves nothing else, this movie establishes that it is impossible for a film to get the NC-17 rating from the MPAA for language alone. This takes the trophy for dirty talk, and I've seen the docs by Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and Andrew Dice Clay. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
While the impulse for his concert may have been confession and atonement, the cumulative effect is one of a guy struggling mightily to reconcile his divided self. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Lawrence makes you believe in the character you're watching. He does an amazing little piece of acting. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Lawrence is a no-holds-barred stand-up comedian who gets away with the strongest, most graphic language because he is so funny and because he makes himself the object of so much of his humor. Read full review
60
VarietyJoe Leydon
By turns defiant and apologetic, gleefully raunchy and anxiously defensive. Read full review
60
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
He has a knack for creating vivid characters even in the briefest of vignettes in his live act, many of which are taken from his life, growing up poor in Greenbelt. Read full review
60
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Lawrence's material runs between mediocre and offensive, and then he rescues it with his physical humor. He's at his best when he lets his face or inflection do the talking. Read full review
58
Seattle Post-IntelligencerPaula Nechak
Lawrence uses the stand-up forum less as a weapon to blast us with his incisive, razor sharp insights into life, sex and ethnicity than as a pulpit or confessional to chronicle his rehabilitation and reformation. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
He doesn't just kill a good buzz. He bludgeons it. Read full review
50
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
There are bits of this film that titillate, undeniably, but mainly you wait for the comic to bring out the big guns, and then he leaves you feeling more teased than tickled. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Jennie Punter
While Lawrence doesn't come close to the fireworks wit and satire of Pryor in his postfreebase-accident film, "Live On The Sunset Strip," his riveting story saves Runteldat from becoming just a routine slapped on the big screen. Read full review
50
Chicago TribuneRobert K. Elder
He's endearing and affable when finding humor and even introspective life lessons after arrests, drug use and a near-death experience. Read full review
40
The A.V. ClubNathan Rabin
Lawrence's public foibles haven't magically transformed him into a comic genius, but they have made his act surprisingly poignant, if never especially funny or profound. Read full review
40
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
However stale the material, Lawrence's delivery remains perfect; his great gift is that he can actually trick you into thinking some of this worn-out, pandering palaver is actually funny. Read full review
40
Chicago ReaderBill Stamets
Failing to provide any insight into his plight as a rich African-American celebrity, he moves on to the hard stuff. Read full review
30
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
This picture is mostly a lump of run-of-the-mill profanity sprinkled with a few remarks so geared toward engendering audience sympathy that you might think he was running for office -- or trying to win over a probation officer. Read full review
30
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
Breaks down before it gets out of the driveway. Read full review
25
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
In his new concert film, a train wreck of self-regard, self-pity and not-so-humble pie, Martin Lawrence doth protest too much. Read full review
25
USA TodayClaudia Puig
The comedian's braggadocio here is more wearying than that of the most self-absorbed rapper. And worse, it comes at the expense of humor. Read full review
25
New York PostMegan Lehmann
It wouldn't matter so much that this arrogant Richard Pryor wannabe's routine is offensive, puerile and unimaginatively foul-mouthed if it was at least funny. Read full review
20
L.A. WeeklyMark Olsen
It's Lawrence who throws Runteldat (as in "run and tell that") off key, repeating an admonition about "the trials and tribulations of life" that sounds suspiciously insincere coming, as it does, from a guy smothered in diamonds. Read full review
0
New Times (L.A.)Robert Wilonsky
Not strong enough to stomach this leather-clad jerk-off session, which Miramax dumped onto Paramount in a rare case of common sense.
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